Tuesday, November 28, 2017

New Jon(athan) Fickes material? Hell yes! aka... Fruit Pies strikes again!

A VIEW OF EARTH FROM THE MOON'S DEBUT SINGLE/VIDEO FOR "DISTANCE RUNNER" AND, OF COURSE, SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS...


As promised, here is part II of this weeks blog.  I wrote more than I anticipated about my beloved Green Bay Packers and then got caught up watching silly BRETT FAVRE VIDEOS, then LIVE GENESIS VIDEOS (Phil is such an underrated singer, probably due to his obsession with pleated pants), then SHAKIRA VIDEOS (goddamn, she's so sexy, like, way too fucking sexy), then, at five or six bourbons in, I forgot what I was doing and starting watching "Skins" on Netflix (Cassie still breaks my heart in each episode she's in) before drinking a glass of Kava and finally falling asleep...  Wait, what was I talking about again?  Oh yeah, music.

THIS WEEK IN MUSIC:


This week revealed the long-awaited debut single, and accompanying video, from Jon(athan) Fickes' new project called A View of Earth from the Moon.  The song, "Distance Runner," gives us a taste of what we can expect from his upcoming album "Closer to a Ghost" which will be released this Friday, 12/1/2017.  And, holy shit, if this is the taste, I can't wait for the fucking meal.

In "Distance Runner," Fickes is hurling choruses at us straight down from pop-heaven, delivering cheeky, yet clever (and seemingly throwaway, yet casually brilliant), lines like "your mind is like a blender, you're like a banana" while drenching us in wonderfully warm, distorted,  Oasis-style guitars that really tie the song together.  The crux of the song finally reveals itself when Fickes earnestly, and perhaps desperately, asks "Are you running away?  Or, are you chasing something?"  The juxtaposition of this revelation against the almost willfully-deceiving upbeat nature of the song underscores the sadness Jonathan is barely trying to hide from the world while calling for us to let it out and join him.  He knows what he's doing, and I love every minute of it.

There's a joy that comes through the music, despite it's underlying heartache, which can probably be attributed to Jonathan taking over every aspect of the music ("I guess you could call it a solo record because this was the first time I did everything by myself. No live band in the studio, just me racking up countless hours of studio time, haha.”) and forging this into "everything I've always wanted a record to be," according to Fickes.  The established history for singer/songwriters breaking off and bogarting an album is dim, but Jonathan pulls it off beautifully.  This feels like his most developed and complete album to date.  Yes, we reveled in the effortless genius of "Never Love Again (It's Doubtful)" but that turned out to be the carefully curated charcuterie plate before this, our veal parmesan of a meal.  We knew it would be delicious, but we didn't know just how fucking delicious it would be.

The video for "Distance Runner" is equally as fun as we follow Fickes on his journey through time and space.  OK, just through space, or, at least, the 180 miles from Seattle to Moses Lake, WA (Jonathan's hometown), as he laments his inability to literally travel back in time (HUEY LEWIS STYLE) and tries to live, if only for a moment, in the past by going back to his childhood home and playing music with his old friends in the living room of his parents' house.  The video assumes the theme of Jonathan trying to run, again literally, from his current state of loneliness and disappointment by temporarily escaping the temporal world and reveling in the comfort of a fondly remembered youth.  Despite this, and after his long journey, he dutifully turns and heads back to reality; almost as if waking from the dream or realizing the idealized version of returning home doesn't exist, or perhaps having already fulfilled his nostalgic needs there's no reason to stay.  Along the way, there are countless beautifully constructed shots as we take this idyllic trip alongside Fickes.  Kudos to the director who instills us with a sense of wonder while we root for, and hope, Jonathan finds what he is looking for, knowing full well it's probably just a momentary distraction from himself that he's after.

I was lucky enough to hear the album in total and I won't spoil it, but, Jesus, you're in for a treat (and so are all the rest of you not named "Jesus").  I'll have a full album review here in the next couple weeks, as I want time to fully marinate in the tunes like a soon-to-be delicious piece of chicken.

