Mariano Rivera is currently pitching in his final season and will look to close out his amazing career with yet another world series ring.

The greatest relief pitcher in the history of baseball will hang up his cleats at the end of the 2013 baseball season at the age of 43. I have been blessed with and have had the pleasure of seeing the greatest relief pitcher of all time pitch for my favourite team since I was born. The Yankees legend is considered the greatest at his craft and the most dominant closer of all time by a large margin. Rivera holds countless records with a record 613 and counting saves along with 12 all-star selections. Rivera’s 2.21 ERA and .998 WHIP are the best of any pitcher since 1920 and aside from the regular season, Rivera also is one of the greatest play-off performers of all time, leading the Yankees to five world series titles, all mainly with the use of one pitch, his unique stunning cutter which is the best pitch in the game of baseball. Not only is Rivera one of the best players in the history of baseball, he is also one of the most genuinely nice people you could ever meet. I have had the pleasure of meeting the historically great pitcher multiple times, and he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Reporters say of Rivera that when he asks reporters and crew people how they have been, that he is one of the extremely few players who actually cares how each person has been. I have been spoiled to have seen the closer pitch for the Yankees all my life and to have met the pitcher in person many times.

Rivera grew up in a poor fishing village near Panama City, Panama, playing baseball since a young age with friends. Tree branches were used as bats, with milk cartons for gloves and tape being used to make a ball. Upon graduating from high school Rivera worked with his father on a fishing boat, hauling shrimp and sardines. In free time, Rivera began playing shortstop for a local amateur team at the age of 19. A Yankees scout noticed Rivera’s athleticism and signed him to a $3,000 contract. Rivera was never considered as a major league prospect, but worked his way up the Yankees system as a starting pitcher. In 1995 the pitcher made ten appearances as a starter for the big league club with little success before being moved to the bullpen. At that point, Mariano’s career took off and the pitcher never looked back. To make things even more amazing, Rivera has had all his success with the use of one pitch, his cutter which no one in the history of the sport seems to be able to throw as well as him. The pitch has been named by countless hitters as the best pitch in baseball, and hitters fail to be able to hit it even when they know it is coming, with Rivera breaking countless bats due to the movement of this pitch. In the post-season, what Rivera has been able to accomplish is even more remarkable, with the closer being at the top of countless categories. In his play-off career Rivera has won five world series, has eight wins to one loss, owns a .70 ERA, has pitched 141 innings in 96 games, holds 42 saves and has only given up 2 home runs. It would only be fitting for Rivera’s career to end this year with the closer adding to these feats and getting the final out to win the Yankees their 28th world series and to end the already outstanding career of Rivera. Rivera dominated his position and has a chance to be the only player in the history of baseball to be unanimously elected to the Hall Of Fame, and if any voters do not vote for Rivera, they deserve to have their votes rescinded based of the accomplishments of Rivera. And yet, despite the success and fame which Rivera has achieved, the pitcher remains humble, soft spoken and goes about his job without any theatrics or bravado. Rivera’s attitude towards the game and his outlook remains the same win or lose with his impeccable work ethic. Mariano Rivera has succeeded in being historically great in the most pressure filled innings for the most pressure filled team in the world and it has been an honour to watch Rivera pitch for all these years. This season every time Rivera appears on the field to pitch it is something which must be cherished and no matter what situation a Yankees game is in this year, it will always be something to watch for the opportunity that you might get to see the greatest relief pitcher in the history of the sport pitch one more time. Rivera is the last player in baseball history to wear Jackie Robinson’s number 42 and it is only fitting that it is the most humble and historically great player currently playing who gets to do this. Every time that Enter Sandman starts playing this season Yankees Stadium will be filled with anticipation, as if it is a play-off game, and one of the last chances for a person to see this amazing pitcher close out one last game in person.

Muse performed at the Izod Center as part of their 2nd Law Tour on Friday, April 19th and I was in attendance.

