Sports: NFL Picks, Week 3

Ah, that's more like it! 11-5 isn't too shabby. Plus, I got a few of the scores pretty damn close. I think that after this week, we should have a critical mass of evidence on which to judge most of the teams in the NFL; for now, things could still be a bit shaky.

Tennessee at NY Giants: Tennessee, 20-14
Chris Johnson mad. Chris John SMASH!!! At least I hope he does, for the sake of my fantasy team. The Giants couldn't even stop the Colts' run game, which bodes very poorly for them. Eli can sling it better than the Steelers' 4th stringer, but the Titans still have a good D. The Giants seem a far cry from their Super Bowl-winning squad.

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: Pittsburgh, 13-6
The Steel Curtain has once again dropped across the NFL landscape. It is not an easy task to do to Chris Johnson what the Steelers did. Tampa Bay is also undefeated, though their opponents weren't as good. With both teams sporting good or better defenses and mediocre or worse offenses, expect a low-scoring affair; in fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams in single digits.

Cincinnati at Carolina: Cincinnati, 24-13
The Bungles bounced back well against division rivals Baltimore, with their defense looking good. Carolina, conversely, is looking pretty miserable, getting embarrassed by Tampa Bay. I think this will be decided simply by Cincinnati having a much better defense, and if they can contain DeAngelo Williams, they shouldn't have much trouble winning here.

Cleveland at Baltimore: Baltimore, 27-10
Can the Ravens' offense finally get into gear? They showed great promise coming into this season, with a young stud RB (Ray Rice), a rising QB with more experience (Flacco), and a new proven, Pro Bowl WR (Boldin). But they have done very little thus far. The Browns should provide some breathing room, though, while Cleveland offers little offensive firepower of their own (Seneca Wallace?!?!?).

Dallas at Houston: Houston, 31-27
Yee-haw, get ready for a good ol' fashioned Texas rodeo!!! *end bad impression* Seriously, though, I expect a lot of offense here. Houston has even more firepower than Dallas, but Dallas also has a better defense, so it should be somewhat close. In theory, Dallas will play with desperation in this one, but they rarely do what you expect them to.

San Francisco at Kansas City: San Francisco, 23-17
Well, San Francisco showed a lot of improvement over their horrible week 1 performance in taking New Orleans to the wire last week... but who will show up this week for them? Kansas City is 2-0, but one win was in a monsoon, and the other against the Browns. Plus, for some insane reason, they refuse to use by far their most talented player (Jamaal Charles) in any significant amount (also infuriating, since he's on my fantasy team). Here's my hope: 49ers jump on them, KC can't do anything with their current washed-up RB, then FINALLY turn to Charles, who can't quite get them the win.

Detroit at Minnesota: Minnesota, 24-20
If not now, when? If the Vikings lose this game, I wouldn't be surprised to see Favre on a plane back to Mississippi within hours. The Lions boast an offense that's more impressive than one might imagine, but Minnesota has got to know that it must win this game. Probably more pressure on Minny in this one than on any other team in any other game this week.

Buffalo at TTSNBN: TTSNBN, x-x
This will probably be a route, but I will definitely ROFLMAO if Buffalo somehow pulls it out.

Atlanta at New Orleans: Atlanta, 27-24
Boy, this is a tough one to pick. New Orleans just figures out how to win games *end NFL announcer/analyst impression*, but they don't exactly look dominant yet. Without Reggie Bush, they lose a versatile option in an offense that thrives on versatility. Division rival Atlanta just showed some dominance itself in dismantling Arizona, and they seem to have a great balance of offense and defense, run and pass, etc. Close one, but Atlanta has more weaponry right now.

Washington at St. Louis: Washington, 24-14
This is exactly the kind of game that the 'Skins were great at losing in the past, with their crappy QBs and crappy coaches. However, now with Shanahan and McNabb, proven winners, I expect no such let down. Bradford may give the Rams hope for the future, but they don't have enough offensive weapons and their defense stinks.