As always, keep a good head and always carry a lightbulb...

Monday, November 27, 2017

Dear God, thank you for a good Packers game aka I can finally talk Packers again!

Holy shit!  The Packers finally give me something to write about!


GREEN BAY PACKERS WEEKLY RECAP:


Well, I guess it's Run the Table 2.0 time.  That was the last loss we had to give, and a fucking devastating one at that.  Even 10-6 isn't postage-guaranteed for a return trip to the playoffs, we'll need a lot of help, which puts us in the unenviable position of rooting for the Vikings (I just got shivers...) the next couple weeks as they take on the Falcons and Panthers.  Also, the Saints need start winning again, stat.  Also (fuck, feel like I'm using the "also" quite a bit, not good...), we need either the Seahawks, who traditionally play their best football in December and January but this year are without Sherman and Chancellor (unfortunately, if you're rooting against them and are a terrible person who likes injuries, which I just might be, well, nope, never mind, that's just fucking mean, their best player on defense, Earl Thomas, and their best player overall, Russell Wilson, are still both OK, for now), or the Rams, who are flying a little too close to the sun perhaps, to start losing and start losing hard.  I'm hoping the Rams might still have some latent Jeff Fisher stink on them, which I hear comes with side-effects warnings like:

- playoff football may cause severe allergic reactions, including death; avoid at all costs
- may cause QB's to play like they just chugged a cup of NyQuil instead of Gatorade (which, in addition to sleepiness will bring on that queasy, I-just-drank-too-much-NyQuil stomach-ache which I've known well.  I recall an experience of that happening during a show at Ash Street Saloon HERE IN AN INTERVIEW, a little over halfway down the page)
- inability to call vertical pass plays
- obsessively trying to get the ball to Percy Harvin 2.0 (this model without the locker room self-destruct mode) a.k.a. Tavon Austin who literally had this stat line for a game this season:

11/26 vs. Saints - 3 receptions on 4 targets, -1 yards for a -.3/yd average

To name a few.  Anyways, go Vikes...  Yuck.  That felt dirty.

So to recap:  Go Saint...nope and go Vik...nope, can't do it.  Go division leaders and I curse all ye wild-card teams, this be you Seahawks, Falcons, Panthers, Lions...

But, all is not lost.  All is not lost, yet...

"Why?" you may ask.  Well, the Packers defense played it's third good game in a row and fifth good game of the season.  Yes, Clay is out, again (AND JUST AS THEY START AIRING HIS AND AARON'S BEST COMMERCIAL THUS FAR), Kenny Clark is out too, but luckily avoided serious injury and will be back sooner than later, and Kevin King, who is playing far beyond what you could reasonably expect from a rookie corner not named Marshon Lattimore (who is also hurt), has a bum shoulder that will probably not heal til he stops hitting other absurdly large, fast and strong men with it.  We did, however, get Morgan Burnett back whose impact cannot be overstated.  I think we'll see a Ha Ha resurgence resurgence now that he's not calling plays and can focus on just being his Ha Ha self self.  Damarious Randall is again playing like the ball-hawk he truly is when he's not hurt (cramping scare but came back to make what should've been a game-saving pass breakup).  And Mike Daniels is looking like, well, Mike Daniels again.  His hip injury seems to be long gone at this point.  Defensively, our biggest issue is our lack of pass rush.  Nick Perry had his fair share of 1 on 1's and wasn't winning them like we've seen him do in the past.  Maybe the hand is bothering him or maybe something else is hurting/holding him back after slamming into 300 lb. behemoths for over two months.  But Clay being gone certainly hurts.  And with Kenny Clark not eating blocks like usual, it makes it more difficult for Daniels, Dial, Ahmad Brooks, Dean Lowry, Fackrell, etc. to get any steady rush.  All of our sacks the past couple weeks have been the result of great coverage, which after all the flak our DB's took last year (due to a ridiculous rash of injuries) must be redemptive, to a degree.  But in the 4th quarter when we really needed some pressure, Ben had all the time he needed to finish this fucker off...

