The fun continues with 3/5 of my decade-end list now in the books.
Here are the next 25 selections. Click on the links to listen. Enjoy...
75. Counting Stars - One Republic
Although they haven't had a major hit in a while, this is easily one of the most publicly recognizable artists on my list. For a while, One Republic was all over the radio, and singer, Ryan Tedder, quickly became one of the most prolific songwriters and producers in the industry. This single alone moved 10 million units, making it far and away the most commercially successful song on this countdown.
74. Academic - New Order
73. Shameless - Lissie
This is the gritty, rock-laden single that introduced me to the singer-songwriter known as Lissie. Although the Stevie Nicks sound-alike went in a somewhat softer direction with her subsequent material, she's still been one of my faves in recent years, with four entries on my list.
72. No More Darkness, No More Light - Amos Lee
71. Never Enough - Brittany J. Smith
70. Fuckin' Perfect - P!nk
69. Stand - Ed Kowalczyk
68. Are You Ready - Disturbed
67. Such a Simple Thing - Ray LaMontagne
66. Always Remember Us This Way - Brittany J. Smith
Having built a solid social media following, with more than 76,000 subscribers on Youtube alone, and having made it through to the group rounds on the New American Idol, I'd say it's been a good decade for Brittany. With her towering vocals, keen sense of image and personal style, and high fan engagement, it's not hard to imagine the 2020s being even better. This blistering rendition of "Always Remember Us This Way" from A Star is Born, is one of her best performances to date. A couple other appearances on this list for this future superstar, including one above, and another that's among the best covers I've ever heard.
65. Hardwired - Hailey Knox
64. Blue on Black - Five Finger Death Punch
63. Museum of Broken Relationships - Veruca Salt
A long-anticipated (by me, at least) reunion of Nina Gordon and Louise Post, as this 90's band finally "got back together." The results were mixed as far as the totality of their comeback album, Ghost Notes, goes. But this lead single did not disappoint.
62. I'm the Proof - Ed Kowalczyk
61. I Want it That Way - Gin Blossoms
Actually just a live-acoustic performance by lead singer, Robin Wilson, I had the good fortune to catch this surprise rendition of the Backstreet Boys hit when I saw Gin Blossoms for the 11th time a couple years back. Wilson came out by himself to start the encore and went in a slightly different direction by choosing to do his best boy-band impression. Shockingly, it really worked - light year better than the original, in fact.
60. Love is a Country - The Wallflowers
59. Love Bites (So Do I) - Halestorm
Easily my artist of the decade, with eight entries on this list, including FIVE within the top 25 songs, and my favorite album of the 2010s - The Strange Case of... from 2013. This track was the lead single from that album, and, in a stunning turn of events, actually scored the band the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. A rare win for Grammy voters in recent years.
58. Stars - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
57. Another Life - Any Given Sin
56. Werewolves - The Damnwells
55. Save Today - Seether
54. Walk - Foo Fighters
53. Hero - Family of the Year
This was a minor radio hit and was featured in one of my favorite films of the decade - 2014's Ethan Hawke vehicle, Boyhood. They've apparently released two subsequent albums, but I've yet to sample them.
52. Because We Can - Bon Jovi
51. I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz (video feat. Daryl Hall)
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Top 125 of 2010s (100-76)
Continuing on with the best of the decade...Here are the next 25 tracks. Click on the links to listen. Enjoy.
100. Too Late - Mike Ruocco
Just another act I liked relegated to the scrap heap of music history, Mike Ruocco fronted a short-lived band called Cinder Road, who I actually saw open for Puddle of Mudd sometime during the previous decade. This solo track came a bit later on, and disappeared as fast as it arrived.
99. Bonfire Heart - James Blunt
98. Dead End Ride - Mike Tramp
97. My Little Secret - Cavo
This St. Louis rock band had a couple of modern rock radio hits off their debut CD in the waning days of the 00's. This one, my favorite track from the album, was a holdover into 2010, but didn't make much of a dent on the charts,
96. Dynamite - Any Given Sin
95. Crazy for You - Scars on 45
94. Sleeping With a Friend - Neon Trees
One of the acts that appears on my list who actually enjoyed a modicum of commercial success. Neon Trees could be called a three-hit wonder, and two of those hits drop on my Top 125.
93. Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga
92. Don't You Give Up on Me - Lissie
91. The Road Not Taken - Johnny Hates Jazz
Didn't these guys come and go in 1988? Surprisingly, they made a sudden reappearance on the music landscape in 2013. The first single from that year's Magnetized actually started to gain some exposure in Europe before lead singer, Clark Datchler, fell ill with cancer, and they had to stop promoting the album. This pensive ballad stood out for me.
90. Eye of the Storm - Scorpions
89. Moth Into Flame - Metallica
Twenty-eight years after ...And Justice For All notoriously (and inexplicably) lost in the Hard Rock/Metal Performance category to Jethro Tull, the Grammy Awards managed to f**k Metallica again, only this time, on stage. In a rare instance of me looking forward to an awards show performance, the grizzled rockers were slated to perform this single live with Lady Gaga, only to have James Hetfield's mic be shut off, unbeknownst to him, throughout the entire first verse. Hetfield made the realization and started sharing a mic with Gaga, but it really put a damper on the performance of what I thought was a really strong comeback single. Adding insult to injury, they lost their only nomination of the night. Luckily the dress rehearsal footage sounds great and was posted to Youtube (link above).
