Songs Of The Week #75: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Static Jacks, TOY, Cumulus, Connan Mockasin, & Strange Names...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #75!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Static Jacks - Wallflowers (from the album In Blue)

 
TCDroogsma:

     When I first popped on this Static Jacks track last weekend it took me two full listens to figure out whether or not I already knew the song.  Turns out, no, I didn't know this song, but growing up in the 90's means I know this song.

     Everything about "Wallflowers" seems like it was crafted to hit straight in the "nostalgia" part of my brain.  The rumbling (yet smooth) bass line, the semi-obtuse "relationship" lyrics, that perfect earworm guitar line in the chorus... I've heard it all a hundred times before and it sounded great each time.  Frankly, if I was Static Jack I'd go full 90's and film the video in a high school gym in which the "reject" kid finally gets the girl (and, as long as we're spitballing ideas here, I'd make Freddy Prinze Jr. & Julia Stiles the principal & teacher respectively.  If you're not going to go full 90's than why even bother?)

MinneSarah:

     There was a guitar sound of 1996 that changed my entire perspective - a sound that seemed like the obvious soundtrack to my personal life and the American cultural future in general.  As a teenager you think those formative years will go on forever - I had no reason to think that this style would ever leave.  However, if you recall, this upbeat guitar rock just sort of fell off the map or morphed into unrecognizable, not-as- straight-forward pop rock.  It's beyond impressive to me there is a slice of the younger generation that understands and reveres this sound without ever having lived through it - but I'm thankful for them.

     "Wallflowers" is a fantastic example of a straightforward pop rock song with beautiful whiny guitars, dragging bass, and vocals that are feeling without changing the meaning of the song. The nostalgia for me is a driving factor in liking this song, though I'd argue that it holds up under any decade on its own merits. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4/5

02. TOY - Endlessly (from the album Join The Dots)

TCDroogsma:

      TOYS was up against some high expectations when they turned up in my iTunes this week.  Just two days prior to downloading "Endlessly" I was treating to the giddy Twitter rantings of the one & only Eddie Argos proclaiming his excitement for the new TOYS album.  Now, as any art gallery security guard knows, Eddie Argos is prone to over-enthusiasm.  Still, it was a ringing endorsement.

Fortunately, "Endlessly" lives up the hype.  It's the sort of quintessential five-shades-of-black shoegaze that it seems only the British can pull off, but like all great shoegaze tracks, its heart beats pure pop (My Bloody Valentine excepted).  After spending a week with this one I still don't really have any idea what it's about lyrically (some sort of passive-agressive relationship issues?), but it really doesn't matter.  While the chorus is the stuff young careers are built of, the highlight of the song spans from 2:07 to 3:30, when TOYS breaks the whole thing down just to rebuild it into a groove that probably sounds incredible in a club.  When you can pull off a trick like that it doesn't matter what else you have to say. 

MinneSarah:

     As stated in my last review, I'm in awe of bands that can recreate the sound of a time they didn't experience firsthand, creating a song that could stand up in the original wave of that genre, yet sound amazing here in 2014.  TOY recreates the British shoe-gaze sound perfectly, but strictly as a "best of."  If shoe-gaze were always as interesting as "Endless," it never would have slipped off the musical radar.

     This singer's breathy vocals echo through the electronic melee of psychedelic guitars, creating a song with an appealing balance of "order meets chaos." The mood is upbeat and ethereal. Couple this song with a recent viewing of a documentary about Creation Records, and I'd venture to say it's a pristine example of a younger generation paying homage to the music that has influenced their sound.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4.5/5

03. Cumulus - Hey Love (from the album I Never Meant It To Be Like This)

TCDroogsma:

     Three fuzzed up electric guitar songs in a row!?!  From The Current?!?  Quick, somebody get ahold of Andrea Swensson & her collection terrible Caroline Smith records stat!

     Give those circumstances, I'm not going to complain, but "Hey Love" is pretty easily the least rewarding of these three guitar-centric songs.  It's yet another in a series of bland, "quirky," faux-innocent pop-rockers that seem to be all the rage these days.  It's possible (read: likely) that I'm just getting cynical with age, but these songs about just wanting to dance or hold hands or share a cream fucking soda with somebody just don't do it for me.  At this point (read: 18 months ago) this whole surf-rock revival played every card in its hand.  Pleasant yet incredibly slight, "Hey Love" isn't converting any nonbelievers.

MinneSarah:

     The latest batch of West Coast garage surf rock perseveres, and Seattle's Cumulus manages to continue the upward trajectory of this genre.  There are plenty of "oooohhhs" and handclaps to go 'round, in case you were running low.  The vocals are upbeat and also quite polished, and set the tempo by using pauses and inflection for emphasis.  While I'm not entirely sold on this genre, this song is an excellent specimen.  I had an album from local band Dressy Bessy while I was in college and loved the whimsical vocal delivery, which is reminiscent of the strengths of "Hey Love." 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 3.5/5

04. Connan Mockasin - I'm The Man, That Will Find You (from the album Caramel)

TCDroogsma:

     Aaahhhh... nothing sets The Current back on track quite like unnecessarily quirky, confusingly punctuated, New Zealand white boy soul!

     I rode a wave fr opinions on "I'm The Man, That Will Find You" this week.  Initially I found myself thrilled by that comma.  Without the comma, I would have been staring down yet another heartbroken ex-lover song.  Pass.

     That comma, however, presented the prospect of a vengeance-based kiss off.  Not only would this girl miss him, but one day she would come to the realization that he was, in fact, "the man."  That would cut deep.

     Unfortunately, the comma doesn't appear to play any role in the actual song, which is a shame.  After being mildly annoyed by "I'm The Man, That Will Find You" for a couple of days, I did a complete 180.  Connan Mockasin may not know how to spell "Conan" or "Moccasin," but he can sure craft an enthralling pop song.  Mockasin sprawls his falsetto croon all over some hazy instrumentation, coming off like one of Kanye's vintage "chipmunk soul" beats, but being played in real time.  It's a woozy concoction and Mockasin deserves credit: rarely do these SOTD tracks become more intriguing as the week goes on, but he's spun a web of sound that refuses to come undone.
 