My only complaint about the D is that on that final drive you know that Ben is looking towards Antonio Brown and that they need to get at least one, if not two, pass plays to the sideline to stop the clock and somehow we give up two consecutive sideline passes to AB.  Yes, I realize one was an absurd catch but he never should've had the opportunity to make that catch.  I read a comparison to the Rodgers to Cook play last year against Dallas in the playoffs and it was dismissed since that happened in a playoff game which carried more weight.  This game was like a playoff game for us, as it might have just knocked us out.

But, all is not lost.  All is not lost, yet...

This time you ask yourself "how?"  I will tell you for how.  Brett Hundley has the skills to win us a couple football games against Tampa Bay and Cleveland.  We know he can MAKE THROWS LIKE THIS which looks like a video game glitch when the game forgets to make a catching motion and the ball just sticks into the receiver's hands.  Seriously, not enough credit has been given to Davante Adams for that game-sealing catch.  Fuller, the Bears best coverage guy in my opinion, was in position but interfered (not called) by essentially holding hands with Adams so he couldn't catch the ball.  Only a perfect throw would suffice in this instance as Davante, watch it again, HAD TO CATCH IT WITH ONE HAND.  It wasn't a stylistic choice.  And that's the second part of this.  Davante has turned into a poor man's DeAndre Hopkins and is still getting better.  His footwork is absurd.  He's probably a great basketball player and could've been a world-champion tennis player if he'd wanted to be.  I love when they show replays of him coming off the line, it's like football poetry in motion.  It might not be Odell Beckham and Antonio Brown-level, but it isn't far off and he's definitely not yet the player he ultimately will become.  He's stolen the WR1 role, as evidenced by the way Minnesota defended him earlier this year, with Xavier Rhodes following him around much of the game.

The one quibble I have with the "Brett Hundley is now great" (after the week of everyone wanting Big Tom Callahan's son, aka Joe Callahan, to step in and play quarterback for the Green Bay Packers instead of taking up the family's brake pad business) crowd is that the enthusiasm needs to be tempered.  Collinsworth said during the game that even if Rodgers was in the game, he couldn't play much better, which is borderline insane.  Yes, Hundley's stats look great:

- 17 of 26, for 245 yards, a 9.4 yard average and 3 TD's, no picks or fumbles

But the reality is that over half of that came on the three long touchdown plays, one of which was a completely blown coverage (Cobb TD), one was a screen pass where the line and Williams did all the work and the third was a good read and throw after Davante made a pro look like college kid and was at least five yards past him and then proceeded to make two people miss on his jaunt to the endzone.  That second to last drive was very impressive, no doubt.  I'm not taking anything away from that.  But going three and out after two of the three turnovers doesn't help capitalize on the momentum and, in fact, usually gives it back to the other team as they know they can turn it over and it doesn't hurt them at all.  We saw that in the Saints game and it bit us in the ass in this game as well.  Hundley definitely has the skills, and though OUR OLD FRIEND VIC would say:  "there is no FULL CONSISTENCY," he still needs to get a little more out of the drives that don't end in long TD's.  He's a little too boom or bust.  TD toss or three and out is a tough way to close out games and win consistently.  But, as the Baltimore game showed us, interception or three and out is goddamn unwatchable, so at least we're headed in the right direction.

And don't even get me started on the lack of flag for the helmet to helmet from JJ's little brother.  It was so obvious when it happened.  You could hear the sound, which is like the sound of the ball jumping off the bat for a home run, so unique, but terrible instead of beautiful (although it's becoming a little too obvious that they JUICED THE BASEBALLS which I ALREADY WROTE ABOUT HERE which I do not like in the least.  Please, Baseball, don't make me stop watching you again like back in 2001), and by the fact that Hundley just fell down.  He didn't fall like he got walloped normally.  He fell like he was hit in the head and forgot what he was doing.  Trust me, I've been there.  I'm sure TJ will be fined, but that doesn't change the game like the penalty could have.  I hope Hundley's OK.  I know for at least one or two of my concussions I didn't have symptoms until much later, sometimes the next day.  I hope he's not concussed.  Shit, I hope I didn't just jinx him.  Fuck, knocking on wood now.  Sorry mate.