88. Scars on This Guitar - Bon Jovi
87. Rhinoceros - Juliana Hatfield
86. False Eye - Faryn Sand
The planets aligned back in 2009 when I lost my job, and my sister informed me of a desire to professionally record music. A trip to the SxSW music festival later, ProGenitor Entertainment was born, and we released a three-song EP that didn't break any chart records, but which was streamed and downloaded as far away as Australia and Japan. We caused our own version of a stir with "Faryn Sand Day" - an effort which saw friends and family bomb local DJs with requests for this track, the single from the EP. Although I may be biased, I do think "False Eye" in particular is a really strong piece of songwriting, and I believe it deserves its rightful place on my decade-end countdown.
85. Another Life - Any Given Sin
84. September - Daughtry
83. Pull Me Through - Tyrone Wells
The second of five entries on my list from this Washington-bred singer-songwriter. Wells' "More" popped in at #26 on my best of the '00's list a decade ago. He didn't slow down by any means in the 2010s - starting off with the Metal & Wood EP, which includes this standout track.
82. I Miss the Misery - Halestorm
81. Rise - Ed Kowalczyk
80. Burn it Down - Linkin Park
79. The Ghost in You - Duncan Sheik
78. My Bed - Dixie Maxwell
I've touted the music from the Maxwell sisters - Catrien and Dixie - quite a bit over the past decade or so. I still think they both should have been superstars. No clearer evidence of that than on this stellar track from Dixie's 2013 EP, still up on the Bandcamp site.
77. Lesson Learned - Alice in Chains
76. Impossible - Anberlin
100. Too Late - Mike Ruocco
Just another act I liked relegated to the scrap heap of music history, Mike Ruocco fronted a short-lived band called Cinder Road, who I actually saw open for Puddle of Mudd sometime during the previous decade. This solo track came a bit later on, and disappeared as fast as it arrived.
99. Bonfire Heart - James Blunt
98. Dead End Ride - Mike Tramp
97. My Little Secret - Cavo
This St. Louis rock band had a couple of modern rock radio hits off their debut CD in the waning days of the 00's. This one, my favorite track from the album, was a holdover into 2010, but didn't make much of a dent on the charts,
96. Dynamite - Any Given Sin
95. Crazy for You - Scars on 45
94. Sleeping With a Friend - Neon Trees
One of the acts that appears on my list who actually enjoyed a modicum of commercial success. Neon Trees could be called a three-hit wonder, and two of those hits drop on my Top 125.
93. Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga
92. Don't You Give Up on Me - Lissie
91. The Road Not Taken - Johnny Hates Jazz
Didn't these guys come and go in 1988? Surprisingly, they made a sudden reappearance on the music landscape in 2013. The first single from that year's Magnetized actually started to gain some exposure in Europe before lead singer, Clark Datchler, fell ill with cancer, and they had to stop promoting the album. This pensive ballad stood out for me.
90. Eye of the Storm - Scorpions
89. Moth Into Flame - Metallica
Twenty-eight years after ...And Justice For All notoriously (and inexplicably) lost in the Hard Rock/Metal Performance category to Jethro Tull, the Grammy Awards managed to f**k Metallica again, only this time, on stage. In a rare instance of me looking forward to an awards show performance, the grizzled rockers were slated to perform this single live with Lady Gaga, only to have James Hetfield's mic be shut off, unbeknownst to him, throughout the entire first verse. Hetfield made the realization and started sharing a mic with Gaga, but it really put a damper on the performance of what I thought was a really strong comeback single. Adding insult to injury, they lost their only nomination of the night. Luckily the dress rehearsal footage sounds great and was posted to Youtube (link above).
88. Scars on This Guitar - Bon Jovi
87. Rhinoceros - Juliana Hatfield
86. False Eye - Faryn Sand
The planets aligned back in 2009 when I lost my job, and my sister informed me of a desire to professionally record music. A trip to the SxSW music festival later, ProGenitor Entertainment was born, and we released a three-song EP that didn't break any chart records, but which was streamed and downloaded as far away as Australia and Japan. We caused our own version of a stir with "Faryn Sand Day" - an effort which saw friends and family bomb local DJs with requests for this track, the single from the EP. Although I may be biased, I do think "False Eye" in particular is a really strong piece of songwriting, and I believe it deserves its rightful place on my decade-end countdown.
85. Another Life - Any Given Sin
84. September - Daughtry
83. Pull Me Through - Tyrone Wells
The second of five entries on my list from this Washington-bred singer-songwriter. Wells' "More" popped in at #26 on my best of the '00's list a decade ago. He didn't slow down by any means in the 2010s - starting off with the Metal & Wood EP, which includes this standout track.
82. I Miss the Misery - Halestorm
81. Rise - Ed Kowalczyk
80. Burn it Down - Linkin Park
79. The Ghost in You - Duncan Sheik
78. My Bed - Dixie Maxwell
I've touted the music from the Maxwell sisters - Catrien and Dixie - quite a bit over the past decade or so. I still think they both should have been superstars. No clearer evidence of that than on this stellar track from Dixie's 2013 EP, still up on the Bandcamp site.