MinneSarah:

     There are times when you could never predict how certain influences would go on to create new and interesting music.  Connan Mockasin is a shining example of the weirdness and beauty of genres colliding.  "I'm the Man, That Will Find You" is smooth, mellow, creepy, sexy, and soulful.  Yeah, I said creepy and yeah, I'm giving it four stars.

     This young lad from New Zealand has melded the best of soulful heavy music with an electronic vocal technique and sultry lyrics. There is a 70's experimental element to the song (in 2014 would that still be considered an experiment?) Beyond the novel interest in this song - it's catchy enough to enjoy walking down the street.  That being said, it's also avant garde enough to transport you to another country, planet, dimension without the usual pretense of manufacturing a song for aural transport. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4/5

05. Strange Names - Ricochet (from the album Common Attraction)

TCDroogsma:

     I couldn't be more excited about the trajectory of Strange Names.  They began life as a semi-interesting (and, conversely, semi-uninteresting) indie rock band in a city full of mildly interesting indie rock bands.  Last year, however, brought us the excellent "Potential Wife."  That song found Strange Names recalibrating their aim from the head to the hips (though it took an excellent Information Society remix to really push the song there).

     The funky, hook-filled workout that is "Ricochet," then, finds the hitting their new target with deadly accuracy.  Lyrically, they've taken a page out of the Bernard Sumner "Hey, it sounds fucking good when I sing it" book of songwriting (to great effect, I might add.  They bounce syllables around like lotto balls).  That afterthought approach to lyrics serves "Ricochet" well, as any attempt at narrative would only distract from the groove.  Take Nile Rodgers' "chka-chka" guitar, Franz Ferdinand's rhythm section, and Passion Pit's keyboards and "Ricochet" becomes the best Killers song in years (note: that's a compliment.  I'm a huge Killers fan) (follow up note: not sarcasm, I really love The Killers).  If the rest of Common Attraction lives up to its lead single then Strange Names should have their run of the Twin Cities in 2014.
 
MinneSarah:

     The eighties were a fantastic decade.  While my stake is driven down smack dab in the middle of the 90's, there are times when I'm watching 21 Jump Street that I'd like to think I have the constitution necessary to wear shoulder pads and use an entire can of AquaNet a day.

     "Ricochet" sounds like it came off a lost soundtrack of the 80's, but sounds even better than anything mainstream from that period.  Now the 80's gave us a lot of good music in various distinct genres, but Strange Names really nailed the mainstream Miami Vice version.  Then they made that genre increasingly listenable by selecting the very best elements and putting their own spin on them to create something that you'd seek out in any decade because it's so darn good.  "Ricochet" possesses an underlying nostalgia - not all the techniques are new, but they come together to make a song that Johnny Depp (and the whole cast of 21 Jump Street) would find hard to switch the dial.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4/5
                    MinneSarah: 4/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column 






For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Newest Industry Presents: Flatbasset Radio - Episode #28 (Best Of The Current 2013!)

In the end there never is an end...

Hello again, free music fans! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #28!
 
For those of you who are unaware of the Flatbasset Radio format, here's what you're looking at: TCDroogsma is our resident MP3 junkie. As you've probably noticed in his Songs Of The Week column, he's not always the most positive music fan. In an effort to prove that he is, in fact, a fan of music, we give him an hour each week to play the songs he's digging and talk a little bit about them. Once he's recorded his podcast we put it right here on the website for free to stream and/or download!

This week is a special episode for those of you who are fans of countdowns and not fans of TCDroogsma babbling to himself.  To celebrate the end of the year (and thus another year of Songs Of The Week posts), Droogsy packed up the radio show and headed over to St. Paul to sit down with MinneSarah.  After spending the past year reviewing all of the Song Of The Day tracks they decided to take an hour to countdown their 10 favorites.  Here we've put together their discussion as well as the 10 best songs of The Current Songs Of The Day: 2013 Edition!


Along the way they drink brandy, discuss 60's garage rock revival, concede that there is no greater goal than trying to get money, consider ways to improve The Beatles, make a bold prediction as to what will be the big indie trend of 2014, discuss Depeche Mode's influence, discuss Har Mar Superstar's newfound maturity, reminisce about a club-filling dance band soundtracking loneliness, give King Krule some tips on his live set, discuss the value of old pop-punk records, and discuss a live performance of their number one song of 2013!


You can download the podcast for free by clicking the episode's title or stream the episode by clicking on the Mixcloud player below.

Flatbasset Radio - Episode #28

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #28 (Best Of The Current 2013!) by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

 
10. Bad Cop - My Dying Days
09. Painted Palms - Spinning Signs
08. The Growlers - One Million Lovers
07. Holy Ghost! - Okay
06. Polvo - Total Immersion
05. Har Mar Superstar - Lady, You Shot Me
04. Cut Copy - We Are Explorers
03. Veronica Falls - Teenage
02. King Krule - Border Line
01. Sebadoh - I Will

There you have it, music fans!  Another year of SOTD ranked & filed away!  Please be sure to stop back to Newest Industry each & every week for TCDroogsma & MinneSarah's song reviews.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.



 

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column 







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Your Name Is Wild: Week #15

Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated...

Well hello again, Wild fans!  Welcome to Your Name Is Wild: Week #15!

For those of you who are new to the column, here's the scoop:  The NHL season is a long, tedious journey.  We decided that this season we would ask TCDroogsma of the blog Wildly Biased to stop by each week and give us an update on our local squad.

Droogsy, what'd we miss?

Well hi there, everybody!  I'm glad to see you've decided to stop by after yours truly was proven to be a mediocre hockey mind after last week's games.

To recap:  In YNIW: Week #14 I essentially wrote an obituary for your beloved Minnesota Wild.  Yes, the Wild ended last week with consecutive home victories over Buffalo and Washington, but I maintained that they hadn't really solved any of their underlying problems.  They also found themselves without captain Mikko Koivu for the next month thanks to a broken foot (adding to an injury list that already included Jared Spurgeon, Zach Parise, & Josh Harding).  They were mired in last place and staring down a two-game road trip that took them to the house of horrors known as the Staples Center and then on to Phoenix to face Dave Tippet's Phoenix Coyotes.  From their they returned home to face an Avalanche team that they've been trying to catch all season and then on to Nashville to face the pesky Preds less than 24 hours later.

