Sunday Hangover: Oklahoma

With the Crimson Tide up 28 to 0, it was looking like the playoff game was going to be a blowout. But the Sooners made a game of it with some help from Alabama not capitalizing  on opportunities in the second and third quarters. 

It was great to see Josh Jacobs have a strong performance against his home-state university that didn't offer him a scholarship. He was on the field a lot. 

With how the D started the game against the Sooners, I thought the defense would have a better day against Murray and his comrades, but they didn't get as much pressure on the QB as I expected. 

But the bottom line is that Alabama built a strong lead early, and the Sooners tested the Tide as the game progressed. 

Next up is something familiar: Clemson vs. Alabama in the championship game. 

Top Ten Albums of 2018

It's that time of the year again.

Like I did in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, I'm providing my top choices of albums that came out this year. 

It has been a slow year for me buying new music, so if there are other albums you would recommend that came out in 2018, please let me know in the comments section. I know two albums that I want to buy, but I just haven't gotten around to purchasing them. 

Because I wasn't as prolific in getting new music, this year, I'm providing my top ten albums with a handful of honorable mentions. 

1. Lake Street Drive, Free Yourself Up

I got turned on to this great band once I saw them perform on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The lead singer's voice is luscious. The backing and arrangements are interesting. I probably listened to this album the most this year. 

Favorite Songs: "Baby Don't Leave Me Alone with My Thoughts," "Dude," "Doesn't Even Matter Now," "Good Kisser." 

2. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Tearing at the Seams

I really enjoyed the band's previous album, and this offering was a solidly constructed opus. This dude has soul, and the R&B/Rock music is fabulous. I think these guys would be wonderful to see in concert. When Rateliff was written about in Rolling Stone, I discovered that he's originally from Hermann, Missouri, which is central Missouri wine country, home to Octoberfest celebrations. 

Favorite Songs: "Be There," "Hey Mama," "Intro," "I'll Be Damned." 

3. The Record Company, All Of This Life

This band is a tight-knit trio that puts out a heady mix of blues-rock that might make you dance.    In times like these when I read the news and get angry almost every day, this band puts me in a better mood. 

Favorites Songs: "Life To Fix," "Make It Happen," "The Movie Song," and "Night Games." 

4. Father John Misty, God's Favorite Customer

That facial expression replicates how I feel at times. This guy is prolific since Pure Comedy came out last year. If you're familiar with the Father's work, you'll like this one. 

Favorite Songs: "Mr. Tillman," "Just Dumb Enough to Try," "Date Night," and "God's Favorite Customer." 

5. Lucero, Among the Ghosts

For Lucero, this seems like a quiet album, but it's a good one. On previous albums, we saw the inclusion of horns. Not so much on this one. I'm not one of those Lucero fans who is a hater of horns, and this album harkens back to early albums. 

Favorite Songs: "For the Lonely Ones," "Long Way Back Home," "To My Dearest Wife," and "Everything Has Changed." 

6. American Aquarium, Things Change

I hate that iTunes classifies this album as "Country." If anything, you might classify AA as Americana, but I've always seen them as a rock band, which is how the other albums are codified. One of my favorite songs put out this year was "The World Is On Fire." 

Favorite Songs: "The World Is On Fire," "Tough Folks," "Things Change," and "Shadows of You." 

7. Buffalo Tom, Quiet and Peace

Much to my delight, I was surprised to find out that Buffalo Tom, a band once prominently featured on Mtv's 120 Minutes, put out a new album this year. The album is like most other Buffalo Tom albums: good straightforward rock. 

Favorite Songs: "All Be Gone," "Lonely Fast and Deep," "In the Ice," and "Slow Down." 

8. Thunderpussy, self-titled

I don't get the weird cover with the snake, but one member of Pearl Jam recommended this band via a short little article about the group in Rolling Stone, so I checked 'em out. I can see the Pearl Jam influence, which is a compliment. 

Favorite Songs: "Speed Queen," "Thunderpussy," "Gentle Frame," and "Torpedo Love." 

9. Brandi Carlile, By The Way, I Forgive You

I haven't listened to this album as much as I probably should have. When I listen to it, I think, "Man, I need to listen this more often." And then I forget about it. So one of my New Year's resolutions is to listen this album more often. It's an attainable goal. 

Favorite Songs: "Fulton County Jane Doe," "Most of All," "The Mother," and "Every Time I Hear That Song." 

10. Death Cab for Cutie, Thank You For Today

This is another album I need to listen to more often because DCFC usually scratches my pop-rock itch. 

Favorite Songs: "Summer Years," "When We Drive," "Northern Lights," and "60 & Punk." 

