LISTENDay of 'Reckoning' comes for R.E.M.
Back in 1983, when Spring Break was still welcomed in Daytona Beach, we remember heading out to the Bandshell to see a couple of bands do their thing. The headliner was Big Country, who had a fairly large hit with "In A Big Country," but we really didn't care and they quickly disappeared off our radar.
No, gentle readers, we were there to see the opening act, this scrappy little band that was about to release its influential second album, "Reckoning." That group, R.E.M., would go on to be the quintessential indie band, still making music today and doing things their way.
Fans of this simpler time can now rejoice. "Reckoning (Deluxe Edition)" has been rereleased and not only contains the original material ("So. Central Rain," "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville") but a 1984 concert from the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Both the studio material and the live stuff highlight R.E.M.'s early, ragged, scruffy, joyful glory, something that's sorely missing from today's music scene.
WATCH
You're out ...'Eastbound' is in
Much like "Napoleon Dynamite," the HBO original series "Eastbound and Down," was a series most either loved or hated.
"Eastbound" centers around Kenny Powers, a once dominant baseball player played brilliantly by Danny McBride, who moves back to his hometown and takes a job as a gym teacher.
Unwilling to give up his baseball dream, Powers applies the techniques from his audio book, the title of which can not be printed in a family newspaper, to his daily life in an effort to reclaim his past glory. Along the way, Powers goes head to head with the school principal, an obnoxious car dealer (played by guest star Will Ferrell) and attempts to win back his high school sweetheart.
Relive the six-episode series when the two-disc set is released Tuesday.
PLAY
Are you ready for some football?
Alright, we know it's only June but football season is quickly approaching.
And while we still have a couple of months to go before the season kicks off, it's never to early to start planning your fantasy football league. If by this point you still don't understand what that is, here's a crash course.
You and a bunch of your closest friends, family, co-workers or complete strangers "draft" your teams from a pool of NFL players. This can be done online or live with a few drinks at an agreed upon location. Then you compete throughout the season either in a head-to-head league or a points-only league. Points are racked up by each player based on performance.
Not ready to start your own league? There are plenty of sites where you can join public leagues for free. To give it a shot, check out espn.com, yahoo.com or cbssports.com.
-- Staff Report
You're out ...'Eastbound' is in
Much like "Napoleon Dynamite," the HBO original series "Eastbound and Down," was a series most either loved or hated.
"Eastbound" centers around Kenny Powers, a once dominant baseball player played brilliantly by Danny McBride, who moves back to his hometown and takes a job as a gym teacher.
Unwilling to give up his baseball dream, Powers applies the techniques from his audio book, the title of which can not be printed in a family newspaper, to his daily life in an effort to reclaim his past glory. Along the way, Powers goes head to head with the school principal, an obnoxious car dealer (played by guest star Will Ferrell) and attempts to win back his high school sweetheart.
Relive the six-episode series when the two-disc set is released Tuesday.
PLAY
Are you ready for some football?
Alright, we know it's only June but football season is quickly approaching.
And while we still have a couple of months to go before the season kicks off, it's never to early to start planning your fantasy football league. If by this point you still don't understand what that is, here's a crash course.
You and a bunch of your closest friends, family, co-workers or complete strangers "draft" your teams from a pool of NFL players. This can be done online or live with a few drinks at an agreed upon location. Then you compete throughout the season either in a head-to-head league or a points-only league. Points are racked up by each player based on performance.
Not ready to start your own league? There are plenty of sites where you can join public leagues for free. To give it a shot, check out espn.com, yahoo.com or cbssports.com.
-- Staff Report
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