Thanks for not getting me started.


THIS WEEK IN MUSIC:


It is getting quite late and I wanted to dedicate more time to the Packers this week as the last couple weeks there was so little to write about.  I'll be back tomorrow with my musical update.

Goodnight and we'll (OK, I'll) talk tomorrow.

Monday, November 20, 2017

At least I showed up for my show... aka lookin' at you, Brett Hundley...

Ummm, the Packers played?  Well, the defense showed up, at least.  Oh, and I showed up and actually played a fucking show for the first time in, well, way too fucking long...


GREEN BAY PACKERS WEEKLY RECAP:


Well, fuck.  I thought the Lions game a couple weeks ago was bad...  Our defense finally steps up their game (I know the Joe Flaccid and the Ravens' offense aren't the greatest test, but our D really did play well despite the "Injury Shadow Monster" claiming two more of our best defenders in Clay Matthews III and Kenny Clark) and Brett Hundley plays like, ugh, this is painful to say, but... Jay Cutler...  Yep, let's take a look at their respective box scores from this week:

Brett Hundley - 21/36, 239yds, 0 TD's, 3 INT's, sacked 6 times, 43.6 passer rating
Jay Cutler - 6/12, 83yds, 1 TD, 3 INT's, sacked 0 times, 60.8 passer rating

Jay did leave with a concussion (seems like he started with one) so he didn't have time to rack up those additional yards in garbage time like usual, otherwise the numbers would've been closer.  But, man, those lines fucking suck.  I'm not sure who did worse.  Jay Cutler threw three interceptions in less attempts but also threw a TD.  Brett Hundley, well, he was just awful.  I don't think playing the Steelers next week help him either, but at least people haven't watched Brett Hundley do this for over 10 years and still think "maybe this is the year he turns it around..."  So, Brett Hundley has that going for him, which is nice...

THIS WEEK IN MUSIC:


There's only one thing happening this week in music (hey, that's the name of this segment!) and that is Julien Baker's "Turn Out The Lights."  Seriously, just, what the fuck...  This is an absolutely amazingly sad and awesome record start to finish.  I had heard a lot of hoopla about her first record and gave it a few listens.  I was not impressed but also not unimpressed.  It was, fine.  But Jesus, this album...  I'd try and write words about it but I'm too fucking tired (it's been a long week), and I'd rather listen to this record (one more time before I pass out) than write about it.  So, I will.  I listened to this album on repeat from Spokane to Portland (almost 6 hours) and then from Portland to Lebanon and back (about 1 1/2 hours each way). Just watch this and buy this goddamn record:




One last thing, thanks again to all those who came out to Conversion Brewing on Saturday and to those who watched via Periscope.  It was my first show in over a year and a half and it felt brilliant.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.  I can't wait to start touring again and doing that on a regular basis.  Lebanon, you were a great host and I can't wait to see you again.

Monday, November 13, 2017

Upcoming show in Lebanon, OR on 11/18... aka the Bears still suck

Lord, thank you.  At least the Bears still suck...


GREEN BAY PACKERS WEEKLY RECAP:


We did it!  We really did it!  We won a game without our lord and saviour, Aaron Rodgers!  The defense stepped up huge and, naturally, won't get the credit it deserves since it seems Packers fans only love offense, though our last two Super Bowl wins have come on the backs of our defenses both times.  Yes, the offenses played well in them, and in XXXI, obviously, our special teams was off the fucking charts, but it was mostly our D that got us there.  Our special teams Sunday was, well, they were there too.  It's so tough to be on our third long snapper this season, which has to be some kind of record.  Of course, the injury bug, well, it's not exactly a bug anymore, it's probably best to call it the "Injury Shadow Monster" as it has been slowly taking over our players one by one FUCKING WILL BYERS STYLE, continues to ravage us, this week taking our top two running backs including our outstanding rookie Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery after he made a great run.  Do not make a great play as a Green Bay Packer running back.  It seems to doom you the last couple years, suspiciously starting around the same time "Stranger Things" has been on the air...  Hmmm...