Honorable Mentions

Leon Bridges, Good Thing

Dawes, Passwords

Ben Miller Band, Choke Cherry Tree

Marie/Lepanto, Tenkiller

I'm With Her, See You Around

Music Friday: "God's Favorite Customer"

I haven't bought a lot of new music this year, so when I get around to posting my top ten/twenty albums of the year, I don't know if I will get to twenty albums. 

Regardless, here's the title track of Father John Misty's new album. It'll be included on top albums of 2018 post. 

Music Friday: "King of Pain"

I was a fan of The Police from the jump. This song from Synchronicity rattled across my iPod shuffle as I was walking the dog today. 

And then I realized I forgot to post a Music Friday post yesterday. 

So here it is belatedly. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I think I need to start working in Bugs Bunny's catchphrase of "What a maroon" into my regular vocabulary. It will serve as a strong euphemism for some naughtier words I want to use. 

I would assume Mel Blanc and others had Bugs say "maroon" instead of "moron" because it's not as harsh. 

The dog we adopted does something all of the other dogs I've had have never done. When he takes a leak, right aftewardr he uses his back legs to kick dirt or leaves where he peed. Now I've never had a male dog before. The other dogs I've had have been bitches. I'm wondering if it's a male dog thing, but maybe it's just this dog wanting to mask his markings. 

And that dog is full of pee. When I take him on walks, my acronym for his behavior is AMT: Always Marking Territory. 

I know what the idiots at FoxNews need to focus instead of Moscow Don's legal troubles. They should worry about this: The War on Hanukkah. 

What a bunch of maroons. 

Last night I watched Life of Brian, which I hadn't watched in a while. It seemed like a good choice considering the holidays. Always look on the bright side of life, folks. 

Music Friday: "Once in a Lifetime"

The Talking Heads have always been a band I liked, but I never bought any of their albums ~ even back in my cassette-buying days. 

When I'm driving our Rogue around, songs from the Talking Heads often come on the SiriusXM channels I frequent. 

So this week I finally got one of their albums, a greatest hits album. I know, I'm really going out on a limb, aren't I? 

Here's one of my favorites. 

Random Notes from a Crank

For whatever reason, when the holidays come around, I get a thirst for ginger ale. So I bought some. I don't know why I mentally connect ginger ale with Xmas. Maybe because of gingerbread? 

This propensity reminds me of one of my posts from a good while back about people drinking tomato juice on airplanes: "Airplanes and Tomato Juice." 

Today Mrs. Nasty made some lil' smokies for her office's food day, and she used Heinz chili sauce to create the sauce the smokies were immersed in. Buying that stuff made me realize I've never used chili sauce before, which makes me think about some of kind of dips I could make with it and cream cheese. Stay posted...

One of my students, an international student from South Korea, gave me a gift at the end of the semester. It's a pretty awesome leather key chain that has my name on it in English and Korean. I need to teach more international students. 

I wonder what my dog thinks when I stop to pick up his crap after he's dropped a deuce on one of our walks. He's gotta be questioning me, "Dude, why are you picking up my scat? That's weird." 

People can make and enforce laws about dog crap, but we can't take action on real issues like global warming, gerrymandering, campaign finance reform, and growing US businesses. 

Ridiculous.

Music Friday: "Call to Arms"

This was the last song on my iPod shuffle tonight as I finished walking the dog. 

When I have earbuds in, I tend to notice the lyrics more closely. This song has some country strong lyrics. 

Enjoy. 

Sunday Hangover: SEC Championship ~ Georgia

What a game. 

After last night's game, there are all kinds of articles about Jalen Hurts out there. He was clutch. 

I didn't get to watch the game in a traditional way because my son had two basketball games, so I only got to watch it via the CBS sports app via Mrs. Nasty's phone when he wasn't playing. 

Add in a tornado warning and shaky cell service, and viewing the game was not exactly a pleasure. But we got to watch good chunks of the game when my son wasn't playing. 

When I did get sat down to watch the recorded game, there was only about 15 minutes to view because tornado coverage displaced the game. A tornado ripped through east central Illinois on Saturday. 

But it was a sweet win. 

There is much praise to heaped upon Hurts, so I'm not going to wax on about his performance. Other folks have already done that. 

Other heroes of the game were Waddle, Irv, Jeudy, and the defense in the second half. 

Coach Smart has rationalized the gaffe on the fake punt, but from what I've seen of the play, I think he's covering for his freshmen QB who freaked out on the play. 

Music Friday: "Speed Queen"

Here's a band you all need to check out, Thunderpussy from Seattle. I read about them in Rolling Stone.