NBA Predictions 2024-2025

Last year, I correctly predicted the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Title.  Let's see how this year goes!

Eastern Conference:

1.       New York

2.       Boston

3.       Cleveland

4.       Orlando

5.       Indiana

6.       Milwaukee

7.       Philadelphia

8.       Miami

9.       Atlanta

10.     Detroit

11.     Chicago

12.     Charlotte

13.     Toronto

14.     Brooklyn

15.     Washington 

Playoffs:

·      (play-ins):   Philadelphia over Miami; Detroit over Atlanta; Miami over Detroit

·      New York over Philadelphia; Boston over Miami; Cleveland over Milwaukee; Orlando over Indiana

·      New York over Orlando; Boston over Cleveland

·      Boston over New York

Western Conference:

1.       Oklahoma City

2.       Minnesota

3.       Dallas

4.       New Orleans

5.       Denver

6.       Sacramento

7.       Phoenix

8.       Memphis

9.       Houston

10.     San Antonio

11.     LA Lakers

12.     Golden State

13.     LA Clippers

14.     Utah

15.     Portland

Playoffs:

·     (play-ins):  Phoenix over Memphis; Houston over San Antonio; Houston over Memphis

·     Oklahoma City over Houston; Minnesota over Phoenix; Dallas over Sacramento; Denver over New        Orleans

·     Oklahoma City over Denver; Minnesota over Dallas  

·     Minnesota over Oklahoma City

More notes:

·     The East- I think Philadelphia and Milwaukee are old and so top-heavy that a couple of nagging injuries could cripple either team.  Especially with younger teams on the rise in the East.  

-    I really think New York has a great team; I also think they have a coach who burns out their players, which will hurt them in the playoffs

·     I'm a Cleveland Cavaliers fans, and really want to argue they are better than Boston.  But at the moment, if everyone is relatively healthy, I can't.  Boston wins the East

         

·     The West will be a dogfight.  I'm going against the older teams (Lakers, Phoenix, Golden State) and favoring the younger teams (New Orleans, Houston, Minnesota)

·     OKC will have the best record, and will be favored.  But I like Minnesota, and I think the KAT trade willr eally help the team.

·     MVP?  The past five years have been centers or power forwards; this year, it's a guard.  I'm in on Anthony Edwards

-     ROY?  No idea- Reed Shepherd?

-     Lottery?  Lately, the top franchise picks goes to the West.  Absent any other reason, I'll argue that Cooper Flag ends up in Utah.  

·     Finals?  Boston's back for a second year.  But the player Anthony Edwards reminds me most if Dwayne Wade.  And I really like their team- it has depth, and they have experience.  And running it back to the finals twice is tough.  

      Minnesota in 6.  

Peter Gabriel Retrospective: Album 08b- And I'll Scratch Yours

 

The companion studio album to Scratch My Back

Album:  And I'll Scratch Yours

Year Released:    2013

Lineup: 

"I Don't Remember"

• David Byrne – vocals, instruments
• Patrick Dillett – mixing

"Come Talk to Me"

• Sean Carey – drums
• Rick Lockwood – voice
• Kimberly Lockwood – voice
• Justin Vernon – all other instruments

"Blood of Eden"

• Joe Mendelson – production, arrangement, instruments, mixing
• Jack Dishel – production, arrangement, instruments, vocals
• Regina Spektor – production, arrangement, instruments, vocals

"Not One of Us"

• Stephin Merritt – production, recording, mixing
• Charles Newman – production, recording, mixing

"Shock the Monkey"

• Joseph Arthur – moog guitar, bass

"Big Time"

• Bruno Coon – production, mixing

"Games Without Frontiers"

• Arcade Fire – production
• Mark Lawson – recording
• Korey Richey – recording
• Tom Elmhirst – mixing

"Mercy Street"

• Elbow – production
• Craig Potter – mixing

"Don't Give Up"

• Mocky – organ, synthesizer, production
• Leslie Feist – vocals, guitar, synthesizer, pedals, production
• Taylor Kirk – vocals, guitar
• Paul Taylor – percussion
• Mika Posen – violin
• Morri$ – production
• Renaud Letang – mixing
• Robbie Lackritz – recording, engineering

"Solsbury Hill"

• Lou Reed – production, mixing
• Eric Kramer – engineering
• Mike Rathke – additional guitar
• Sarth Calhoun – additional programming

"Biko"

• Mark Stewart – cello

Track listing:

1. "I Don't Remember"         David Byrne                         3:38
2. "Come Talk to Me"                 Bon Iver                                 6:20
3. "Blood of Eden"                 Regina Spektor                 4:39
4. "Not One of Us"                 Stephin Merritt                         3:49
5. "Shock the Monkey"         Joseph Arthur                         5:49
6. "Big Time"                         Randy Newman                 3:29
7. "Games Without Frontiers" Arcade Fire                         3:22
8. "Mercy Street"                         Elbow                                 5:28
9. "Mother of Violence"         Brian Eno                         3:00
10. "Don't Give Up"                 Feist feat. Timber Timbre 5:28
11. "Solsbury Hill"                         Lou Reed                         5:24
12. "Biko"                                 Paul Simon                         4:19

Overall Thoughts:

And I'll Scratch Yours is the counterpart to Peter Gabriel's previous album Scratch My Back.  The concept was Gabriel would perform songs by twelve other artists, and then the artists would cover twelve of Gabriel's songs.  Delays pushed back the reciprocal by three years, but the album was finally released in 2013. 

It's not a complete recirprocation- David Bowie did not participate, but Brian Eno, who co-wrote "Heroes" with David Bowie, performed "Mother of Violence" for the album.  Neil Young and Radiohead also did not send in any songs; they were replaced by Joseph Arthur and Feist.  

The album works and delivers on the concept- reimagining Peter Gabriel's songs in the styles of other artists.  "I Don't Remember" gets a techno remix, "Come Talk to Me" is played in a bluegrass style, "Blood of Even" is a folk ballad.  

To me, the standouts are Bon Iver's version of "Come Talk To Me", Brian Eno's "Mother of Violence", and Feist's "Don't Give Up".  Not only are all excellent performances, but their covers bring different elements to the songs.

(And on a side note, Randy Newman is the ideal artist to cover "Big Time".)

My criticism of Scratch My Back was that the songs were all reimagined the same way- slowed down with piano and orchestral music.  It made the songs all sound the same.  That does not apply to And I'll Scratch Yours.  The album delivers what is promised

Ranking of Peter Gabriel Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. So
2. Up
3. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. And I'll Scratch Yours
5. Us
6. Security
7. Peter Gabriel (Car)
8. Scratch My Back
9. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. "In Your Eyes", So
2. "Don't Give Up", So
3. "Mercy Street", So
4. "Red Rain", So
5. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
6. "Darkness", Up
7. "That Voice Again", So
8. "Sky Blue", Up
9. "Only Us", Us
10. "Wallflower", Security