Philadelphia at Jacksonville: Philadelphia, 30-21
Ick, I'm not a fan of these two underperforming teams. Jacksonville used to thrive on hustle and making the most of what they had, but now they're a hopeless wanderer that's somehow in danger of moving to another city or shutting down thanks to lack of fan support. And Philly? Let's kick out our longtime QB who has kept us competitive for years and years, and then when Vick plays well for one half plus a game vs. Detroit, let's overreact and crown him the new best QB. Right. Good luck, you two teams.

Oakland at Arizona: Oakland, 10-9
Ugh, can we say crapfest? If this was the only game on TV, I think I'd get a head start on my chores, instead.

San Diego at Seattle: San Diego, 28-9
Phew, Denver assured me that I was right in thinking Seattle was a crappy team with their demolition of the 'Hawks last week. Of course, San Diego isn't the best in the league either, and may face offensive difficulties later if Mathews is out for long, and they can't get another good receiver. But it shouldn't matter in this one.

Indianapolis at Denver: Indianapolis, 31-17
I expect the Colts to continue playing like they did last week, especially with reports of injury problems in Denver's secondary. I am curious to see how the Colts will do against the better teams in the league; they amazingly seem capable of rotating weapons around Manning and a good pass rush, and it seems to always work. Will that continue? For this game, yes.

NY Jets at Miami: Miami, 13-10
Wow, talk about polar opposite performances from the Jets. Fortunately they saved their good game for TTSNBN. Miami, though, is looking pretty impressive under the radar down south (perhaps LeBron's gigantic ego is blocking it?), with a solid defense and a just-good-enough offense. Miami's strength in running should matchup well against the Jets' defense, which does better against the pass with DL Kris Jenkins out again.

Green Bay at Chicago: Green Bay, 30-21
Dang, pretty impressive what Chicago did to Dallas last week. The Packers are gonna give Cutler some hits he'll remember, though, and the Packers' offense is a well-oiled machine that doesn't shoot itself in the foot like the Cowboys' offense does.

Music: A Hard Day's Night (The Beatles)

Beatles Album #3: A Hard Day's Night

In the Beatles' third album, A Hard Day's Night, the band put together their finest compilation yet, and perhaps the musical height of this particular era of rock. The album was released in July 1964; by that time, the Beatles had already done their first tour of America and had already pretty much conquered it; at one point, the top five singles were all by The Beatles. This album would continue to cement their dominance in America, and the film to go with it would also increase their status not just as great music-makers but also as media stars. But that's just for the history books; A Hard Day's Night showed that the Beatles were doing nothing if not improving musically as fast as their popularity increased.

1. "A Hard Day's Night" (Lennon/McCartney)
The album gets off to a great and famous start with this title track, launched by the guitar chord heard 'round the world. Lennon's lead vocal is outstanding, of course, and he and McCartney retain their trademark harmonies. McCartney also has a great middle eight, showcasing his phenomenal yet under-appreciated rocking vocal style. On the instrumental side of things, George has a great guitar solo; it's classic Harrison in being a perfect match for the song yet simple-sounding instead of some gibberish by other guitar "gods". Also, Ringo's percussion inconspicuously lends a huge amount of energy to the song. Great way to start the album.

2. "I Should Have Known Better" (Lennon/McCartney)
This track is a rock-solid follow-up to "A Hard Day's Night," and showcases several places where The Beatles were improving. First, the tempo is great; it certainly doesn't drag, like some similar songs from earlier albums, but it doesn't get carried away either. Also, while the chords don't change a whole lot in this one, Lennon's vocal energy is very good, without being simply loud. The extended "I"s from Lennon are actually better, I think, because they don't stay perfectly straight all the way through. Here again, the instrumentals are awesome, even if Lennon's vocal is dominant: the rhythm guitar is great, as is the lead in a subdued part, and both the bass and percussion give the song a great backbone. Very impressive.