The concert opened with a late replacement as the opening act in, the band Dead Sara. The opening act is an up and coming hard metal band which has received rave reviews, but hard metal is not my type of music so I wasn’t a fan of the opening performance for the concert. Muse is well known for their laser shows and in concert the vocals and instrumentation sound excellent and live up to the studio quality of the songs. The band used an enormous pyramid of LED Screens across the stage to display video to go with each song, as well as having the screens descend and “consume” the band during the show. Throughout the concert laser lights were used which looked awesome to go with Muse playing a nice mixture of both older and new material throughout the concert. In tribute to the horrific tragedy at the Boston Marathon lead singer Matthew Bellamy performed the Star Spangled Banner and in tribute to Hurricane Sandy and New Jersey he dedicated the song Starlight. The band played many of my favourite hits from the group including songs: Supremacy, Supermassive Black Hole, Knights Of Cydonia, Madness, Time Is Running Out, Stockholm Syndrome, Uprising, Starlight and to close out the show Survival. As the concert approached Muse’s previous album The 2nd Law had continued to grow on me, although I was not a fan of the dubstep elements found on the album. Muse puts on an outstanding live show with an excellent use of lighting effects, great vocals and excellent instrumentation in what is an overall great show from the alternative rock band. If you haven’t seen Muse in person yet and are a fan of the band, I would definitely recommend seeing them as they put on a really good show.

Paramore: Paramore

The latest album from Paramore frays away from a specific sound and pursues many different genres in what is an excellent album from the alternative rock band. On this album you can find throwbacks, pop songs, a country song and even a ukulele interlude in an album which switches up its’s sound often, all while highlighting the vocals of lead singer Hayley Williams.

My Top 5 Tracks: Now, Still Into You, Ain’t It Fun, Hate To See Your Heart Break, Grow Up

Fall Out Boy: Save Rock and Roll

The fifth album from alternative rock band Fall Out Boy features guest appearances from The Foxes, Big Sean, Courtney Love and Elton John while coming in at 11 tracks and just over 41 minutes. The band is still happy to experiment, mix things up and try new sounds five albums in and have released an excellent ambitious album this time around.

My Top 5 Tracks: The Phoenix, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark, Alone Together, Save Rock and Roll, Young Volcanoes

Bob Sinclar: Paris By Night

The latest album from house artist Bob Sinclar is an average album which displays his unique sound and his implementation of different sounds in his songs. The album is filled with tracks that are either hit or miss for me and is a mixed bag of songs.

My Top 5 Tracks: Together Forever, Summer Moonlight, Paris By Night, Gipsymen, Far L’amore

David Bowie: The Next Day

The 24th album by rock singer David Bowie is an average album which has some songs reminiscent of throwback David Bowie, but also having a few tracks with lack-luster vocals. The album has many songs which show why David Bowie is the star that he is, but overall the album fails to connect and move forward to current times with many tracks which I did not enjoy.

My Top 5 Tracks: The Stars, The Next Day, Where Are We Now, Valentines Day, Set The World On Fire

David Archuleta: No Matter How Far

The sixth album from pop singer and American Idol contestant David Archuleta is a good album which shows off the vocals of the singer. Although the album doesn’t have a certified hit, the album is solid throughout and shows the singing ability of Archuleta.

My Top 5 Tracks: Nothing Else Better To Do, Everything and More, Don’t Run Away, Forever More, Wait

Eric Clapton: Old Sock

The 21st album from singer Eric Clapton is yet another very good album released by the singer who continues to show off his strong vocals which are a refreshing blast from the past.

My Top 5 Tracks: The Folks Who Live On The Hill, Further On Down The Road, Angel, Your One and Only Man, Our Love Is Here To Stay

Jimi Hendrix: People, Hell and Angels

The latest post-humous album from legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, is yet another good release which shows off the legendary skills of one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Although you won’t want to start your Jimi Hendrix collection with this album, it is definitely one to add to the collection and to listen to.

My Top 5 Tracks: Somewhere, Earth Blues, Hear My Train a Coming, Izabella, Crash Landing

Marcus Canty: This Is…Marcus Canty

R&B singer Marcus Canty finished in fourth place in The X-Factor, and now here is his debut album headed by the hit single, In & Out featuring rapper Wale. The debut album from the singer is a good debut R&B album which shows off the vocals, potential and varying style of the artist.

My Top 4 Tracks: In & Out, Don’t Pass Me By, Used By You, Three Words

The Strokes: Comedown Machine

The fifth studio album from indie rock band The Strokes is a decent album which is filled with a mixed bag of songs, with a more wide range of unexpected styles found from song to song on this album.

My Top 5 Tracks: Slow Animals, 80′s Comedown Machine, Partners In Crime, Call It Fate Call It Karma, Happy Ending

Wiley: The Ascent

Veteran U.K. grime MC Wiley has delivered a more radio-aimed album this time around and succeeds in creating a few hit singles to along with his usual more grimier sounding songs on what is a solid project from the artist. The album has a wide guest-list including the likes of Tulisa, French Montana, Angel, Chip, Emeli Sande, Far East Movement, Tinchy Stryder and many others.