Frankly, I thought this slate of games was too much for the talent-deprived Wild and that the week would go down as the death knell of the 2013-2014 season.

Turns out I couldn't have been wronger.

Let's break down my idiocy:

The Week That Was

Tuesday 1/7 - Wild: 2  Los Angeles: 1 (SO)

As I mentioned above, the deck was stacked against the Wild heading into Tuesday night's game.  They've always struggled in Los Angeles, they were playing without their two best forwards, one of their three best defensemen, and without their #1 goalie.  As if that wasn't enough, deposed #1 goalie Niklas Backtrom developed abdominal issues, meaning the Wild's fate would be placed into the tender young hands of Darcy Kuemper.  As if that wasn't enough, the game would mark Kuemper's first appearance since injuring himself down in Des Moines back on December 20th.

The Wild started out the game about as well as one would expect given the circumstances.  They allowed 17 shots to the Kings while managing just six of their own in the first period.  Remarkably, young Kuemper managed to make all 17 stops and looked outstanding while doing so.  Among those 17 saves were several that he had no business making.  He looked calm, cool, and in control.

The Wild picked up in the second period right where they left off in the first: Against the ropes.  Just 0:50 seconds into the period longtime Wild nemesis Jarrett Stoll put a wrister behind Kuemper.  The goal seemed like the type of goal that would take the wind out of the sails of the Wild.  Having barely escaped the first period tied, Stoll's goal felt like a knockout punch thrown by a fighter to start a later round, a champion taking his best shot right away.  The Wild had put up a valiant enough fight for a period, but this is where the script called for them to come back to Earth.

Except nobody told the Wild.  Just two minutes after Stoll's goal the reunited second line of Jason Pominville, Mikael Granlund, & Nino Niederreiter combined to even the score.  All three players drove the zone with the puck.  Granlund surveyed the scene before dishing the puck to Pominville.  With Niedrreiter crashing the net Pommer somehow managed to put the puck on his tape. Nino quickly slipped the puck behind Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and just like that the game was back to square one.

That goal, however, came on one of only three shots the Wild managed during the second period.  Yet again the Kings dominated every facet of the period, outshooting the Wild 13-3 to give them a 30-9 shot advantage heading into the third.

Perhaps sensing an opportunity to steal a point in a tough building, the Wild stepped their game up in the third period.  They were still outshot, but only by a 7-6 margin.  Led by Ryan Suter & Jonas Brodin, the Wild slowed down the play and held on for dear life as Kuemper yet again answered every shot thrown his way.  The teams ended the period tied at one, but that meant different things for each team. The Wild had stolen a point, the Kings had given one away.

Overtime proved fruitless, so the teams headed into the shootout.  On one end was Stanley Cup winner, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and newly minted U.S. Olympic goaltender Jonathan Quick.  On the other, the Wild's third string goaltender.  By this point in the game, however, none of that mattered.  Kuemper quickly proved as much by stopping all four shooters he faced.  The Wild, down their two most consistent shooters in Parise & Koivu, went 0-3 before Nino Niederreiter (he of the Wild's only regulation goal), snuck a shot past Quick to give the Wild the surprising win.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Nino Niederreiter - I know what you're thinking: After laying out all the odds against Darcy Kuemper you're not going to name him player of the game after stopping 39 of 40 shots?  First of all, shut up.  Write your own blog if you don't like it.  Second, Kuemper's going to make an appearance as a WPOTG later in this post and Nino's effort here deserves just as much commendation as Kuemper's.

With the Wild's first line on injured reserve, the line of Pominville-Granlund-Niederreiter would be asked to help carry the offensive load while dealing with the additional burden of facing opponents #1 defensive pairings.  They didn't dominate the Kings by any stretch of the imagination, but they were the only line to put a number on the board.  Niederreiter stepped into the void left by Parise & Koivu by finding the back of the net while doing his usual pest routine against a tough, chippy opponent.  It was probably one of the more difficult nights of Nino's career, but also one of the most rewarding.

Impression Of The Game:  Holy shit!  Darcy Kuemper & Nino Niederreiter combined to beat the Kings in L.A.?  I never thought I'd type that sentence during their careers (let alone at this early stage of said careers).  The Wild remained in 9th place after this victory, but it did give them a slightly larger margin of error with three difficult games waiting the rest of the week.

Thursday 1/9 - Wild: 4  Phoenix: 1

The goal of most teams in the NHL is to go .500 on the road over the course of a season.  Typically, if a team can pull that off (and kick some ass at home), they find themselves in the playoff picture.

With that in mind, the Wild rolled into Phoenix having already grabbed two of the four available points on this two game swing.  Now, the Kings should be one of the top three teams in the Pacific Division pretty handily, meaning that the likely won't be competing with them directly for a playoff spot.  Phoenix, however, is unlikely to catch L.A., San Jose, & Anaheim in the Pacific, meaning they'll be battling the Wild (along with Vancouver & Dallas) for one of the two wild card playoff spots.  Basically, the Wild win in L.A. means that any success in Phoenix would be a bonus.  However, any game against Phoenix should be looked at as a four-point-swing game.

With Josh Harding still out for the foreseeable future the Wild turned to Niklas Backstrom on Thursday.  While Wild brass was no doubt thrilled with young Darcy Kuemper's performance on Tuesday, they know that it will be important to get Backstrom rolling if this squad is going to stay in the playoff race.

Much like they had in L.A., the Wild spent the majority of the first period hanging on for dear life.  They were outshot 15-7 in the opening frame as Backstrom did all he could to keep the team in the game.  Unlike L.A., however, the Wild managed to get on the board amidst the Coyotes onslaught.  Justin Fontaine took the wind out of the sails of the Coyotes, staking the Wild to a 1-0 by picking off a Keith Yandle pass & beating Mike Smith with a wrist shot with only 1:19 left in the period.  It would prove to be the beginning of an eventful night for Fontaine.