3. "If I Fell" (Lennon/McCartney)
One of my favorite early Beatles songs. It's simply a gorgeous little track; even if it sounds a little dated to the modern listener, just give it some time. Lennon starts with a nice introduction before the main part begins, with the instrumentals again providing good support. But this one is all about the vocals. Phenomenal Lennon-McCartney harmony, just phenomenal. That harmony alone is the main focus of the whole song and the rest - melody, instruments, tempo, etc. - is just a good way to support it. The lyrics are actually rather mean-spirited compared to the song's sound, but just ignore them and float on the bliss of their harmonies.

4. "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" (Lennon/McCartney)
Despite Harrison singing the lead vocal in this one, like others George sang early on, it was written by John and Paul. And while perhaps this isn't one of John and Paul's best compositions, it is performed so well that it is actually a good little song of its era. First of all, George's voice fits well with it, taking advantage of his limited album space as he usually did. Also, sorry to sound like a broken record, but the instrumentals are great again. Ringo keeps the song going at a good clip, and George plays a very neat, original guitar part that goes great with it. At two minutes, it's pleasant for the whole time and then we're on to the next song.

5. "And I Love Her" (Lennon/McCartney)
Here's the first slow song on the album; before this album The Beatles tended to turn to a cover for this type of song, but here Paul gives it a shot. And boy does he do a good job with it. The beauty of the verses and chorus really show off, even early on, what skill Paul had at writing ballads, and he also had the fantastic vocal abilities to make use of his composition skills. It should be noted, too, that he is supported by some very good guitar playing, including a great hook at the beginning and end of the song, and a great solo, too, by George (I think). Covers, who needs covers when you've got John and Paul?!

6. "Tell Me Why" (Lennon/McCartney)
OK, this one's not that great, but it is also pretty damn catchy. While the Beatles had improved immensely, I think it's fair to say that this is filler (though not as blatant as some earlier material). The chorus is just really cheesy, and the whole song itself is just a little too happy for its own good. Lennon's vocal is just not very good here, and I don't think he particularly enjoyed singing it (of course, I could be wrong). The instrumentals again show great energy, and contribute to the song's catchiness, but don't listen to it too many times or it'll stick in your head (not that you'd want to, anyway).

7. "Can't Buy Me Love" (Lennon/McCartney)
Ah, back to some classic Beatles! Definitely one of my favorite early Beatles songs, this is just a great song, probably the best on the album. It's really a pretty simple song but not derivative, which was one of the Beatles' greatest strengths. While the verses start out in a classic rock form, they end with a great bluesy sort of syncopation. And now Paul gets to belt out in his rocker vocal style for the entire song as the lead, which he aces. Another strong instrumental backing, especially with Paul's own bass playing. What else is there to say, it's a rock and roll classic, plain and simple.

8. "Any Time At All" (Lennon/McCartney)
This song is a neat change up on the album. Lennon goes to the lower octave of his vocal range for much of this one, and the tone of the song is just heavier than most of even his harder rocking early songs. The verses are neat, and the chorus is even better, with John and Paul trading off with some charged vocals. The instrumental playing matches the heavier vocals, and there is also a cool piano part, especially in the instrumental break. Somehow, a higher-pitched guitar part doesn't really sound out of place here, and like the rest of the song, it just works.

9. "I'll Cry Instead" (Lennon/McCartney)
This track adds a little bit of country flavor to the album (without the irritating vocal twang and other bad elements of country). This is the shortest song on the album at considerably under two minutes, and it almost seems like an interlude. But not a throwaway, mind you, because it's well-performed and is pleasant enough. Lennon gives a serviceable vocal, even if it's nothing special by his standards. I think Ringo liked shaking the tambourine on this one. Take it or leave it, but this one is far from being a blotch on the Beatles' record.

10. "Things We Said Today" (Lennon/McCartney)
Here we see McCartney's composition skills take a little noticed but significant jump. The song is made up of two very distinct pieces which nevertheless fit together perfectly. Part one is a somewhat mysterious, dreamy, or at least thoughtful-sounding piece and then Paul changes up his vocal style for a more rock-oriented section before reverting to the original part again. Certainly Paul's vocal is very good, as are the supporting instrumentals, but it's the composition that stands out to me the most as an indicator of things to come. And it still channels the sound of the rest of the album (in other words, it doesn't stick out oddly).