77. Lesson Learned - Alice in Chains
76. Impossible - Anberlin
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Top 125 of 2010s (125-101)
My first blog post in nearly three years is, of course, monumental in nature. My end of the decade recap of the best songs the 2010s had to offer. What could be more exciting? Why 125? Basically that's when I got tired of ranking them 😄
Most of these songs will continue to get airplay...in my car. Most of them were not commercial hits to begin with, but a few were. There are 11 cover songs, a Fozzy, an Ozzy, 3 songs about praying, one that made it to Broadway, 9 artists with 3 or more entries on the list, including one with 8, a little country, a little rock, a little singer-songwriter, a little hair metal, a little Christian rock, 8 former lead singers, and 1 sister.
Here are the first 25 selections. Click on the links to listen. Enjoy.
125. Minute of Your Time - First Signal
124. We Belong - Def Leppard
The Leps have long been my favorite band of all-time. This one from their most recent studio album doesn't come close to their work from the 80's and 90's, but it does add a touch of originality. It's the only track they've ever recorded featuring lead vocals from every band member. Cool enough to warrant a spot on my list.
123. Words As Weapons - Seether
I stupidly overlooked a couple stellar Seether songs when I compiled my best of the 00's list. Not to make the same mistake this time around, I included seven entries from the South African rockers on this list. It starts with this one from 2014's Isolate and Medicate.
122. I'm Not Your Suicide - Michael Sweet
121. Nothing More - The Alternate Routes
120. Crash - Cavo
119. Don't Got One - Hailey Knox
I saw Hailey perform live with her sister, Samantha, when they were pre-teens. Now, 20, Hailey's been signed by a major label, recorded an EP and a mixtape, appeared on The Today Show, sung the national anthem at Madison Square Garden, and opened on tour for Charlie Puth. What are you doing with your life?
118. Down By the Water - The Decemberists
117. This Moment Now - Tyrone Wells
116. Right Now - Fire From the Gods
Keeping rock alive in 2019, this is the first entry from the last year of the decade.
115. Would I Lie to You - Mike Tramp
Former lead singer of 80's hair band, White Lion, Tramp has put out a surprising amount of solo material in the years since the group called it quits.
114. Cry - Kelly Clarkson
113. She is Getting Away - First Signal
112. Million Reasons - Lady Gaga
Overall, I'm not a humongous fan of Lady Gaga's music, but I do think she's one of the more extraordinarily talented pop stars of this generation. In a sea of banal choreography, lip-synched and auto-tuned garbage-churning, plastic tabloid fodder, Stefani Germanotta stands out as someone who can actually sing. This one caught my attention during her stellar performance at Super Bowl LI.
111. Lullaby Singer - Anna Nalick
A disappointing album for my tastes, 2017's At Now did spawn a couple of gems. This was the best of the bunch. Catch her live show if you can.
110. Love Shines - Ron Sexsmith
109. Warrior - Evaride
Evaride is a trio of interesting origin - a singer who starred on Broadway in the Green Day-inspired "American Idiot," a guitarist who's played alongside Jennifer Lopez and Demi Lovato, and the former touring drummer for One Direction. I don't know much about their music, other than this anthem-esque track that blared through my TV repeatedly during Yankee game commercial breaks, in the ad for the RBI Baseball '19 video game. It's an earworm.
108. All In - Lifehouse
107. Animals - Maroon 5
106. Days Go By - The Offspring
105. Last of My Broken Hearts - First Signal
Harry Hess is a Canadian producer/singer who has released a boatload of albums with his band, Harem Scarem. I'd never heard a single song they'd done when I accidentally stumbled across his more recent project, First Signal, on Spotify a couple years ago. Sounding like they were beamed directly out of the 80's AOR scene, FS actually released their first album in 2010. The real classic is their follow-up - 2016's One Step Over the Line, which featured two of the songs already noted on this countdown, as well as one still to come. "Last of My Broken Hearts" is actually their latest single, and the second song from 2019 to make an appearance on this list.
104. Here and Now - Seether
103. Broken Over You - Vertical Horizon
102. We Ain't Telling - Dan Wilson
One of my favorite songwriters dating back to his days fronting Semisonic, Wilson has recently shunned the traditional album format in favor of releasing a string of individual singles. This is the most memorable of that effort to date.
101. Same Damn Life - Seether
Most of these songs will continue to get airplay...in my car. Most of them were not commercial hits to begin with, but a few were. There are 11 cover songs, a Fozzy, an Ozzy, 3 songs about praying, one that made it to Broadway, 9 artists with 3 or more entries on the list, including one with 8, a little country, a little rock, a little singer-songwriter, a little hair metal, a little Christian rock, 8 former lead singers, and 1 sister.
Here are the first 25 selections. Click on the links to listen. Enjoy.
125. Minute of Your Time - First Signal
124. We Belong - Def Leppard
The Leps have long been my favorite band of all-time. This one from their most recent studio album doesn't come close to their work from the 80's and 90's, but it does add a touch of originality. It's the only track they've ever recorded featuring lead vocals from every band member. Cool enough to warrant a spot on my list.
