This week we have two huge releases by !!! (Chk Chk Chk) and Arcade Fire. Both albums had us waiting patiently, whittling our fingernails down, while they release single after single, prepping us for the big day. They’re here!

The last two songs on Let It Be Blue, “Crazy Talk,” and “This Is Pop,” really remind me of The Clash. The latter screams PULP to me, but the title track, “Let It Be Blue,” falls closer to what their fanbase is used to, and I love how funky the rhythm is. This should be a fun one, break out those platform shoes, “Let’s Dance” like Bowie.

Things get more serious with this Arcade Fire release WE. So far they have dropped some incredible singles, and “Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)” is their latest. A seven-minute journey that has you feeling like you’re wandering down a rabbit hole of keyboards, and drum machines. After one listen it’s obvious the band wanted to try new things, and they let the songs go where they take them.

“End Of The Empire I-III” feels Lennon-esque, while “Unconditional II (Race and Religion)” gives Régine Chassagne her moment in the spotlight alongside, the man, the myth, the legend, Peter Gabriel. Kind of cool for Arcade Fire to have Peter in the studio, double-tracking his trademark vocals. I’m sure peeps will be mentioning this for Album Of The Year.

Young Charlie Burg has hit his stride with “97 Avalon” and “Break The Rhythm.” After a string of numbered EPs, and his Blue Wave Mosaic mixtape he’s found his voice, and vibe, that lies somewhere between John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. Stay tuned, big things are ahead for this man.

Night Moves is releasing an album this year at their own leisure, and we’ve received a few singles so far. They just did one of these Jam In The Van sessions, and wouldn’t you know it, they recorded a version of my favorite track, “Mexico.” Man does it sound sweet!

There’s a great vibe on this new Dawes single, “Someone Else’s Cafe/Doomscroller Tries To Relax.” Jazzy, funky, and relaxed, with intricate instrumentation, this thing hums for nine minutes of stress-free enjoyment.

Kid Bloom is on some Michael Jackson/The Weeknd shit. Not sure why I never heard “Like I Never Left” back in November, but he’s on my #RADAR now.

Chiddy is back with “Minor Issues” and this might be his best single to date. He’s been prepping his new record for a while, and some of the singles haven’t quite been up to par. Xaphoon is no longer behind the decks, and for that reason, the beats have suffered along with Chiddy’s creativity. “Minor Issues” is a smooth return to form, with quality lyrics.

“How you sitting there, trying to give the kid advice/It’s better off you take your own and try to live your life.”

Shuko and Saib get together for your Jazz Cut Of The Week. “Who’s World Is This?” is more of that hip jazz, as I have coined it. Hip-hop beats with jazzy instrumentation, and man is this one special. Shuko’s production quality is second to none. Check out his single, “Jamal,” for more reference.

Put your email in da box and click: “Create Subscription!”

Richard Gallardo (Photo by Stephanie Lynn

AAA

St. Paul 6, Iowa 3

Game Recap

It started off so promising.

In the best news of the night, Wade Miley kicked off his 2022 season with four innings of shutout ball in which he barely appeared to break a sweat. The lefty allowed just two baserunners and struck out three as he simply seemed to just cruise through the St. Paul order, needing just 41 pitches to record 12 outs.

Matt Swarmer followed with two shutout innings of his own. It’s been a struggle for the Iowa offense to score runs, but they scraped together three of them in the middle innings, and with the pitching performing the way it was the game seemed well in hand.

Iowa turned the game over to two of their most reliable arms in the early going of the season to pitch the 8th and 9th innings, but lefty Eric Stout and righty Erich Uelmen were not fooling anyone with their stuff on this night. Each allowed three runs, and the I-Cubs had no answer offensively, as they were held hitless over the final four frames.

Top Performers

Wade Miley: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (0.00)Matt Swarmer: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, HPB, 0 K (1.93)Nelson Maldonado: 2-4, R (.286)Ildemaro Vargas: 2-4 (.261)Trent Giambrone: 1-3 (.167)Dixon Machado: 1-4, 2B, RBI (.294)John Hicks: 1-4, 2B, R (.138)Narcisco Crook: 0-1, R, RBI, 2 BB, CS (1) (.114)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Iowa activated LHP Brendon Little off the IL. Minor injuries have inhibited the former 1st round pick throughout his career, no doubt contributing to some of the inconsistencies in his performance during his career. He had developed into one of Iowa’s top relievers in the second half of last season thanks to a velocity increase and a new slider. Little appeared to be on the verge of a 40-man roster spot last fall and shot at competing for a MLB job this spring before getting hurt last September. Hopefully he can pick up where he left off in 2021.

The Cubs have built up a ton of depth from the left side in the Iowa and Tennessee bullpens. With the addition of Little Iowa is now up to five lefties in their pen (Brandon Hughes, Eric Stout, Conner Menez, Stephen Gonsalves), with Locke St. John also potentially rejoining the team should he pass through waivers after being designated for assignment the other day.