My Top 5 Tracks: Heatwave, Can You Hear Me, Reload, Tomorrow, Lights On

To purchase Kid Cudi’s upcoming third studio album, Indicud, which is set to be released on April 16th, click on the image above.

Indicud is the upcoming third studio album from Hip-Hop artist Kid Cudi and is set to be released on April 16th. The album will be Kid Cudi’s last with G.O.O.D. Music, as he moves onto his own ventures after the completion of this album. The album comes in at 18 tracks long and 1.1 hours with features from King Chip, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Michael Bolton and a few others. The album has been called by Cudi, his most upbeat and positive release to date and different than the usual dark erratic sound from the artist. Kid Cudi reached huge success with his mixtapes and his debut album with his style of music being labelled as “stoner rap”. After the release of his debut album though, in my opinion other than a few good songs per project, Cudi has been inconsistent while searching for his sound and with this album that trend continues. The album is largely self-produced by Kid Cudi, unlike his past albums as Cudi attempts to develop more as an artist. This marks the third album from Cudi in my opinion which has been a disappointment and suffered from inconsistency when compared to the incredible consistency of his early projects although the album does have many good tracks.

While Indicud does have it’s moments such as Just What I Am, King Wizard and a few other tracks, the album has a few misses as well such as New York City Rage Fest, Mad Solar and a few other tracks. Overall the album has eight tracks out of eighteen which I think are skippable and below average songs, while having ten songs which I thought were at least above average songs. The album would have been much better served if it was cut to a ten song long or so album rather than 18 with the album’s first seven tracks all being strong before faltering off mostly for the next 11 songs other than a track here or there. With Cudi’s varying and versatile musical style you never know what to expect from Cudi lately. Cudi might hum through a whole song, rap sing, play instruments or any of his other varying styles. While Cudi has self-produced much of this album, with this being his first album he produced himself, I was thoroughly impressed with the instrumentals which matched Cudi’s musical style extremely well. The album shines most when Cudi shows off some lyrical ability behind some eery, darker production with a good hook such as on Immortal and Brothers. On this album Kid Cudi displays some skilful production talents, and some of the sounds we have not heard from Cudi in a while which is the eery dark “stoner rap” which he became known for. The album is an average album from Cudi which has it’s high moments, but also has many lows which results in a mixed album that is a mixed bag of songs for the listener.

Kid Cudi’s third solo studio album is an average, middle of the road project, which other than a few stand-out tracks suffers from inconsistency, with tracks missing just as often as they succeed resulting in just a middle of the road album. Indicud is an average album which receives a very strong two and a half stars.

My Top 5 Tracks: Just What I Am, King Wizard, Brothers, Solo Dolo Pt. 2, Immortal 

Listen to, read descriptions, and see ratings of all the tracks from Indicud below and if you like the album, make sure to support Kid Cudi by clicking here to download the album on iTunes. Let me know what you think of the album in the comments and download individual tracks below.

To purchase the third album, Hotel California from Young Money rapper Tyga click on the image above.

Hotel California is the third album from Young Money rapper, Tyga and was released on April 9th. The album features appearances from Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, Chris Brown, Future, Game, 2 Chainz, and a few others. This album follows the rappers breakthrough sophomore album which was released last year and was ranked as my fifth best rap album of the year in Careless World Rise Of The Last King with the album containing hit singles Faded and Rack City among many other stand-out tracks. The latest album from Tyga is a big disappointment compared to his previous project, but overall is still a solid album.

With his last album, Tyga went to great lengths to prove that their was much more behind him as an artist than Faded and Rack City succeeding in making good songs which had substance and emotion behind them, with the rapper showing much more versatility than was expected of him. Songs like Light Dreams and Kings and Queens were stand-out tracks which showed lyricism to add to two hit party tracks already on the album, to go along with two other great tracks in I’m Gone and Muthafucka Up. With Hotel California though, Tyga seems to have given up on showing this versatility which was found on his breakthrough sophomore album. This time around Tyga sticks to the same formula and sound for the majority of the album, looking to find his next hit single on most tracks with a similar sound, but without success. The result is many good songs, with a few stand-out tracks on an album which lacks lyricism and variety throughout, but overall is a decent album from the rapper. On this album Tyga raps over similar sounding up-tempo beats with lyrics mostly relating to drugs or sex, with lyrics that are solid and catchy throughout the album in a typical Tyga style. Tyga uses a few old school hip-hop sample’s such as on M.O.E. in which he sample’s Jay-Z’s Feelin It and does so competently. Singles For The Road and Molly are both good singles, which continue to show Tyga’s ability to make good singles. Tyga sits in his comfort zone on this album, without many risks taken and the result is a solid album from Tyga, but also one that has few pay-offs and sounds mostly the same throughout.