123. Words As Weapons - Seether
I stupidly overlooked a couple stellar Seether songs when I compiled my best of the 00's list. Not to make the same mistake this time around, I included seven entries from the South African rockers on this list. It starts with this one from 2014's Isolate and Medicate.
122. I'm Not Your Suicide - Michael Sweet
121. Nothing More - The Alternate Routes
120. Crash - Cavo
119. Don't Got One - Hailey Knox
I saw Hailey perform live with her sister, Samantha, when they were pre-teens. Now, 20, Hailey's been signed by a major label, recorded an EP and a mixtape, appeared on The Today Show, sung the national anthem at Madison Square Garden, and opened on tour for Charlie Puth. What are you doing with your life?
118. Down By the Water - The Decemberists
117. This Moment Now - Tyrone Wells
116. Right Now - Fire From the Gods
Keeping rock alive in 2019, this is the first entry from the last year of the decade.
115. Would I Lie to You - Mike Tramp
Former lead singer of 80's hair band, White Lion, Tramp has put out a surprising amount of solo material in the years since the group called it quits.
114. Cry - Kelly Clarkson
113. She is Getting Away - First Signal
112. Million Reasons - Lady Gaga
Overall, I'm not a humongous fan of Lady Gaga's music, but I do think she's one of the more extraordinarily talented pop stars of this generation. In a sea of banal choreography, lip-synched and auto-tuned garbage-churning, plastic tabloid fodder, Stefani Germanotta stands out as someone who can actually sing. This one caught my attention during her stellar performance at Super Bowl LI.
111. Lullaby Singer - Anna Nalick
A disappointing album for my tastes, 2017's At Now did spawn a couple of gems. This was the best of the bunch. Catch her live show if you can.
110. Love Shines - Ron Sexsmith
109. Warrior - Evaride
Evaride is a trio of interesting origin - a singer who starred on Broadway in the Green Day-inspired "American Idiot," a guitarist who's played alongside Jennifer Lopez and Demi Lovato, and the former touring drummer for One Direction. I don't know much about their music, other than this anthem-esque track that blared through my TV repeatedly during Yankee game commercial breaks, in the ad for the RBI Baseball '19 video game. It's an earworm.
108. All In - Lifehouse
107. Animals - Maroon 5
106. Days Go By - The Offspring
105. Last of My Broken Hearts - First Signal
Harry Hess is a Canadian producer/singer who has released a boatload of albums with his band, Harem Scarem. I'd never heard a single song they'd done when I accidentally stumbled across his more recent project, First Signal, on Spotify a couple years ago. Sounding like they were beamed directly out of the 80's AOR scene, FS actually released their first album in 2010. The real classic is their follow-up - 2016's One Step Over the Line, which featured two of the songs already noted on this countdown, as well as one still to come. "Last of My Broken Hearts" is actually their latest single, and the second song from 2019 to make an appearance on this list.
104. Here and Now - Seether
103. Broken Over You - Vertical Horizon
102. We Ain't Telling - Dan Wilson
One of my favorite songwriters dating back to his days fronting Semisonic, Wilson has recently shunned the traditional album format in favor of releasing a string of individual singles. This is the most memorable of that effort to date.
101. Same Damn Life - Seether
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Top 30 Songs 2015/2016
After running through most of the best songs of the past two years on Facebook, here's a recap, and some notes on my Top 5. Hope you find one or two that you like...
30. "Stars" - Skillet
29. "Geeks" - Hailey Knox
28. "Pieces" - Rob Thomas
27. "Are You the Answer" - Collective Soul
26. "Meet Me There" - J.Antonette
25. "Aeroplane" - Look Park
24. "I Can't Stop Thinking About You" - Sting
23. "Hold On" - Bob Mould
22. "My Worst Enemy" - Hailey Knox
21. "The Girl That's Not in Love With You" - The Damnwells
20. "Bulletproof Picasso" - Train
19. "Painkiller" - Three Days Grace
18. "We Belong" - Def Leppard
17. "Yoko" - Dan Wilson
16. "Daughters" - Lissie
15. "Hurricane" - Lifehouse
14. "Still Breathing" - Green Day
13. "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" - Bon Jovi
12. "Here I Am" - Asking Alexandria
11. "The End of Things" - Bob Mould
10. "Don't You Give Up on Me" - Lissie
9. "Eye of the Storm" - Scorpions
8. "Moth Into Flame" - Metallica
7. "Scars on This Guitar" - Bon Jovi
6. "Academic" - New Order
5. "Ojai" - Lissie
Again, one of my favorite singer/songwriters of the past few years. The only artist to appear three times on this list, and deservedly so. Unsurprisingly, pop radio has not found a home for Lissie, but I strongly recommend checking her out. This track is an emotional farewell to a hometown she left behind for the farmland of Iowa.
4. "Two" - Heart
Typically when you go see an artist live four decades into their career, you're not especially excited to hear "the new stuff." This song stood out for me when I saw them in Mountainview, CA this past Summer. Originally written and recorded by R&B star, Ne-Yo, Heart masterfully annexed it for their latest album, and pulled it off in classic fashion. Nancy Wilson steps into the lead vocal position for this ballad about a couple shunning other peoples' ignorant opinions about their relationship.