Unfortunately, the Wild were not able to build on the late goal in the second period.  For the fourth time in five periods they were outplayed and outshot (13-8).  The Coyotes got the equalizer when Mikael Boedker snuck a rebound under a tumbling Niklas Backstrom.  With the amount of bending the Wild had done on this road trip, I don't think anybody would have been surprised to see them break at this point.

Yet again, the Wild proved skeptics like me wrong.  Not only did they tighten up in the third period, but they made a bit of their own luck.  Kyle Brodziak (no, really, Kyle Brodziak) restored the Wild's lead just four minutes into the third when he fired a shot directly into Mike Smith's chest.  Fortunately, Mike Smith pretty much sucks, which means his angle was so bad that the puck ricocheted off the Coyote on the front of his sweater and into the net.  That's exactly the type of terrible play that it takes to get Kyle Brodziak on the board.

Proving that when it rains it pours, Smiths poor play was followed up by a bout of bad luck.  Just four minutes later Jason Pominville dumped the puck into the Coyotes zone.  With Smith heading behind his net to stop the dump in, the puck caromed off the end boards and bounced directly in front of the now-vacant net.  Justin Fontaine pounced on the loose biscuit and put it in the net, giving the Wild a two-goal lead and a bit of breathing room for the first time all week.

Niklas Backstrom held up his end of the deal (eventually stopping 39 of 40 shots) until Fontaine was able to score the empty-netter, enuring a Wild victory and eliciting a few hats from the Wild faithful in Phoenix.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Niklas Backstrom - Between injuries, his questionable new contract, and usurpers it's been a rough year for The Scientist.  And yet, with the Wild trying to claw their way back into the playoff race, look who turned up and made 40 saves against a wild card rival.  Backstrom is getting older and may not have "it" as often as he used to, but games like this one stand as a reminder that he can still
answer the bell when called upon.

Impression Of The Game:  I've spent years and years saying that Mike Smith sucks and that the Coyotes are only good because Dave Tippett is a god among NHL coaches.  The Coyotes have spent the last few years reminding the public that I'm always wrong.  Finally, last week, I conceded that it would be difficult to beat the Coyotes (and specifically, that Mike Smith might not be terrible).  True to form, the Coyotes proved me wrong again.  Go fuck yourself, Phoenix.

Saturday 1/11 - Colorado: 4  Wild: 2

So, with a surprising four points in the bank from their road trip, the Wild returned home for Saturday night showdown with the division rivals Avalanche.  The Wild have spent the entire season looking up in the standings at the Avalanche.  While most pundits (myself included) predicted the Avalanche would come back to Earth, it hasn't happened (not completely anyway).  For that the Wild have few to blame but themselves.

The Wild and Avs have played several curious games this season.  The Avalanche took both games in a weekend home-and-home series early in the season (with the second game noteworthy for Mikko Koivu's late game-tying, point-salvaging goal).  The Wild then won in their return visit to the Mile High City.

Oddly, this game would prove to be the opposite of the two games the Wild won on their road trip.  It was the Wild who controlled play throughout the first period (outshooting the Avs 9-3), but found themselvesd unable to push a puck past goaltender/women's rights advocate Semyon Varlamov.

Those missed opportunities would come back to haunt the Wild at the 9:08 mark of the second period when Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog managed to sneak a weak backhander behind Niklas Backstrom.  Just four minutes later Ryan O'Reilly would give the Avalanche a two-goal cushion as he too beat Backstrom with a shot that some would describe as "stoppable."

That two-goal lead didn't last for long though.  With the Wild getting offensive support from all sources in the absence of Mikko Koivu & Zach Parise, this night they turned to those injured player's former linemate Charlie Coyle.  Coyle, playing on a line with Dany Heatley, thrust the Wild right back into this game, scoring his first of the period at the 14:19 mark.  Just 40 seconds later Coyle found the net yet again (with assists to Dany Heatley on both goals).  The period ended with the two teams tied at two and 20 minutes left to determine a winner on what had become a raucous Saturday night at the Xcel Energy Center.

For the first time all week, however, it was the Wild's goaltending that didn't hold up its end of the deal.  Ryan O'Reilly notched his second of the game (and the eventual game-winner) on yet another shot that Niklas Backstrom would probably like to have back.  The Wild threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Avs in the third (outshooting them 13-6), but it wasn't enough.  Maxime Talbot put home an empty-netter and the Wild found themselves two more points back of the Avalanche.

Wild Player Of The Game: Charlie Coyle - I think most of us here in the State Of Hockey agree that Charlie Coyle's future is very bright.  What we don't agree on is just when he's going to get there.  I, for one, was hoping to see Coyle taking large strides this season, whereas the reality has brought mostly baby steps.  Saturday's game, however, may have been the turning point.  Up against a fairly staunch Avs defense Coyle flashed the skill & size that makes his future status as one of the game's premier power forwards such a foregone conclusion.  The fact that he's the only guy on this team that seems to be able to find a pulse in Dany Heatley is just icing on the cake.

Impression Of The Game:  It's impossible to be down about this game considering the two that preceded it.  Still, any loss to Colorado counts as a four-point-swing in a Central Division race that is treading very closely to being called in favor of Colorado.

Sunday 1/12 - Wild: 4  Nashville: 0

I'll be honest, I was terrified of this game.  The Wild & Preds traditionally play very strange games.  Throw in the fact that this one doubled as the second half of back-to-back games (with the Wild leaving from home, meaning they weren't in "road trip mode"), the injured players, and the questionable goaltending situation and I thought this game had all the makings of a real letdown for the Wild.

Well, if this blog post has one overarching theme, it's that I'm wrong pretty much all of the time.

Not only did the Wild roll into Nashville and win, they won handily.  Charlie Coyle & Dany Heatley picked up right where they left off against Colorado, combining for a give-and-go that ended with a Heatley tap-in 12:00 into the game.  Their linemate Jason Zucker joined the party two minutes later when he netted his third goal of the season (assisted by Heatley & Coyle).