But, man, did Brett Hundley MAKE SOME FUCKING THROWS.  And, a flat out amazing catch on the other end of that throw by Davante Adams.  Although, it was very irritating that everyone seemed amazed by the fact he made that catch one-handed, but no one commented on the fact that the DB grabbed his other arm so he fucking had to catch it one-handed.  Anyhow, I'm so glad Ted Thompson (and me, as I totally called it and told everyone who would listen) doesn't listen to the fans and didn't even think of giving up on this kid a couple years back when he was struggling with foot and ankle injuries (which, his game is based on his ridiculously quick feet and great foot work/balance).  He's a borderline superstar and probably our most reliable WR, though I think Cobb could be more involved but that's just me.  And, Davante somehow has the cure for concussions in his blood.  I need some of that.  I've had two in the past year due to getting rear-ended while stopped at a red light.  Just sitting at red lights, FUCKING BOTH TIMES.  So aggravating.  Mine lasted over a month each, the second was almost two months.  Davante has a horrific hit to the head and is back to catch the game winner a week and a half later.  Magic.  I realize now that mine are worse because those were concussions #5 and #6 (that I know of) and, more importantly, my brain doesn't completely fit properly into my head making me more susceptible to it knocking into my skull and concussing me.  It's a long story but let's just say I had skull removal and skull reattachment surgery.

Sidenote:  how far we have fallen.  At the beginning of each season, I have my brother buy the nflsundayticket.tv package ($100 for a student, $300 for a regular ass adult like me) for me.  Normally, the Packers only have a handful of games not on national television.  Starting a couple weeks ago, when, oh, I don't remember, but something happened and our great and fearless leader, a one, Mr. Aaron Rodgers somehow got hurt (I can't remember who did that to him.  Oh, wait, of course I fucking remember who did this one to him, Mr., nope, not fucking "Mr.," I'll call you Tony Barr.  I even had a good cheer to myself earlier this season when Shea McClellin went on IR...  I know, it's horrible to cheer injuries but that one was even more egregious than Tony Barr's hit.  Fuck 'em both...), we all knew our national television games were over.  I'm so glad my brother can hook me up with a cheap Sunday Ticket package, otherwise I'd be back to spending $50-70 per game at one of the local Packers bars, probably Corbett's Fish House, and hoping they cleaned the grill enough after cooking the shrimp so I don't get sick again.  I don't hold it against them.  How could they know I have a shellfish allergy?  Plus, their perch is so fucking tasty...  Mmmm, perch...  Wait, what was I talking about?


THIS WEEK IN MUSIC:


This week, on Saturday November 18th at 8pm, I will be playing my first show in over a year at Conversion Brewing in Lebanon, OR.  It's not a big show and I will be playing it as a duo, not a full band, with Brianne Kathleen assisting me on vocals but I couldn't be more excited.  After all the drama (fights, screaming matches, near lawsuits, sexism, pure insanity and, unfortunately I'm not kidding, deaths) and delays and delays and delays and, yep, you guessed it, more delays, I'm so excited to play again.  I'll definitely be touring soon, but I haven't decided where and when quite yet.  Honestly, a lot of that went out the window when I lost the last 2 months (and wasn't sure how much longer so I couldn't schedule anything) before the album release due to, yep, you guessed it, a concussion.  I'm so glad to have put that behind me but man did it fuck shit up for me.

For once, it's been a good week for me, mentally and emotionally.  The discovery of Kava has certainly helped.  But, aside from that things just seem like they're going to be OK.  Not good, but OK and that's better than it's been in a while so I'll take it.  Unfortunately, over the weekend I suffered a minor setback that threw me into a tailspin but it was nothing a trip to Music Millennium couldn't fix.  I found a vinyl copy of an album that has helped me through some (mostly self-inflicted) emotionally dire times:  "Bee Thousand" by Guided by Voices.  For those unaware of this band, I WROTE ABOUT THEM A LONG TIME AGO while going through, or possibly right after a breakup (I can't remember).  For those who didn't read my 3-4 times-a-year blog (bradleywik.blogspot.com) back then, I'll get you up to speed.