3. "The Light" - Disturbed
A hard rock band that defies the odds in a music industry dominated by rhythmic pop and R&B/Hip-hop, Disturbed churned out one of their best albums, Immortalized, in 2015. This is one of the best tracks on the record. The message here should resonate particularly well with everyone in current times, regardless of your ideological leanings. "Don't let hope become a memory."
2. "Lost" - The Damnwells
A Brooklyn band that never hit the big time, but cranked out five exceptional albums over the course of 13 years. The final single off their self-titled swan song represents their best work. I was very fortunate to catch them live in NYC shortly before they decided to part ways as a band.
1. "The Sound of Silence" - Disturbed
If you were wondering how you do the perfect cover song, Disturbed is prepared to take you to school. I thought they had mastered the art with their blistering take on Genesis' "Land of Confusion" back in 2006. With this Simon and Garfunkel track, they've outdone themselves. Perfectly evoking the darkness of the original lyrics, singer David Draiman brings his unique vocal texture to this 60's classic. Also making it unique is the fact that this is actually a rare occurrence of my musical preferences being in line with the masses, as this single shockingly became the biggest hit of the band's career.
30. "Stars" - Skillet
29. "Geeks" - Hailey Knox
28. "Pieces" - Rob Thomas
27. "Are You the Answer" - Collective Soul
26. "Meet Me There" - J.Antonette
25. "Aeroplane" - Look Park
24. "I Can't Stop Thinking About You" - Sting
23. "Hold On" - Bob Mould
22. "My Worst Enemy" - Hailey Knox
21. "The Girl That's Not in Love With You" - The Damnwells
20. "Bulletproof Picasso" - Train
19. "Painkiller" - Three Days Grace
18. "We Belong" - Def Leppard
17. "Yoko" - Dan Wilson
16. "Daughters" - Lissie
15. "Hurricane" - Lifehouse
14. "Still Breathing" - Green Day
13. "Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning" - Bon Jovi
12. "Here I Am" - Asking Alexandria
11. "The End of Things" - Bob Mould
10. "Don't You Give Up on Me" - Lissie
9. "Eye of the Storm" - Scorpions
8. "Moth Into Flame" - Metallica
7. "Scars on This Guitar" - Bon Jovi
6. "Academic" - New Order
5. "Ojai" - Lissie
Again, one of my favorite singer/songwriters of the past few years. The only artist to appear three times on this list, and deservedly so. Unsurprisingly, pop radio has not found a home for Lissie, but I strongly recommend checking her out. This track is an emotional farewell to a hometown she left behind for the farmland of Iowa.
4. "Two" - Heart
Typically when you go see an artist live four decades into their career, you're not especially excited to hear "the new stuff." This song stood out for me when I saw them in Mountainview, CA this past Summer. Originally written and recorded by R&B star, Ne-Yo, Heart masterfully annexed it for their latest album, and pulled it off in classic fashion. Nancy Wilson steps into the lead vocal position for this ballad about a couple shunning other peoples' ignorant opinions about their relationship.
3. "The Light" - Disturbed
A hard rock band that defies the odds in a music industry dominated by rhythmic pop and R&B/Hip-hop, Disturbed churned out one of their best albums, Immortalized, in 2015. This is one of the best tracks on the record. The message here should resonate particularly well with everyone in current times, regardless of your ideological leanings. "Don't let hope become a memory."
2. "Lost" - The Damnwells
A Brooklyn band that never hit the big time, but cranked out five exceptional albums over the course of 13 years. The final single off their self-titled swan song represents their best work. I was very fortunate to catch them live in NYC shortly before they decided to part ways as a band.
1. "The Sound of Silence" - Disturbed
If you were wondering how you do the perfect cover song, Disturbed is prepared to take you to school. I thought they had mastered the art with their blistering take on Genesis' "Land of Confusion" back in 2006. With this Simon and Garfunkel track, they've outdone themselves. Perfectly evoking the darkness of the original lyrics, singer David Draiman brings his unique vocal texture to this 60's classic. Also making it unique is the fact that this is actually a rare occurrence of my musical preferences being in line with the masses, as this single shockingly became the biggest hit of the band's career.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
2016: The Year in Television
My list of the Top 10 things that did not suck on TV this year...
10. Minnie Driver (Speechless - ABC)
The show itself is already starting to wear on me, but this is a role that Driver was born to play. Pitch-perfect casting with her as the way overprotective mother of a teenage boy with cerebral palsy.
9. Lethal Weapon (FOX)
Conversely to Speechless, this reboot of the Mel Gibson-Danny Glover vehicle of 1980's cinema has surprised me with how much it's grown on me. My initial reaction to the somewhat stale pilot was, "Oh great, another retread - more unoriginal ideas." I originally started watching because I was curious to see Damon Wayans' take on Roger Murtaugh, but it ended up being relatively unknown Clayne Crawford in the Gibson role of Martin Riggs who has pushed everyone around him to be better. And the chemistry between Wayans and Crawford comes shockingly close to equaling that of Glover and Gibson. I'm curious to see where they go with this.