With Niklas Backstrom on the bench after playing the night before, young Darcy Kuemper was tasked with making that two-goal lead stand up.  Not only did he make it stand up, he made it seem excessive.  Yet again Kuemper was excellent all night long,  Though not tested by many quality chances (after all, it was the Predators), Kuemper stopped all 23 shots he faced, looking calm and in control as he notched the first shutout of his young NHL career.  In fact, once Matt Cooke scored to give the Wild a 3-0 lead a minute into the first period, Kuemper's pursuit of that first shutout became the only compelling story.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Darcy Kuemper - See, I told you Kuemper would get his due.  As a rule, anytime a goalie gets his first career shutout he gets to be named player of the game (even if it comes against the Predators).

Impression Of The Game:  The Predators are a team that's given the Wild fits for years.  Watching the Wild walk into Bridgestone Arena and thoroughly handle business (especially after losing the night before) was the sign of a team that is no longer getting caught up in the peaks and valleys of its season.  For a team that has more peaks and valleys than most, that has to be a good thing.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday 1/14 - Ottawa at Wild

The Senators head to St. Paul to try to get their season back on track.  These two played a bizarrely wide-open game up in Ottawa earlier this season, with the Wild coming away with the victory.  This game doubles as former Wild enforcer Matt Kassian's first visit to the Xcel Energy Center as an opponent

Thursday 1/16 - Edmonton at Wild

Thursday brings the LOiLers to town for the first time since they laid a 6-0 beating on the Wild with the Wild playing for a playoff spot last season.  That game sucked, but nowhere near as much as being an Oilers fan must suck.

Saturday 1/18 - Dallas at Wild

Saturday is Hockey Day In Minnesota and, as per tradition, that means the Stars are in town.  The Stars have had just as schizophrenic as season as the Wild, but with the notable fact that they've been doing it looking up at the Wild in the Central Division race.  Much like the Wild just can't seem to make up ground on Colorado, it's important for the Wild keep the Stars at arm's length.

The Big Picture

Well, last week I wrote that I thought the Wild were dead in the water.  They responded by taking six out of eight points, winning three games on the road but losing at home.  Yes, I look like an idiot, but if you show me somebody who saw that stretch coming and I'll show you a liar.

This week brings three very winnable games and a valuable chance to build on the points they banked over the last week.  Zach Parise & Josh Harding are both practicing, which means the Wild could really be poised to keep rolling in 2014.  Fingers crossed.

Until next week...

 

 

For more of TCDroogsma's hockey ramblings be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@WildlyBiased).  He can also be found writing about the Wild in greater detail on his hockey blog Wildly Biased.

 

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems stopping by & giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Newest Industry Presents: Flatbasset Radio - Episode #27

I use a walkie talkie just to get a beverage...

Hello again, free music fans! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #27!
 
For those of you who are unaware of the Flatbasset Radio format, here's what you're looking at: TCDroogsma is our resident MP3 junkie. As you've probably noticed in his Songs Of The Week column, he's not always the most positive music fan. In an effort to prove that he is, in fact, a fan of music, we give him an hour each week to play the songs he's digging and talk a little bit about them. Once he's recorded his podcast we put it right here on the website for free to stream and/or download!

In this week's episode TCDroogsma indulges in some warm weather jams, explains why spending winter in rural Wisconsin is a bad idea, recalls the most passive-aggressive concert audience he's ever seen,  ties his Cover Of The Week & its singer together in pathos, thinks Drake deserves more credit for his work outside of music, discusses the best way to stay warm during a polar vortex, wonders just what happened to hearty Minnesotans, indulges in a Scottish set,  lays some blame at Stuart Murdoch's feet,  fails to live up to his obligations as a "31 year old, skinny, bearded white guy," impolores one of indie rock's cult favorites to reform, pays tribute to a musician who passed too young, & loses a sponsor!

You can download the podcast for free by clicking the episode's title or stream the episode by clicking on the Mixcloud player below.

Flatbasset Radio - Episode #27

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #27 by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

01. Bon Iver - Flume
02. Stereolab - People Do It All The Time
03. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cold Light
04. Drake - Trophies
05. Morrissey - Moon River
06. Belle & Sebastian - The Fox In The Snow
07. Gasp - A Girl Called Glasgow
08. Menahan Street Band - Make The Road By Walking
09. Vampire Weekend (w/Danny Brown, Heems, & Despot) - Step (Remix)
10. Rancid - Brad Logan
11. Knifefight - Feel Me
12. Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month (Josh Homme Remix)
13. School Of Seven Bells - Windstorm

There you have it, music fans!  Enjoy!

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog. 

Songs Of The Week #74: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Sebastien Grainger, Lord Echo, Milagres, & Buffalo Moon...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #74!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Sebastien Grainger - Waking Up Dead (from the album Yours To Discover)

 
TCDroogsma:

     There's a lot to like about "Waking Up Dead."  Grainger sands off some of DFA 1979's rough edges (specifically the drum sound because, of course he played down the drum sound) and crafts a pop song that plays to his strengths.  He doesn't push his vocal range too far, writing hooks that he can deliver with a bit of belly fire.

     Where "Waking Up Dead" loses me a bit is in its lyrics.  In his DFA days Grainger was, as he put it, a machine.  That Sebastien Grainger would take God knows what and do God knows what with God knows who.  This Sebastien Grainger is apologizing for saying the wrong thing while he was "wasted" and having nightmares about his girlfriend leaving him (which, for the record, he doesn't think she should.  No, no, no, no, no, no, no...).  If Grainger sticks to this trajectory I fully expect him to be headlining the Basilica Block Party in 2018.

MinneSarah:

     My heart was a flutter when I saw that Sebastien Grainger was the Monday track last week.  DFA 1979 is one of my favorite bands of all time, due in part to Grainger's sexy, confident, and forceful vocals.  When DFA 1979 broke up and Grainger signed to Saddle Creek Records in 2008, I knew it wasn't going to have the same grinding guitar and edgy keyboards of his former band.  In fact, Grainger's first solo effort was awkward in comparison, using his unique voice to croon emo tunes.  I've avoided his solo music until this song showed up in my inbox.