11. "When I Get Home" (Lennon/McCartney)
Ick, I'm afraid here's some more album filler. This is the opposite of the track before it, as far as composition: there's just not a whole lot of creativity here. In fact, it almost annoys me how bland it is. Unfortunately, the performance also lacks enthusiasm, except maybe a little from Lennon's vocal. But the band doesn't really employ much instrumental ingenuity, and there's nothing driving it forward. Even the harmonies are pretty poor (bad?) by the Beatles' standards. Quick, on to the next track!!!

12. "You Can't Do That" (Lennon/McCartney)
Ah, this is good to wash the bad taste out of your mouth (or the bad sound out of your ears). Lennon does much better this time to follow a more traditional rock formula, while tweaking it to the whims of his own inner ear. The vocal itself is fine, but certainly the instrumentals (AGAIN!) is where the difference is found. Much more energy, much more imagination, much better feel. The song starts out, in fact, with a bright guitar sound, which continues on but just in support of Lennon's vocal. Ringo's cowbell is a good choice here, and the synchronous part when Lennon sings "I told you before" is just a nice touch. Good comeback here, Beatles.

13. "I'll Be Back" (Lennon/McCartney)
So, you think you've got The Beatles figured out. They'll end the album now with a hard rocking finale. Nope. With "I'll Be Back," the Beatles pull one of their earliest surprises to listeners, with one of the slowest songs on the album. However, I think it's a great way to conclude the album - a great change of pace, literally speaking, while retaining the sound of the album. In addition, the whole thing just sounds like (and the title not-so-subtly hints at) the Beatles' farewell until next time. And it sends a message: don't go thinking you know what the Beatles will do next (OK - give us a year or so - but then don't do it!).

Essentials: "Can't Buy Me Love", "A Hard Day's Night", "If I Fell", "And I Love Her"
Weak(er) Songs: "When I Get Home", "Tell Me Why"

My Rank of The Beatles' Albums So Far:
1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Please Please Me
3. With The Beatles

Wait! There's more! I'm dividing the Beatles' career into four arbitrary periods, and after each one I'll rank my top ten songs from that era (including singles not released on an album). Here's my list for the "early" period:

1. She Loves You
2. I Saw Her Standing There
3. Can't Buy Me Love
4. All My Loving
5. If I Fell
6. Twist And Shout
7. And I Love Her
8. I Want To Hold Your Hand
9. A Hard Day's Night
10. Please Please Me

Honorable Mentions: Things We Said Today, Anna (Go To Him), All I've Got To Do, Roll Over Beethoven, I Should Have Known Better

Sports: NFL Picks, Week 2

Well, unfortunately I forgot to post my NFL predictions for week 1 on the blog, although I did make predictions (and finished 8-8). So here goes nothing, picks along with a bit of discussion.

Pittsburgh at Tennessee: Pittsburgh, 13-10
I think that the Steelers' win in the first week was huge for them. Their defense played quite well, and they contained a great runner in Turner. The offense didn't do a lot, but Dixon didn't lose them the game, either. Sadly, I didn't get to see this one (yay for the Lions as the local team...), but I'm impressed. The Titans also looked good... of course, they played the Raiders. Chris Johnson will be a handful for the Steelers (and he's on my fantasy team, so I have mixed feelings), but I think the Steelers find a way to win another close, low-scoring game.

Miami at Minnesota: Minnesota, 17-10
Despite losing to New Orleans, Minnesota looked a lot better than I thought they would on Monday. The biggest problem seemed to be a lack of receivers; maybe that changes, maybe it doesn't. However, Peterson looked quite good, as did their defense. Miami, on the other hand, struggled with Buffalo... ouch. Their defense could keep it close, but Minnesota is too good on both sides of the ball, even if they're still struggling offensively - and they're at home.