8. Josh Holloway (Colony - USA)
The first season of this post-alien invasion drama was pretty entertaining, and I waffled between whether to highlight the show or Holloway's performance. In the end, I decided that it's the "Lost" veteran's uncanny handle on leading man/action hero status, which was also palpable on the short-lived cyber-security thriller, "Intelligence," that really is the rising tide behind this show. I'm looking forward to Season 2.
7. Juliette Lewis (Secrets & Lies - ABC)
After the Ryan Phillippe-led first season concluded in ridiculous fashion, I was encouraged when word on the street was that the second installment of the series would feature a mostly new cast, and focus more squarely on Lewis' Detective Andrea Cornell. This turned out to be complete nonsense, as Lewis barely had anything substantial to do throughout what was a mess of a new murder storyline. But, what she was given she handled deftly, further solidifying her status as a serious television presence.
6. The Good Place (NBC)
A heavily satirical look at the afterlife, this sitcom stars Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. It's really Bell who shines as a young woman who led a less than admirable life, but was allowed into "The Good Place" due to what amounts to the heavenly version of a clerical error. Like last season's "The Grinder," this is a show that thrives on quirk, and is most certainly an acquired taste. Unfortunately, the number of viewers acquiring it has dropped precipitously since its inception, so I fear that it will meet the same one-season fate "The Grinder" did.
5. Pure Genius (CBS)
After unfairly being skewered by virtually every TV critic on the planet, this Durmot Mulroney vehicle never stood a chance from the jump. As the only new series that CBS did not pick up a full season episode order for, this intriguing look at the potential future of medical technology will very likely be coming to an immediate close, and will need to find a place on the revised version of my Top One-Season TV Shows of All-Time. A shame, since I think it's a series that has a solid emotional center, a fresh and unique premise, and a likable cast.
4. Andrew McCarthy (The Family - ABC)
The series was forgettable, and has appropriately landed on the one-season ash heap of television history. But 80's star McCarthy, who has seen a career resurgence mostly in directing, gave a standout acting turn as a child molester who was wrongly suspected of the kidnapping and murder of a politician's son. He brings out the creepiness of the character, but somehow also manages to make the audience empathize with him as well.
3. John Turturro (The Night of... - HBO)
An absolutely stunning performance by Turturro, in what turned out to be a somewhat disappointing 9 episode mini-series. The show had its other highlights, but it was Turturro in the role of sad-sack, seemingly second-rate attorney, John Stone, that kept me glued to the TV. It was a role that was originally intended for the late James Gandolfini, who retained executive producer credit, and then was passed on to Robert DeNiro, who had to drop out due to other commitments. To say Turturro took advantage of these circumstances would be an understatement. An Emmy-deserving turn.
2. Ray Liotta (Shades of Blue - NBC)
The show ended up being pretty strong as well, with a strong performance by Jennifer Lopez and the supporting cast. But Liotta as crooked Lieutenant Matt Wozniak just blows everyone else off the screen. A mesmerizing comeback from an actor I had not seen in anything for years. Season 1 ended kind of lame, but I hope they come up with some more solid material for Season 2, so Liotta can continue his stunning run.
1. This Is Us (NBC)
File Under: NOT EVEN CLOSE! This was far and away, not only the best show on television in 2016, but one of the best new series I've seen come around in a long time. Shockingly brought to us by the folks at NBC, who desperately needed a hit of this magnitude. Halfway through the premiere season, there is not a single negative thing I can say about TIU. The acting: stellar. The emotion: off the charts. The writing: simply incredible. They've hit every note of family dysfunction, societal issues, coping with sickness and death of loved ones, and even thrown in some twists with dramatic flair. This is an absolute barn burner of a TV series - event television in every sense of the word. If you haven't been watching, you're doing nothing with your life.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before?
Being somewhat of a TV junkie, I always look forward to the start of the new season every September. So far, the 2015 of new and returning shows is turning out to be a real letdown.
With today's announcement that MacGyver is being rebooted by CBS, it's official that there are absolutely no original ideas floating around Hollywood. Seriously, I'd rather see a TV series based on MacGruber, the Will Forte SNL parody sketch. The 2015-2016 season's new slate of shows certainly bears the mark of this lack of originality, so let's start with the two series that were preceded by films and/or novels.
Minority Report (FOX) - A reboot of the 2002 Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg sci-fi collaboration, which picks up about a decade after the events of the film. One episode and I was finished with this snoozefest. Not engaged by any of the characters, the premise for the story, or the writing. The 2012 television version of another Cruise film, "The Firm," was 1000 times better, even though it was one of the most poorly rated network shows in history. Report opened to tepid numbers, and I expect it to be gone soon.
Limitless (CBS) - The Bradley Cooper/Robert DeNiro film was a modest hit, and overall a decent movie, which was itself based on a novel. Now, the idea is retread again in the form of a Cooper-produced network series, in which he also guest stars in the same role he played in the film. The show is quirky and has potential, but the first two episodes have been uneven, and there were a couple of glaring writing goofs in the pilot. CBS has already ordered a full season slate of episodes, so I figure I may as well give it a chance, but I'm hoping they ratchet up the action in a big way very soon.
From there, we go to a new show that shares a title with a past film, yet has no relation to that previous work...