Tyga has released a solid third album, which although it has flaws, overall is a good album. Tyga does not live up to the success of his hit sophomore album which took many risks, but still manages to release a solid album which gets a light three stars.

My Top 5 Tracks: Molly, For The Road, M.O.E., Dope, Show You

Listen to, read descriptions, and see ratings of all the tracks from Hotel California below and if you like the album, make sure to support Tyga by clicking here to download the album on iTunes. Let me know what you think of the album in the comments.

[Hook 1: Tyler]
Because when I call
I hope you pick up your phone
I’d like to talk to you
I hope you answer (x4)
Because when I call
I hope you pick up your phone
I’d like to talk to you
I hope you answer

When Tyler calls he hopes that the phone is picked up and the person he calls answers the call so that he can talk to them. Tyler gets extremely personal on this song and in the first verse imagines what he would say to his father who abandoned him in a phone call.

[Verse 1: Tyler]
Hey Dad, it’s me, um…
Oh, I’m Tyler, I think I be your son

Tyler is calling his dad and talking to him for the first time ever and is kind of at a loss for words at what to say.

Sorry, I called you the wrong name, see, my brain’s splitting
Dad isn’t your name, see Faggot’s a little more fitting

Tyler immediately regrets calling his biological father dad, since his father left him and his mom right when he was born. Because of this Tyler now insults his dad and thinks that faggot is a more fitting name after what his dad did by leaving him and his mother at birth.
Mom was only twenty when you ain’t have any fucks to spare
You Nigerian fuck, now I’m stuck with this shitty facial hair

When Tyler’s father left, his mom was only 20 and his father didn’t care at all about him or his mom. His nigerian father left him with bad facial hair, and never taught him how to shave because he abandoned them and most father’s teach their sons how to shave.
Also stuck with a beautiful home with a case of stairs
So you not being near fucking fire-started my damn career

Now Tyler has a four story house which is beautiful despite his father not being there. The hoouse has eight sets of stairs with the stairs representing how he has progressed and become succesfull. Tyler’s dad not being around firestarted his music career and motivated him to become something. Tyler consistently rapped about the absense of his father in his early career, which also allowed him to connect with a larger fan base.
But fuck it, I got Clancy, he gave me the chance to see
A world I wasn’t supposed to, I’m stoked that I didn’t know you

Clancy is Tyler’s manager and Tyler looks up to him as a father figure. Tyler is kind of happy he doesn’t know his father because Clancy has done more for him than his dad ever would have done and more than his dad ever has done for him. Clancy helped Tyler to be successfull which is a thing Tyler was never supposed to become.
But sucks you ain’t give a fuck and considered a sperm donor now
The fuck is an Okonma? I’m changing my shit to Haley

Although Tyler is kind of happy he has Clancy now instead it still sucks that his father never cared and is now considered a sperm donor instead of his father because his father got his mom pregnant and than just left, wanting nothing to do with Tyler and not wanting to have any contact with him. Tyler’s birth surname is his father’s, Okonma, and now Tyler want’s to legally change his name to Haley because he hates being connected to his father through his name. Tyler calls himself Wolf Haley.
And I ain’t just being passive, nigga.
You’re a fucking faggot, nigga
Got a show on Monday, guess who ain’t getting no passes, nigga?

Tyler isn’t just going to be passive towards his father and sit back and pretend like everything his father never did for him is alright, when it is not. Tyler calls his father derogatory terms, with Tyler calling his father a faggot for not fufilling his manhood duties to take care of his family and his child. Tyler won’t give his father passes because his father was never around for him.
But if I ever had the chance to ask this nigga
And call him…
I hope he answer

At the end of the day even after what happened, if Tyler had the opportunity to call his father he would, and he would hope his father would answer the call.

[Hook: Tyler and (Syd)]
I hope you answer (x4)
Because when I call (When I call, baby)
I hope you pick up your phone (Please pick up)
I’d like to talk to you
I hope you answer

This refers to both Tyler’s father and a girl who Tyler has a crush on. As much as Tyler hates his father, their is a duality in Tyler hoping his dad answer. Deep down Tyler yearns for contact with his father, but Tyler also hopes his father will answer so he can berate him, much like he does on this track. Tyler hopes he can tell his father how much he hates him, and like he says on Yonkers he is a walking paradox with Tyler hating his father, but really wishing he could have had a normal father-son relationship instead of an absentee father. After all the anger and hatred, Tyler just wishes and wants more than anything to talk to his father.