Arizona at Atlanta: Atlanta, 28-6
Boy, Atlanta is going to be mad for this one. A lot of people had them as a contender coming into this year, and they got stifled by short-handed Pittsburgh. I expect their offense to click into gear, with a good balanced attack from Turner and Ryan. Arizona, meanwhile, barely beat St. Louis (actually, I had predicted the upset, too bad it didn't happen). Atlanta will have no trouble stopping an offense led by Derek Anderson, former Browns' QB and thrower of 3 completions vs. the Bills last year, one of them to the other team.

Baltimore at Cincinnati: Baltimore, 20-17
Divisional games are a whole other beast in the NFL, and perhaps none more so than the AFC North. True, Baltimore looked very impressive against the Jets, shutting them down completely. True, Cincinnati got blown away by the team-that-shall-not-be-named. But these teams know each other so well, anything can happen. I'm still taking the better team, though.

Kansas City at Cleveland: Kansas City: 21-13
The Chiefs won a crazy one against San Diego in week one, during monsoon-like conditions, despite gaining only half as many yards of offense. But, from what I saw of the game, I think KC has some potential this year. I can't say the same for the Browns, who are led by Jake "deer in the headlights" Delhomme. I think the Chiefs will be excited to build momentum, while the Browns will wonder how they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory again last week.

Chicago at Dallas: Dallas, 24-3
Yeah, Dallas looked pretty pathetic at times against Washington, especially giving the Redskins their only touchdown on a silver platter with a boneheaded play before halftime. But it was a divisional game, the offense moved the ball well, and the defense shut down Washington. If they can keep the penalties down, they should have no problems with the Bears. Chicago was the opposite, gaining tons of yards and stuffing Detroit, but they also had a circus of bloopers and with Stafford injured Detroit played (was?) dead. I smell a route.

Philadelphia at Detroit: Philadelphia, 17-3
Ouch. Both of these teams' starting QBs were injured in week one. While Vick is hardly much of a signal-caller, he's still better than Detroit's backup. Plus, the Eagles have a *decent* defense at least (it's hard to judge, since they had to play Green Bay in week one). I would be very surprised if Detroit had any chance at all to win this one.

Buffalo at Green Bay: Green Bay, 35-6
Let's move on quickly before the image of the carnage gets stuck in your head.

Tampa Bay at Carolina: Carolina, 20-10
Another divisional game. I find Tampa Bay to be such a bland, awful team with no interesting (ie: fantasy-quality) players that I inevitably underrate them. I'm not sure of the status of Carolina's QB, but they should be able to ride their thunder and lightning RBs (Stewart and Williams, respectively) to victory without too much trouble.

Seattle at Denver: Denver, 17-7
Seattle's demolition was the only true shock of week 1 for me. I really thought they were just going to be terrible this year, and the 49ers would win that division easily. Well, I think it was more that San Fran has a lot of issues to work out rather than Seattle being any good. Denver will be OK this year, although I doubt any better than mediocre. That's what you get for drafting Tim Teabow. Anyway, Seattle should get a reality check this week.

St. Louis at Oakland: Oakland, 10-7
Ewwwww. I suppose it's quite possible that one of these crappy teams will jump all over the other one here, but I'll split the difference and give the edge to the home team.

Houston at Washington: Houston, 27-13
Is this finally Houston's year to break through? I think so, and it's because they finally have a reliable running option with Foster, plus a decent defense. Washington can't count on Houston's offense to shoot itself in the foot with holding and false start penalties every other play like they did with Dallas. Maybe the 'Skins will show they're a playoff contender later this year, but not this week, I don't think.

Team-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named at NY Jets: TTSNBN, x-x
Suffice it to say, I was rather miserable to see TTSNBN do so well last week. Where's Bernard Pollard when we need him? I always pick TTSNBN to win, in the hopes of jinxing them (and also assuring myself at least a little happiness - either they win and at least I got the pick right, or they lose and I'm even happier). Boy, the Jets were disappointing last week, to say the least. Their offense looked worthy of the Lions or Rams last week.

Jacksonville at San Diego: San Diego, 21-17
I think this will be a pretty close game. San Diego should do better this week, being at home and presumably not being drenched to the bone. Jacksonville seems to depend completely on Maurice Jones-Drew; if he has a bad game, I don't think they have a chance. Still, the Chargers have a knack for starting out seasons slowly.