The Player (NBC) - Nothing to do with the Robert Altman film, it took me all of 1 minute to realize that this effort was a steaming pile of crap. Then about 15 minutes in, there was a brief moment where I thought, "Hmmm...this could get interesting." But, it didn't. Wesley Snipes' co-starring acting performance was as wooden as his face is plastic. Next.
Not exactly reboots, but there are a couple of Tuesday-night FOX comedies that star some familiar faces from the 80's...
Grandfathered (FOX) - John Stamos stars as a pretty boy entrepreneur who suddenly learns he not only has an adult son, but also a baby granddaughter. This one is trying really hard to be funny, and the pilot succeeded in certain spots, but there's a lot of work to be done. I'm not totally buying into Stamos' performance yet. It may take a few more episodes to reach a final verdict.
The Grinder (FOX) - Apparently, the creator of this show convinced Fred Savage to return to acting. My question is, "Why?" Where Grandfathered is trying too hard to be funny and engaging, this effort, co-starring Rob Lowe, doesn't appear to be trying at all, and unfortunately, it's succeeding in that vein. I'll hold out for another one or two episodes, but I sense a short leash here, and I have a funny feeling that the network may sense the same thing.
And then of course, there's the obligatory hospital drama. And I use the term "drama" loosely...
Code Black (CBS) - Marcia Gay Harden stars as the head of one of the country's busiest Emergency Rooms. You'd figure with all that activity, that the pilot would be more action-packed. Instead, it was a whole lotta nothing. I didn't care about a single character. Luis Guzman did add some flare as a senior nurse. It's nice to see him with what looks like could be a juicy role after years of being the "I know I've seen that dude in something" guy. But I'm not sure how long this one is going to last. I'll give it one or two more shots.
Then, the show that's not a remake, retread, reboot, sequel, or prequel, but somehow feels like it's been done before...
Blindspot (NBC) - A woman is discovered in the middle of Times Square with no recollection of who she is, and mysterious tattoos stamped all over her body. Now, the FBI uses her tattoos, along with her unique brand of skills, to solve cases, save lives, and hopefully unravel the riddle of who she really is. Back in 2002, FOX aired a short-lived drama called John Doe, starring future Prison Break alum, Dominic Purcell as a guy who wakes up naked on an island with no memory of who he is, and who subsequently uses his unique brand of skills to assist the local police department in solving crimes. Sound familiar? OK, so he didn't have the tattoos. All things considered, this is so far, my favorite new show of the season. I just wonder if the two totally unknown leads can carry this series to success. I guess it depends on where they go with the central mystery.
And that leaves...
Quantico (ABC) - A bunch of new FBI recruits are suddenly all suspects in a terrorist attack on American soil. Sounds like it could have promise, right? Until you realize that showrunner, Joshua Safran was also responsible for previous efforts like Smash and Gossip Girl. This turns Quantico from what could be a tension-filled thriller, into a cheesy soap opera. The question will remain, will it be two parts soap and one part thriller, or the other way around. That may determine how long I hang out here on Sunday nights.
It seems like even my favorite returning shows, like Blacklist, Modern Family, and Big Bang Theory are starting out on a stale note. Here's hoping things will turn around quickly.
With today's announcement that MacGyver is being rebooted by CBS, it's official that there are absolutely no original ideas floating around Hollywood. Seriously, I'd rather see a TV series based on MacGruber, the Will Forte SNL parody sketch. The 2015-2016 season's new slate of shows certainly bears the mark of this lack of originality, so let's start with the two series that were preceded by films and/or novels.
Minority Report (FOX) - A reboot of the 2002 Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg sci-fi collaboration, which picks up about a decade after the events of the film. One episode and I was finished with this snoozefest. Not engaged by any of the characters, the premise for the story, or the writing. The 2012 television version of another Cruise film, "The Firm," was 1000 times better, even though it was one of the most poorly rated network shows in history. Report opened to tepid numbers, and I expect it to be gone soon.
Limitless (CBS) - The Bradley Cooper/Robert DeNiro film was a modest hit, and overall a decent movie, which was itself based on a novel. Now, the idea is retread again in the form of a Cooper-produced network series, in which he also guest stars in the same role he played in the film. The show is quirky and has potential, but the first two episodes have been uneven, and there were a couple of glaring writing goofs in the pilot. CBS has already ordered a full season slate of episodes, so I figure I may as well give it a chance, but I'm hoping they ratchet up the action in a big way very soon.
From there, we go to a new show that shares a title with a past film, yet has no relation to that previous work...
The Player (NBC) - Nothing to do with the Robert Altman film, it took me all of 1 minute to realize that this effort was a steaming pile of crap. Then about 15 minutes in, there was a brief moment where I thought, "Hmmm...this could get interesting." But, it didn't. Wesley Snipes' co-starring acting performance was as wooden as his face is plastic. Next.
Not exactly reboots, but there are a couple of Tuesday-night FOX comedies that star some familiar faces from the 80's...
Grandfathered (FOX) - John Stamos stars as a pretty boy entrepreneur who suddenly learns he not only has an adult son, but also a baby granddaughter. This one is trying really hard to be funny, and the pilot succeeded in certain spots, but there's a lot of work to be done. I'm not totally buying into Stamos' performance yet. It may take a few more episodes to reach a final verdict.