     "Waking Up Dead" is bass driven and includes Grainger's vocals in full glory - even featuring some of the exasperated shrieks that made me swoon while listening to DFA 1979.  The lyrics are about drunken couple fighting, which is always relatable.  The only part that left me scratching my head was the guitar arpeggio, though if I played guitar, I'd probably add that in as well.  Though it's not DFA 1979, it's got some of the epic grittiness of Grainger's roots.  I for one am satiated.
 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4.5/5

02. Lord Echo - Digital Haircut (from the album Curiosities)

TCDroogsma:

     I'm a little bit biased toward "Digital Haircut" because it hits my iPod every morning as I'm strolling to work and, let me tell ya, few songs were made for strolling quite like this one.

     Lord Echo certainly isn't breaking any new ground with "Digital Haircut."  In fact, if you had me listen to this song and then told me it was a lost Dust Brother's beat from the Paul's Boutique era, I'd believe you without a second thought.  On the other hand, this song sounds like a lost Dust Brother's beat from the Paul's Boutique era!

MinneSarah:

     If robots had funky afrobeat clubs in the 70's (or on another planet), "Digital Haircut" would be their anthem.  This song is an instrumental, though there is a high pitched sound that fills in for the vocal interest.  If you didn't know the language, you wouldn't be any wiser.  While I love to dance around and anything electronic certainly fits the bill, I don't know that there are many situations that I would want to flip on this song.  Clocking in at under 4 minutes, it doesn't outwear its welcome, but doesn't seem to have a purpose larger than delivering joyful beeps and taps.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                    MinneSarah: 2.5/5

03. Milagres - The Letterbomb (from the album Violent Light)

TCDroogsma:

     Milagres is a four-piece out of Brooklyn who, at least as far as "The Letterbomb" is concerned, seem to have spent too much time with their David Bowie album collection.

     Now, as I've made perfectly clear over the years, I think spending any time with a David Bowie album collection is spending too much time with a David Bowie record collection.  Milagres don't quite hit their mark with "The Letterbomb."  If anything they sound like they were aiming for "Bowie meets The National" but landed on "Spacehog."  I mean, their were times this week when I couldn't help but chuckle at the amount of drama they were trying to force into this song.  After spending a week with this one I know a lot about what kind of music the guys of Milagres like, but no idea what kind of music they could write if they stepped into their own shoes.

MinneSarah:

     Where did Milagres come from, and why has nobody told me about them?  Throughout the week, this song grew on me immensely.  I have such a strong desire to see them live, I'm considering booking my vacation to SXSW.

     "The Letterbomb" features some of the commercial 80's Bowie gravitas, coupled with larger than life keyboards. I love the mix between light-hearted glam rock "ooohs" and lyrics delivered as deadpan assertions.  The mood of the song shifts between stadium rock to intimate as your living room.  The singer's voice confidently lifts the song through these wide transitions, never sounding out of place.  I've never yearned to see a band live based on a single song, but I'll be putting in the effort with Milagres.


Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2/5
                    MinneSarah: 4.5/5

04. Buffalo Moon - Machista (from the album Machista)

TCDroogsma:

     Remember everything I wrote last week about how difficult it is to review songs that are sung in a different language.  Well, all of that applies here as well.

     Part of the struggle of reviewing a song in which you can't understand the lyrics is that I'm forced to give extra consideration to the canvas of music built up behind the vocals.  In the case of Typsy Panthre last week, that worked out just fine, as the song consisted of lushly crafted indie pop.  "Machista," conversely, is built around Ecuadorian-influenced garage rock.  Basically, they take all the energy and rawness out of American garage rock and replace it with a layer of acoustic guitars and momentum-thwarting bongos.

     Don't get me wrong.  There's a lot to like about "Machista."  It's certainly delivered with passion to spare (with everybody in the band jumping into some group vocals) and, at times, not having any idea what's being said allows you to choose your own adventure with the lyrics.  Still, after spending the week with "Machista," I'm left with no real desire to return to it.

MinneSarah:

     Who knew the Minneapolis scene was so cosmopolitan?  After the Typsy Panthre track last week, I shouldn't be surprised.

     "Machista" is a foot tappingly catchy song, with unwavering female vocals and prominent guitars.  The vocal accents and driving guitars make this song fun and hard to get out of your head.  I'm not entirely up to date on my Spanish, but "machista" stands for male chauvinist.  Buffalo Moon, with its sixties-inspired guitar pop, is fighting sexism while buoying the mood of the frozen tundra.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.   

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column 







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Your Name Is Wild: Week #14

So let's give it up for the new year...

Well hello again, Wild fans!  Welcome to Your Name Is Wild: Week #14!

For those of you who are new to the column, here's the scoop:  The NHL season is a long, tedious journey.  We decided that this season we would ask TCDroogsma of the blog Wildly Biased to stop by each week and give us an update on our local squad.

Droogsy, what'd we miss?

Welcome to 2014, hockey fans!  Thanks for stopping by.

One of the most tried-and-true theories in hockey is that the teams that occupy playoff spaces when the calendar turns over are the teams that find themselves playing postseason hockey.  As Wild fans, we have to hope that's not the case, as our beloved Wild headed into 2014 in 9th place and spiraling.

It should be noted that Wild fans have reason to be skeptical of that old adage.  It was just two seasons ago that the Wild found themselves in first place overall heading into December.  That team became the first team to ever lead the league in December and end up missing the playoffs.  Obviously, the Wild disproved the old theory in the least desirable way, but they did prove that it can be done.  The way things have been going, that counts as a ray of hope.

When we left off the Wild had just coughed up a three-goal lead to the Islanders on home ice and head coach Mike Yeo was hanging onto his job by its last thread.  Let's break down the week.

The Week That Was

Tuesday 12/31 - St. Louis: 2  Wild: 1

Heading into this New Year's Eve showdown much of the buzz surrounding the team was whether or not Mike Yeo would make it to gametime.  He did, which essentially assured that he'd have the head coaching job at least through the week.  Why?  Because nobody in their right mind thought the Wild would be able to beat this Blues team.