NY Giants at Indianapolis: Indianapolis, 31-24
Can either one of these teams stop the other? It should be a fun family sling-fest between Eli and Peyton. The Texans showed that the Colts' weakness is run defense, but NYG isn't good at running it anyway, so they'll have to throw it, which Eli has proven he can do. But he's much more mistake prone than his brother, and the Colts will be quite eager to get their week 1 loss out of the rearview mirror.

New Orleans at San Francisco: New Orleans, 27-10
Both teams are very talented, but there is a HUGE gap at QB here. Plus, the 49ers seem totally disorganized and not very cohesive, while the Saints are just the opposite.


2010 Picks Record: 8-8

Sports: US Open

The 2010 U.S. Open singles champions are Kim Clijsters and Rafael Nadal. I watched most of the Clijsters match, and boy was it a route. Unfortunately, while Zvonareva is skilled, she sometimes has mental/emotional meltdowns, and she had a big one during the final match. I wish that Wozniacki had made it instead, since she is a more steady player, but that's how it goes. On the other hand, Djokovic gave Nadal a good match, despite clearly being more physically drained. This match was a perfect example of Nadal's superior physicality, just wearing Djokovic down by attrition (I think he had over 20 break points, despite only converting a handful of them). He and LeBron are kind of similar in their physical nature; of course, Nadal actually wins championships.

Now a few words on the blog as a whole. I haven't posted any "news" news in awhile, since I decided to take a break from it during my two weeks off, and am just now getting back in the flow. It was nice to get away from it for a little while since it can all get a bit depressing. As far as movies, I don't think I will be seeing a lot of new movies soon, although I may post small blurbs on older ones that I see on Netflix. And I hope to start posting predictions for NFL games, along with a little commentary on how the teams are doing. Music reviews will also continue, one every week or so I hope (probably a little less with class back in session).

Sports: U.S. Open

What prompted this post is the conclusion of the Djokovic-Federer semifinal, but I'll talk about the tournament as a whole a little bit, then maybe post about the finals tomorrow. First, I have to give Novak Djokovic the highest of praise for his victory over Federer today. Not only does he lose two sets 5-7, one of the most frustrating ways to do so. Not only does he have to fend off perhaps the greatest player ever who is hungry for another shot at Nadal in the final. But he also fended off not one but TWO match points!!! And did Federer just dump a couple shots in the net on those? No, Djokovic played two of the best points of the match, taking and making shots as skilled as they were gutsy. I was told by a coworker who saw Djokovic practice at this very U.S. Open that he seemed like a really nice guy, very patient with fans after his workouts. So I'm very pleased for "the Joker", famed now not just for his hilarious impressions but also for a huge win over one of the game's greats.

Other than that great match, it's been an entertaining tournament overall, as well. The players have had to deal with difficult conditions: first, super hot temperatures, and then high winds for the last week. Unfortunately Roddick, perhaps my favorite current player, went out early (albeit more due to his opponent playing out of his mind than to his own failures). It was nice to have Serena Williams absent for the tournament, my least favorite player. It's quite appropriate that she's absent, actually, after her outrageous outburst at last year's tournament. Another absentee was Henin, however, which disappointed me. If nothing else, I like her as a rather diminuitive player who can play with and beat the best (including Serena) with sheer skill. Wozniacki has impressed me a lot, too, this tournament, since she displays Henin-esque skill, and was actually a women's #1 seed not named Williams who lived up to her ranking. I didn't see her match vs. Zvonereva, but was disappointed and surprised that she lost.

So, we've had a great U.S. Open this year. Two young Americans also showed promise for a bright future for American tennis, in Harrison (men) and Capra (women). For tomorrow, I'd really be happy with either Nadal or Djokovic winning - I'm a big fan of both. I'd give the slight edge to Djokovic, simply because I think he'll have fewer opportunities in the future. On the women's side, I'm pretty neutral on both players. I might prefer Zvonereva a bit, since Clijsters has already won the U.S. Open twice (at least?), and Zvonereva got to the Wimbledon final but couldn't quite beat Serena there. Great tourney!!!