The Grinder (FOX) - Apparently, the creator of this show convinced Fred Savage to return to acting. My question is, "Why?" Where Grandfathered is trying too hard to be funny and engaging, this effort, co-starring Rob Lowe, doesn't appear to be trying at all, and unfortunately, it's succeeding in that vein. I'll hold out for another one or two episodes, but I sense a short leash here, and I have a funny feeling that the network may sense the same thing.
And then of course, there's the obligatory hospital drama. And I use the term "drama" loosely...
Code Black (CBS) - Marcia Gay Harden stars as the head of one of the country's busiest Emergency Rooms. You'd figure with all that activity, that the pilot would be more action-packed. Instead, it was a whole lotta nothing. I didn't care about a single character. Luis Guzman did add some flare as a senior nurse. It's nice to see him with what looks like could be a juicy role after years of being the "I know I've seen that dude in something" guy. But I'm not sure how long this one is going to last. I'll give it one or two more shots.
Then, the show that's not a remake, retread, reboot, sequel, or prequel, but somehow feels like it's been done before...
Blindspot (NBC) - A woman is discovered in the middle of Times Square with no recollection of who she is, and mysterious tattoos stamped all over her body. Now, the FBI uses her tattoos, along with her unique brand of skills, to solve cases, save lives, and hopefully unravel the riddle of who she really is. Back in 2002, FOX aired a short-lived drama called John Doe, starring future Prison Break alum, Dominic Purcell as a guy who wakes up naked on an island with no memory of who he is, and who subsequently uses his unique brand of skills to assist the local police department in solving crimes. Sound familiar? OK, so he didn't have the tattoos. All things considered, this is so far, my favorite new show of the season. I just wonder if the two totally unknown leads can carry this series to success. I guess it depends on where they go with the central mystery.
And that leaves...
Quantico (ABC) - A bunch of new FBI recruits are suddenly all suspects in a terrorist attack on American soil. Sounds like it could have promise, right? Until you realize that showrunner, Joshua Safran was also responsible for previous efforts like Smash and Gossip Girl. This turns Quantico from what could be a tension-filled thriller, into a cheesy soap opera. The question will remain, will it be two parts soap and one part thriller, or the other way around. That may determine how long I hang out here on Sunday nights.
It seems like even my favorite returning shows, like Blacklist, Modern Family, and Big Bang Theory are starting out on a stale note. Here's hoping things will turn around quickly.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Olympus Has Definitely Fallen
This review may contain some spoilers, but I use that term loosely, as I won't actually be "spoiling" anything for you. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor by telling you what happens. Just spare yourself the 2 hours needed to actually watch the film.
OHF was just a complete crap fest. Butler was actually serviceable as the hero. But if you want to see him in a decent performance in an actually decent film, try "Law Abiding Citizen," which ironically also features Jamie Foxx, who was in "the other White House movie." Once you get past Butler, there's pretty much nothing redeeming about this movie. Dylan McDermott plays a fellow Secret Service operative who ends up being the token traitor, as he sells out to the North Korean terrorists who take over the Washington D.C. landmark. There is never a clear motive established for his character having wanted to harm the President or his country. Yeah, there's the money factor, but shouldn't we assume it would take a little more than that to turn an operative whose sole job it's been to PREVENT the President from getting hurt?
The sort of MacGuffin of the film (an object that one or more of the characters spends the majority of the film trying to obtain) are the "Cerberus Codes." It's explained that these were a set of three codes...one in possession of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, one held by the Secretary of Defense (Leo), and one by the President, that when entered into the computer (conveniently located in the White House bunker where all three of those people were being held hostage), would basically give access to and control of the United States' nuclear arsenal. The North Korean villain started to torture both the Chairman and the Secretary to get their codes, but the President (Eckhart) ordered them both to give up the codes, insisting that he would never give up his, so they would be useless to the terrorist.
The evil Kang's plan to subvert this ploy by the President, was to capture his young son, knowing that the threat of harm to the kid would break the President and lead him to surrendering the final code. However, the very next thing that happens is the kid rescued by Agent Mike Banning (Butler), and everyone in the bunker finds out that he is safe. Then, for some reason that can't possibly be explained, Kang is able to obtain the third code from the President anyway. Completely nonsensical. To add to the mystifying actions by the characters in this film, the Speaker of the House (Freeman), who is now the acting President, since the Vice President is also being held in the bunker, caves into Kang's demand that the US start withdrawing all of its troops from the North/South Korea border. THEY'VE ALREADY RESCUED THE PRESIDENT'S SON and supposedly thwarted Kang's entire plan, so why would he possibly make this decision?
Of course, Agent Banning ends up shutting down the Cerberus system as the "clock" ticks down to its final seconds...a tired and predictable action movie sequence. And then, he kills Kang in one of the most boring villain kill scenes I can remember.
Overall, this film was a waste of everyone's considerable talent. Hard to believe they assembled a cast and director like this and got these results. Even more incomprehensible is...THERE'S GOING TO BE A SEQUEL!! "London Has Fallen" is due out next year, and almost everyone except Fuqua is returning. Yeah people...no thanks!
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