Turned out everybody was right.  The score may make this game seem like it was competitive, but trust me, it was not.  Ken Hitchcock has his Blues playing at such a high level that despite the absence of leading goal scorer Thomas Steen and captain David Backes, the Blues rolled into St. Paul and took the game with business-like efficiency.

The Wild managed to hold their own during the first period, outshooting the Blues 9-7, but the second period would be their undoing.  Blues forward (and Minnesota native) TJ Oshie opened the scoring with a wrist shot 6:49 into the period.  That was followed by a Blues 3-2 rush that ended with Jaden Schwartz firing a shot that, while partially stopped by Harding, trickled into the net.  That was all the Blues needed.

(Quick Minnesota sidenote:  In the Wild's previous two games they had been scored on by Blake Wheeler in Winnipeg and Kyle Okposo of the Islanders in St. Paul.  Oshie's goal made him the third former Gopher to score on the Wild in three games.  The State Of Hockey's a harsh mistress.)

While the Wild did manage to outshoot the Blues again in the third, it was largely a product of the Blues abandoning offense to lock down their end of the ice.  With goaltender Brian Elliott in fine form the Blues did just that.  When Ryan Suter scored with just 9 seconds left, it ruined Elliott's shutout, but was ultimately the last desperate punch of a team about to be TKO'd.  2013 would go out with a whimper.

Wild Player Of The Game:  Josh Harding - I'm giving Harding WPOTG honors retroactively.  After struggling in the loss to the Islanders Harding played well in this one, stopping 21 of 23 shots.  Unfortunately, this would turn out to be the last game Harding plays for a while as he was scratched from the next two (and counting) with what the team is calling "illness," but everybody knows is struggles with his new MS medications (an issue that cost him nearly all of last season).

Impression Of The Game:  The Wild got soundly beaten by the Blues.  This isn't news.  In fact, it was so expected that nobody even brought up Mike Yeo's tenuous job status afterward because nobody had any expectations of victory coming into the game.  On to 2014...

Thursday 1/2 - Wild: 4  Buffalo: 1

Much to the relief of Wild fans everywhere, the turning of the calendar to 2014 brought with it a chance to start fresh.  Enter the Buffalo Sabres.  The way the Wild has plummeted down the standings lately, facing off against the worst team in the NHL on home ice turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.

The Wild started this one off slowly, playing the Sabres to a scoreless first period that had the Wild faithful worried in their seats.  Fortunately, the Wild righted the ship with a three goal second period.

Perhaps it was frustration with the Wild's inability to score (or perhaps it was just a sign of how much his game has developed), but defenseman Marco Scandella looked like a force in scoring the Wild's first goal.  As Justin Fontaine dumped the puck to Matt Cooke, Scandella took off for the net like a man possessed, received a feed from Cooke, and promptly buried the puck over Ryan Miller's shoulder.  It was the kind of goal Wild fans have been envisioning from Scandella for years.

From that point on the Wild didn't look back.  Jason Pominville buried his 18th of the year.  Fan favorite Jason Zucker finally buried his first of the year, and the Wild controlled the period to the tune of 15-5 shots.

The third period found the Wild trying to keep pushing the pace as they went for the jugular.  They didn't get another goal, but managed to outshoot the Sabres yet again.  Tyler Myers eventually spoiled Niklas Backstrom's shutout, but it was of no consequence.  The highlight of the game came with just 36 seconds left, as Kyle Brodziak broke free from the pack to cash an empty-netter. He was tripped up by a Buffalo Sabre and awarded the goal despite never shooting the puck in the net (causing most of Twitter to demand that Brodziak take a penalty shot against the empty net.  Nothing on Earth is less certain than Kyle Brodziak hitting the net).

Wild Player Of The Game:  Marco Scandella - I already said all I have to say about his goal up above, but Scandella's development this season has been a very encouraging sign (especially considering the Wild would lose Jared Spurgeon to a foot injury during the game).  Wild fans have been waiting years for Superstorm Scandy to become the d-man we envisioned.  Games like this show that he's finally tapped into all of his tools.

Impression Of The Game:  Much like nobody overreacted when the Wild lost to the Blues, nobody thought the Wild had cured their ills by beating the Sabres.  Yes, getting two points is always big, but kicking the shit out of Buffalo is nothing to celebrate.  I've always liked the Sabres, and I wish them all the best in the future, but the team they are icing right now is complete garbage.  They may not win 10 more games the rest of the year.

News:  On Friday, 1/3 the Wild placed Zenon Konopka on waivers.  The move came as a surprise to most of the fanbase as well as Konopka (who was celebrating his birthday).  The move would save the Wild about 500K against the salary cap, but also rob them of a bit of toughness and a great faceoff man.  Crucially, by waiving Konopka GM Chuck Fletcher was saying, "We're totally cool with the depth we have at center right now," words which have never, ever, EVER been uttered by a Minnesota Wild GM, coach, fan, or player.

Konopka was snapped up off waivers by these same Buffalo Sabres.  It was bittersweet for Wild fans, but solace could be found in the fact that Konopka was born just outside of Buffalo and was heading home to play for the team he grew up cheering for.  Best of luck, Zenon!

Saturday 1/4 - Wild: 5  Washington: 3

Heading into this game the Wild had done little to answer the questions that surrounded the team entering the week.  Everybody expected the team to be dominated by the Blues (they were) and to beat up on the Sabres (they did).  That would have been the outcome no matter who was coaching this squad.

Saturday, however, provided an intriguing contest.  The Capitals are in much the same position as the Wild this season (i.e. they look great on paper, and even in stretches of games, but ultimately are underachieving).  The Caps boast plenty of talent up from in Alexander Ovechkin & the good Nicklas Backstrom, on defense with Mike Green and up-and-comers John Carlson & Karl Alzner, and are pretty solid in net with heartthrob Braden Holtby.  Still, they entered the game middling despite playing in the terrible Metropolitan Division.  With a two-game road trip looming, the outcome of this one could potentially alter the course of the Wild's season.