Guided by Voices is an acquired taste.  I was talking with my brother recently and compared them to drinking Campari, on the rocks, the only way to drink that shit.  Zissou fans get it.  To give you another idea of their strange, beautiful, amazing, heart-string (as if there were such a thing) tugging music, the best song on "Bee Thousand" is called "TRACTOR RAPE CHAIN."  It's a lament surrounding a diminishing relationship that has dissolved because of mistrust.  A place we've all been.  Well, hopefully, some of you haven't because IT FUCKING SUCKS.  But, Mr. Robert Pollard nails the hurt and paranoia and the (mostly) self-inflicted mental and emotional chaos that can ensue.  My other favorite song on the album is, for reasons unknown, but I continually wake with this song kicking in my head, "THE GOLDHEART MOUNTAINTOP QUEEN DIRECTORY."  Yep, it's that kind of band.  They have a song called "KICKER OF ELVES."  Seriously.  So, I'll pass along the same advice I gave to my brother upon his introduction to this band:  sit and listen to the album as a whole and listen to it at least twice.  Don't put it on while you're at work or jogging or doing laundry or whatever, just sit and listen to it (an odd concept these days, I know.  I might be the only one I know who dedicates hours and hours per week to just listen to music.  It's fucking art people, and you shouldn't devalue it.  Sorry, don't want to get to far up onto my soapbox).  I wasn't sure what I was getting into myself all those years ago, but I remember being slightly confused until subsequent listens, in which, I fell in love.  So, fire up the Spotify, Google, Apple Music, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody (god, it's easy to listen to music for nothing or almost nothing these days...  Sorry, getting back down, again...) and look up "Bee Thousand" by Guided by Voices.  You won't be disappointed; unless you take my advice in extremely high regard, have a listen and really don't like them, in which case, you might be.  But, I can't help that, so fuck it.

My advice this week is to live free or die hard...  Just kidding, that movie sucked.

Monday, November 6, 2017

Sad face... aka.. just fucking sad face

This one doesn't deserve a fucking title...


GREEN BAY PACKERS WEEKLY RECAP:


Thoroughly outplayed on offense, defense and special teams.  Not good.  Next question...


THIS WEEK IN MUSIC:


Honestly (as if I've ever been anything but honest on this blog), I barely remember this week.  It was a fucking blur.  I think I've listened to a total of 2 hours of music this week.  It's just been one of those weeks so I don't really have anything to share with you.  To sum up the week, I tried washing one of my cat's food dishes and dropped and broke it (this is the third one this year) because I couldn't remember what I was doing.  Wasn't drunk or high or anything weird, I was just that fucking out of it.  It's just like that and I feel as though I've let you down.  Sorry team...

But, on a good note, I did start writing some new tunes.  I haven't written in a little while and it felt good to get back into it.  I typically don't write songs unless I need to or want new songs for a project/show/etc. but I've been feeling stagnant and ready for something new.  I completed the songs for my next couple projects a while back and have been waiting to see what direction I'd like to take for any new songs.  Would they be tunes for the solo record I've wanted to make for a bit?  Would they be songs for the new Brianne Kathleen and Bradley Wik project?  Would they be more Rock N' Roll for the BWC follow up album?  Normally, I'd wait to figure that out but this week I was itching for some new words to sing.  So, I sat down and wrote a couple songs.  I've never been the type to just sit down and write, I've always been a "when the mood strikes" kind of guy.  But, it was fun and it was a good learning experience.  No, they aren't show stoppers, and I might never play them live, but it felt so fucking good to start working on a new project again; whatever that may be.

Anyways, sorry for the brevity but I feel like shit and the Packers game didn't help at all...

So, I'll leave you with one of the most fucking unbelievably awesome things I've ever seen...