AA

Birmingham 15, Tennessee 6

Game Recap

I didn’t get a chance to review any of the footage in this one, but it was over quick. Riley Thompson has created a lot of early buzz with the way he’s been throwing in ST and the early part of the 2022 season but yesterday is no doubt one game he’d like to forget. The hard throwing righty failed to record a single out as he walked four batters and allowed three hits. All seven runners would score in the inning.

It put Peyton Remy in a tough spot as he came on to try and hold back the tide, but Birmingham kept up the pressure all night. Remy would allow one more run to score in the 1st, another in the 2nd and then four more in the 5th.

The potent Tennessee offense put up a good fight for a while, amassing 13 hits, but it’s pretty hard to overcome an 8-0 deficit after the 1st inning.

Top Performers

Nelson Velazquez: 1-1, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB (5) (.288)Bryce Windham: 2-3, R, BB (.186)Yonathan Perlaza: 2-2, 2B, R (.148)Levi Jordan: 1-5, HR (1), R, RBI (.360)Bryce Ball: 2-4, 2 RBI, BB (.273)Andy Weber: 2-5, RBI (.275)Darius Hill: 1-4, R, BB (.302)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

trends

High-A

South Bend PPD

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 2, Salem 1

Game Recap

The Pelicans can be you by 18 one day, and just as easily beat you by one the next. Take your pick.

The video feed situation for the Myrtle Beach games the first month of the season has not allowed me to give much in the way of analysis on the club. The club ran into technical difficulties with their camera on their first home stand and they’ve also played a number of games on the road in stadiums without a CF view. It’s one of the reasons I hedge whenever someone asks about Pete Crow-Armstrong or any of the other prospects thriving (or struggling) with the club. I just can’t offer an informed opinion with the limited viewing that’s been available thus far.

With that said, Richard Gallardo has put up some really solid results in his return to the club this year. I’d heard reports in spring training that he looked a little stronger this year, with a tick or two of extra velo, and an improved breaking ball. He treaded water with the club last year, but this year he seems to be the leader of the rotation in the early going this year.

He was a big IFA signing, and showed good polish at an early age, but he doesn’t possess the most projectable frame. His stuff last year looked more along the lines of an eventual AAA depth guy rather than a future big leaguer. He reminded me somewhat of Jen-Ho Tseng, who despite his success in the Minors, I always tried to temper expectations for fans because I just didn’t think it would translate at the highest level.

But if Gallardo is able to lock in 92-95 with a good breaking ball and solid changeup he should have good enough command and pitchability to fight for a MLB job down the road. He’s developed strong groundball tendencies so if he can continue to miss a few more bats the way he is in 2022 it greatly improves his odds. Still plenty of time before we see how it plays out.

All of the offense needed was provided by a two-run homer off the bat of Kevin Made. The SS got a late start to the year, then immediately suffered a minor injury in his first game with the Pelicans in Mid-April which kept him out until Tuesday of this week. The 19-year old showed great contact skills last year as one of the youngest players in Carolina League, but was often caught expanding the zone and settling for weak contact. His walk rate was abysmal.

MADE HOMER!

Kevin Made’s first home run of the season is a two run blast to give the Pelicans a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth. #MBPelicans pic.twitter.com/3EmAAyyFbH

May 6, 2022

‘The early returns in his three games this season are promising though. Made has already drawn two walks, and has reached base multiple times in each of his games. He isn’t the biggest guy, but he’s got strong hands and good bat speed, so if he is becoming more selective we should see decent power numbers out of him in the coming years.

Top Performers

Kevin Made: 2-4, HR (1), R, 2 RBI (.556)Peter Matt: 2-3, BB (.281)Pete Crow-Armstrong: 2-4, R, BB, CS (3) (.397)Kevin Alcantara: 1-3, BB, SB (3) (.236)Richard Gallardo: 6 IP, 6 H, R, 2 BB, 5 K (W, 2-0, 2.28)Bryan King: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (0.00)Sheldon Reed: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K (S, 3, 0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

PCA goes into the record books

With a pair of singles tonight, Pete Crow-Armstrong has improved his multi-hit game streak to six consecutive.

He’s now tied for second in Pelicans history and holds the longest streak since Jared Bolden’s eight-straight multi-hit games in 2011. pic.twitter.com/pDekJGQX4M

May 6, 2022

And so we carried on with our lives, in spite of daily news. Wars and plagues, and weather. The skies were overcast gray for days. Rain fell on the buds of new leaves.

There are wildfires raging in New Mexico. There were tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma A tornado touched down in Oak Brook, IL, too.

And then one morning, there was a light in the sky—the sun! And blue sky above the fair-weather clouds.

It was time to cut the high spring grass on the parkway. I got out the push reel mower.

Waiting all winter, the first cut of the season! And the push mower remembers the grass, the clover and the violets. It still works! Yes, me, too.

Yes, I remember the smell of cut grass, and the cheerful yellow of dandelions in the sun.

And still, every spring surprises me— the tulips, the magnolias, the emerging red shoots of the peonies.

Now, rain again and flower buds on the lilacs and the leaves of the lily of the valley.

The long cool spring may soon give way to much warmer temperatures. A big warm-up is forecast for next week. Highs in the 90’s in Texas, possible 80’s here. Suddenly, summer!