Album Review: Graceland by Paul Simon

Review Notes: I don't think I need to put this in my reviews any more, but for one last time, I care most about the music itself and notice/comment on the lyrics only if they are very prominent and/or interesting.

Paul Simon is definitely one of my favorite musicians, both for his work with Garfunkel and as a solo artist. I think he is a fantastic songwriter, right up in the top tier of pop artists. While his voice is not my favorite, it is pleasant and flexible enough to sound good in most of his songs. And certainly Paul is one of the best lyricists in pop music. This album, probably his most famous as a solo artist, was presumably released as an early birthday present for me, coming just a month before my birth ;) The album was recorded primarily in South Africa, and Simon collaborated with several other musicians there. The album retains a similar sound throughout, though it has a great variety of styles as well. While I'm very familiar with some of the hits since my childhood, many tracks are newer to me and thus I don't have quite the connection to this one that I have to others; like virtually all of Simon's albums I've listened to, though, it's very good.

1. "Boy in the Bubble" (Simon/Motloheloa)
This song is a nice way to start off the album, although it's hardly the best opening track. The verses sound pretty nice, sung nice and clearly by Simon, but the chorus is kind of a letdown; it could have used something a little harder hitting. It's really the instrumentals that give this song its appeal. Generally, I'm not a fan of accordions, but it fits in well here, and even neater are the tuba-like synthesizers that bounce along throughout. The drums beat along dutifully, giving the song a nice tempo though not very toe-tapping. This track could have been at least 30 seconds shorter, since there's really not much musical variety in it, but it's a fine song.

2. "Graceland" (Simon)
Now here's a classic Simon pop song: the title track is one of his most recognizable and written fully in Simon-style. Definitely one of the strongest songs of the album, everything just works. Here Paul comes up with a really catchy chorus to go along with his usually strong verses. Towards the middle, he's even joined by the Everly Brothers briefly. Once again, it's the instrumentals that really shine, and raise this one to classic status. The drums are great, as is a very active bass part that keeps the song humming for its five-minute length. The guitar part is also really good, making its presence felt most in the chorus with its easily-recognizable little hook. Excellent song, and it really shows how Simon was great at these medium-range tracks.

3. "I Know What I Know" (Simon/Shirinda)
Here is a personal favorite of mine on the album. This is simply an irresistably catchy pop song, and if your foot isn't tapping at least a little, you may want to check your pulse. The guitars in this song are played in a way that makes them sound sort of like bumble bees, and the effect is really cool. And like in "Bubble," the drums keep the tempo going (and the toe a-tapping). The verses are really fun, with Simon's voice rising on the last note of each line. The following chorus is even more fun, with Simon joined by the Gaza Sisters who lend a high-pitched and perfectly matching vocal; following the chorus is a short "whoop-whoop" section from the Sisters. Maybe I'm just a sucker for these upbeat, catchy pop songs, but this is really a great one.

4. "Gumboots" (Simon/Mkhalali/Masilela)
Now for a bit of a letdown, with one of the album's weaker tracks. There is really just nothing very interesting about the verses or chorus; I almost want to label this song "poor," because Paul doesn't seem to have put a lot of effort into the songwriting here. In a recurring theme, however, the instrumentals make this one at least listenable. The bass and drum parts give the song a shifty beat, with bright accompanying accordions and a few nifty saxophone parts. Otherwise, this makes even "Boy In The Bubble" seem quite remarkable.

5. "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" (Simon/Shabalala)
One of my favorite Paul Simon songs, "Diamonds" is also one of the most creative and original songs I've heard. The first minute of the song is an a cappella intro with Paul singing lead backed by others in what I assume is a traditional African style; a very nice touch. The guitar then brilliantly transitions the song into a more western, upbeat pop style that keeps an ensemble of African drums and feel. The bass part in this song is just incredible. While there isn't really a melody exactly in this song, Paul gives enough variety in his storytelling-like singing to keep it interesting in this long song, especially supported by the bright instrumentals. Included in the instrumentals is a great horn part (and I am definitely a sucker for horns). Just a phenomenal song that roams about for close to six minutes, but doesn't tired itself out at all.