[Verse 2: Tyler]
Suck my fucking dick and swallow this case of nuts
Ace hates your guts, I’m a selfish fuck,
And I ain’t sharing green as if I’m facing blunts

Tyler uses the hyperbole in the first line to show how much he hates his father by using this insult. Tyler also does a play on words with case of nuts which could refer to Tyler thinking of himself as a nutcase or that Tyler’s friends who he mentions in the following lines are all crazy. Ace was Tyler’s name when he made Bastard, with that album revolving mostly around Tyler being abandoned by his father. Tyler says in the last line that he’s not sharing any money with his father , even if he ever shows up.
Frank is out the closet, Hodgy’s an alcoholic
Syd might be bipolar, but fuck it, I couldn’t call it

Odd Future member Frank Ocean came out of the closet last year in a letter before the release of his album, confessing that his first love was a man. Meanwhile fellow member Hodgy Beats is not sober often and has become an alcoholic. While Tyler calls himself bi-polar in many songs, now he is calling fellow Odd Future member Syd possibly bi-polar as well, also referring to how Syd is bi-sexual. Tyler’s friends are fucked up in all different ways, but he doesn’t care and still loves them for who they are.
Supposed to be gone til November but quickly came back in August
I left two months through September to clearly remember all this
I would like to tell my grandma, but she just nostalgia
I’ll call her number
But she won’t answer

Tyler’s grandma recently passed away, so now he can’t call her and all that is left is nostalgia and his memories of her. Tyler can still call her number, but she won’t answer because she has passed away.

[Hook: Tyler (Syd)]
I hope you answer (x4)
Because when I call (When I call, baby)
I hope you pick up your phone
(I’d like to talk to you)
I hope you answer

This time around, Tyler is mostly talking of calling a girl he has a crush on and hoping that she answers his call.

[Verse 3: Tyler]
You claim to hate my fucking guts
But say I’m on a island in Thailand and I was wilding
And, if I got stranded had to man up and hold my nuts
And hope that I could live off salt water and fucking coconuts
Phone ain’t got no service — this 3G is fucking worthless

This girl that Tyler has a crush on claims that she hates Tyler’s guts. Tyler than proceeds to mention a scene from The Hangover. If Tyler got stranded without his crush he would have to hope he could survive on this island. Tyler has no service here and can’t call his crush so the 3G on his phone is worthless to Tyler.
Day is getting dark like the area’s turning urban
You’ll be fucking nervous like me inside of a churches
But, I’mma get in contact regardless, and
I hope you answer

As night begins to fall, Tyler’s surroundings are turning black just like urban area’s which are mostly populated by black people. Tyler talks in this first verse of being in a suburban neighbourhood,  which begins to look like an urban area since so many black people have moved into the area. Although this girl, supposedly Salem who has been mentioned throughout the album, claims to hate Tyler’s guts, if he was in trouble she would be just as nervous as Tyler would be in a church since he is an atheist. No matter what happens though, Tyler will get in contact with her and hope that she answers.

[Outro: Tyler]
That last verse was about this girl. Haha.

Tyler lets his fans know that the last verse was about a girl, supposedly Salem.

To purchase the latest album, 10 from R&B group, New Kids On The Block click on the image above.

10 is the sixth studio album from R&B group New Kids On The Block and was released on April 2nd. The album is the first from the band since 2008 and is the first album from the group to be released independently after departing from Interscope Records. This release is a good album from the group which will remind fans of older material from the hay-day of the group.

This album sees the boy band’s catchy pop meshed together to match modern tastes in music with catchy hooks, some house music production, sensitive lyrics, and the signature New Kids On The Block sound echoing through all these new, modern sounds from the group. The stand-out track from this album is The Whisper in which the group channels Enrique Iglesias on this upbeat catchy tune. The album has many different sounds, with another stand-out track from the album being the R&B ballad Back to Life. New Kids On The Block have released an album which has many different sounds, and although there are some misses, most of the album connects. The album could have been shortened by a track or two, but at the end of the day this album is a good release from the R&B group.

10 is a good album from R&B group, New Kids On The Block and shows off the vocals of the singers in the group. Although the album suffers from inconsistency at times, and could have had a few tracks left off, overall the album is still above average and receives a light three and a half stars.

My Top 5 Tracks: The Whisper, Now Or Never, Back To Life, Take My Breath Away, Crash

Listen to, read descriptions, and see ratings of all the tracks from 10 below and if you like the album, make sure to support New Kids On The Block by clicking here to download the album on iTunes. Let me know what you think of the album in the comments.