With all of that as a backdrop, the Wild came out and got absolutely destroyed in the first period.  They gave up a goal to Marcus Johannson 12:02 into the game and then allowed Mike Green to score a highlight reel goal just 13 seconds later.  In the midst of all of this the Wild managed just one (!) shot on goal during the period.  They were booed off the ice as Wild fans feared the worst.

But then the Wild undertook the craziest 20 minutes of hockey they've played all season.  Fired up by coach Mike Yeo during intermission, the Wild came out playing like they were trying to save his job.  Nino Niederreiter got the Wild on the board when Charlie Coyle absolutely owned the forecheck and hit him in the slot.  The Wild then took the lead on consecutive power play goals by Ryan Suter (neither of which would have happened without the beastly effort of Dany Heatley screening in front of the net).

Just as quickly as the Wild took control of the game, however, they handed it right back.  Mike Green dumped the puck into the Wild zone.  It bounced off the end boards toward goaltender Niklas Backstrom.  Backstrom misplayed the puck, redirecting with his skates between his own legs and back into the goal.  Tie game.  For a team that hasn't been getting the bounces lately, this seemed like the cherry on top.

However, the Wild stuck to their guns.  With Mikhail Grabovski in the box for delay of game Jason Zucker netted the power play goal, tucking a bouncing puck behind Holtby and restoring the lead for the Wild.  It was Zucker's second goal of the season and second in as many nights.  The Wild ended the period clinging to a one-goal lead.

The highlight of the night came in the third period.  Ryan Suter was called for a tripping minor while battling with Eric Fehr.  Replays clearly showed that Fehr had fallen on his own volition.  Suter would have the last laugh howerver.  With his penalty expired, Suter stepped out of the penalty box just as fellow defenseman Clayton Stoner was carrying puck out of the Wild zone.  The two quickly engaged in always rare defenseman/defenseman two-on-one.  Stoner fed the puck across to Suter, who promptly buried the puck for his first career hat trick.  Hats rained down from the Xcel Center as Wild fans indulged in their first genuine celebration in weeks.  They held on for the 5-3 victory.

Player Of The Game:  Ryan Suter - Any time a defenseman nets a hat trick he takes home the trophy, plain and simple.  Not only did Suter net three goals, but he did it while playing 31 minutes against Alexander Ovechkin.  Just give him the Norris Trophy now.

Impression Of The Game:  This was a big victory for the boys.  Not only did they beat a comparable team, but they did so despite pissing away two goals and one period.  If nothing else this was a reminder that this squad has the personnel on hand to turn this thing around.  The way Mike Yeo got these guys fired up during the first intermission, it's possible that they have the right coach on hand too.

News:  Terrible, terrible news the day after this Wild victory.  Josh Harding was placed on IR due to complications with his medication, a tough blow for a goaltending group that's barely holding on.

Second, and much more important, it was announced that Mikko Koivu broke his foot during the game and would be out for the next month.  As those of us who have followed the Wild for years know, Wild seasons usually go off the rails when Koivu suffers his annual injury.  Throw in the fact that the Wild's forward corps is already missing Zach Parise and this injury suddenly seems terrifying.

With Koivu going down (which, again, happens every season), it sure would be nice if the Wild had some depth at center to help them get through the next month.  Maybe a veteran who was good in the circles and responsible in his own end.  I mean, that would be a much better situation than relying on rookie Eric Haula right?  Or depending on Kyle Brodziak to somehow elevate his game?

Ugh...

The Week Ahead

Tuesday 1/7 - Wild at Los Angeles

The Wild head to L.A. to face a Kings team that has had their number for years.  They do so without Josh Harding, Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, or Jared Spurgeon.  The Wild is in desperate need of points, but I wouldn't bet on them getting any at Staples Center.

Thursday 1/9 - Wild at Phoenix

The Wild head to Phoenix for a game against a team that they have been battling (and will continue to battle) for one of the Western Conference's Wild Card playoff spots.  Yet again Dave Tippett has his Yotes playing well above expectations.  Keith Yandle's recent snub from the USA Olympic team (and the boost goalie Mike Smith received from being added to the Canadian team) could give these Yotes a dangerous boost of both confidence and anger.  Scary.

Saturday 1/11 - Colorado at Wild

The Wild celebrate Binary Day by welcoming the Avalanche to St. Paul.  Frankly, when I wrote that last sentence I initially typed "another team they'll be battling for a playoff spot," but after the way the last two weeks have played out, that would just be delusional.  The Wild have stolen points from the Avs twice already this season, but have been given fits by youngsters Nathan McKinnon & Gabriel Landeskog.

Sunday 1/12 - Wild at Nashville

The Wild head to Nashville on Sunday to face the Preds under the worst possible circumstances.  Typically, the Wild and Nashville play strange, strange games regardless of the talent on hand or their place in the standings (their first game featured former Wild Eric Nystrom injuring Niklas Backstrom before scoring a penalty shot goal on Josh Harding).  This game will find the Wild playing their second game of back-to-back nights, flying from St. Paul to Nashville, icing a depleted lineup, and possibly trying to adjust to a new coach.

The Big Picture

The Wild managed to take four out of six points this week, which seems encouraging until you look at the standings and see that they need to take four out of every six points just to keep pace with the rest of the Western Conference.

Like I wrote above, Mikko Koivu's annual injury has sunk many, many Wild seasons.  Between their place in the standings, the way they've been playing lately, the aforementioned "Calendar Flip" rule, and the other injuries they're dealing with, it sure looks like this next month will be the death of the 2013-2014 season.

It should be noted, I'm typically among the most skeptical of Wild fans (though, in my defense, they made me this way).  Obviously the second week of January is awfully early to be writing this season's obituary.  However, given the circumstances, it is going to take a Herculean effort from the players who are healthy to keep this ship afloat until the Olympic break in mid-Febraury.

Of course, I'll be here on Newest Industry watching the whole thing from a safe distance.

Until next week...

 

 

For more of TCDroogsma's hockey ramblings be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@WildlyBiased).  He can also be found writing about the Wild in greater detail on his hockey blog Wildly Biased.

 

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems stopping by & giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.