6. "You Can Call Me Al"
Speaking of horn parts... here's a song that probably even non-Simon fans have heard. That three-note horn part is the trademark, and it is a great, simple, triumphant one. And, once again, there is a great bass part to go along with it. Put simply, this is perhaps his best song, at least of his solo career. The verses are fantastic, with some great lyrics even by his high standards, and the chorus, during which the horns come back, is of course unforgettable. With the bass and drums humming along, it's impossible not to be swept up in the song's joy. Heck, there is even a pretty damn cool flute solo! If you have not heard this song for some strange reason, do yourself the favor, and soon.

7. "Under African Skies" (Simon)
Here is another outstanding song on the album. It's hard to describe this song, as the real tempo is slow, and it's certainly not meant to be an upbeat track, but the instruments, in particular the drums but also the guitar and bass, drive forward with great energy and enthusiasm. The chorus is classic Simon stuff, almost a little more like his songs with Garfunkel; however, it's the verses that are just gorgeous, not only well written but also sung in harmony with Linda Ronstadt. Her voice is amazing on this track, and it fits with Paul's perfectly. A small part near the end also includes Linda, with Paul's vocal acting almost like a bass guitar, and Linda's like a flute or similar instrument. Definitely one of the album's gems.

8. "Homeless" (Simon/Shabalala)
This song is definitely a change of pace, as we have a return to the a cappella, traditional African style heard in the intro to "Diamonds" - but this song is entirely composed of this. It's a fun song, and certainly worth hearing, but it really comes off as a sidetrack on the album. In fact, Paul only sings briefly in a few places on this one. So, not really my cup of tea, but I think it's fun and others may enjoy it even more.

9. "Crazy Love, Vol. II" (Simon)
I feel that this track has a lot of similarities with "Gumboots," although technically they're rather different songs. Again, any charm of this song pretty much comes from the instruments, this time the sprightly guitar part. The verses are fine, if nothing special, but like "Gumboots," the chorus is just very disappointing. Even the lyrics seem rather poorly written, and the music to go with it is just as poor. I just really get the sense that far less effort was put into these two tracks than the some of the other far superior tracks.

10. "That Was Your Mother" (Simon)
Here's a fun little track. Great saxophone work, playing along with Paul and in solo form. Some heavy drum playing also gives the track a good dose of energy, as well as some more accordion. With that said, I can hardly believe Paul wrote this one; it's definitely a departure from his style. And while it is a fun song, it's a far cry from the stratospheric heights of this album. That drum part just keeps on keeping on for about three minutes, then boom, it's done. And that kind of sums up how I feel about the song.

11. "All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints" (Simon)
Or Paul's attempt to match the title length of a certain Lennon song for The Beatles. Here, the instrumentals finally make a somewhat poor showing, as the drums are way too heavy. It sounds way too much like a bad 80s hair band; in addition, the accordion/sax part just sounds corny. I do like Paul's vocal on this one, and despite the corniness and overdone instrumentals, it is still pretty fun. Apparently, a group called Los Lobos worked with Paul on this one and then later claimed that he stole it from them. Personally, whatever the truth of the matter, if I were Paul I would have given them more blame - er, credit - for this one. The best part of the song is what seems to be a vocal improvisation by Paul near the end. And then you're left in shock that this was the last song on the album.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. I just about gave this album a four, when I forgot about, of all songs, the title track. The top five songs of this album are superb (top four, as I had been thinking earlier). Although the quality drops off significantly after those... well, practically half the damn album is still superb! There are no bad songs on the album, but I'm disappointed by enough of them that it's not quite a five star album, although I can certainly see how others might disagree.

Essentials: "You Can Call Me Al", "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes", "I Know What I Know", "Under African Skies", "Graceland"
Weak(er) Songs: "Crazy Love, Vol. II", "Gumboots", "All Around The World..."