TOP TENSDAY PRESENTS: REESE'S TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2016

TOP TENSDAY PRESENTS: REESE'S TOP TEN RELEASES OF 2016!!!

WHOA! Holy shit! Reese runs a blog? Imagine that wacky ass reality. But know and understand you live in the reality where Reese is a giant procrastinator and manages a poorly run and sadly very seldom updated blog. Cause that is the world we live in, so learn to deal.

This week (errr...month) I have come to bring you kiddies another TOP TENSDAY!!! This go round I bring to you my top ten albums of 2016!!! I sadly rarely listen to new music, so before you have some preconditioned unpopular opinions about my unpopular opinion, just know, NO ONE CARES about your nor my opinion. I'm yelling into the void once again, so if you took time away from your DVRs of The Walking Snoozefest and are actually reading this, I owe you much gratitude. On to the list!!!

(In no particular order mind you)

Honorable Mentions:

Sia - This is Acting

The Weeknd - Starboy

Tove Lo - Lady Wood

1. Knocked Loose - Laugh Tracks

Now I am the worst listener of newer metal/hardcore. I'm stuck in a perpetual loop of 2007 metalcore and deathcore bands and am very proud of this. I'm not into the bandwagon riding of these nu-metal infused metal bands that have popped up over the last couple of years. This release is a nice reminder that heavy ass hardcore influenced music is still coming out these days. And honestly, any motherfucker that can bark on the track not named DMX deserves a nod

1. Frank Ocean - Blond

Now we were forced to wait a very prolonged period of time for the velvety voiced crooner's third album, and let me say, it's not as good as previous releases. Not what you expected me to say, huh? Even with that said, this is a very solid outing. High marks like the spacey White Ferrari, solid single Ivy, almost hip hop like Solo, and Andre 3000 feature showing these piss poor mumble rappers how to actually use the triplet flow they so highly covet on the track Solo (Reprise), made me want to include this album on the list.  For fans of Frank, go peep, if you're new to his sound, go back to Channel Orange or nostalgia/ULTRA for his more classic work.

1. Beyoncé - Lemonade

We can't talk R&B if we don't talk about the mainstream unanimously decided queen of R&B. Of course I'm talking about Bey. I was skeptical at first, but after hearing the funk inspired Don't Hurt Yourself featuring Jack White, the dance anthem of the year in Formation, the tongue in cheek Sorry, Kendrick's awesome verse on Freedom, and other hits like her pair up with The Weeknd on 6 Inch, and reggae influenced Hold Up, I realized this album truly had a lot to offer, so an inclusion to the list is a must.

1. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

Is it as good as Acid Rap or #10DAY? No. Is it a little too gospel  and auto tuned? Yes. Are there still some bangers and catchy sing songy parts to keep a Chance fan listening? Of course there are. To the single No Problem and opener featuring everyone's favorite asshole Kanye, this album was a solid release. Now only if his boy Gambino could drop some hot fire...

1. Childish Gambino - Awaken, My Love!

SOME NEW HOT FIRE FROM OUR BOY GAMBINO.... oh wait. No hot fire? No bars at all actually? A very well produced album that is a shout out to funk/soul music of old? Oh, so that's what we got. Damn, I was hoping for more Sweatpants/Bonfire/Freaks and Geeks style metaphors, but only received this, WHICH IS A GREAT ALBUM, just not what the fans were truly expecting. Drop a mixtape in 2017 CG, please for the love of God.

1. Regina Spektor - Remember Us To Life

For my next choice I turn to my hands down favorite singer in the form of Russian born, NYC transplanted classically trained pianist, Ms. Spektor. This album is a breath of fresh air, a slight return to her more esoteric style than the straight forward What We Saw From the Cheap Seats and Far (her previous two releases) outings. She will always hold a special place in my heart and this album has been on repeat for the last two weeks. Go pick up Soviet Kitsch or Begin to Hope if you want to hear the amazement that is Regina's older style.

1. Wade Wilson/Base Bronson - Eating Ice Cream With Molly Ringwald

As far as underground hip hop goes, this and another not yet mentioned album topped my list of that genre this year. This is a well produced concept album where we see our two artist take up the personalities of Anthony Michael Hall and Judd Nelson to deliver an amazing piece of music you have to hear for your own to be the judge of. Don't sleep on Trenton, Jersey, or Wade and Base in general, their fire burns bright and isn't dying out anytime soon.

1. Sleigh Bells - Jessica Rabbit

Metal guitar shredding, driving beats and sublime vocals round out the electronica pop duo, Sleigh Bells. They bring an originality and power with their fourth studio album that boasts infectious riffs, catchy and dark lyrics and a well polished production that has kept this album in heavy rotation on my Spotify playlist. The powerful delivery of opening track It's Just Us Now, awesomely crafted chorus in Crucible to the amazing lyrics and production of Rule Number One all are shining elements that stick out on this album. Of all their previous work, I enjoy this album the most, but venture back to their debut, Treats, if the spirit moves you.

1. RayRayBeats/Raymond Strife - Gretchen On Acid Telling Her Mom to Shut the Fuck Up

Numero dos of awesome underground unsigned hip hop goes to this beast of an EP. As previous with Base and Wade's release, Capital City (that's Trenton for all you non Jersey folk) is proving once again that when it comes to raw talented music, no city nor state is doing it better. With amazing production highlighting every Trentonians favorite Guatemalan telling a bunch of "maricons" how much he loves them, the amazing Our Name is Ray, and the track whose music video made Reddit lose their minds titled Drum Life, this EP is fire from front to back. Don't sleep on Trenton's music scene, DKFG is on top and not letting up anytime soon.

1. Every Time I Die - Low Teens

The southern rock metalcore maestros that left the muggy FL weather for the chilly Northeast of Buffalo, NY have done it again. After, IMHO, the lackluster From Parts Unknown and Ex-Lives put a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth, this. Is. A. Return. To. Fucking. FORM!  From the pace setting opener of Fear and Trembling all the way to the powerhouse single The Coin Has A Say, ETID has proven they aren't done throwing the fuck down and melting faces, and this 32 year old metal head is as happy as a pig in shit they have decided to come back with a vengeance.

That's it! My top ten list. Please leave comments about how you didn't like my choices and what you think I should've put on here so I can tell you how much I don't care.

This is the Darth Guerrilla, Reese, signing off. Muah!

Guerrillas in the Midst of a Review: Ghost in the Shell

I have very positive vibes for the Ghost in the Shell adaptation. I have felt better about it with each new video they release.

I have come to terms that no adaptation (book, comic, cartoon, anime, video game, etc) will NEVER stay 100% true to its source, big Hollywood doesn't work that way. I more enjoy and look for a devotion to having the same "feel" and look and emotion with solid casting (which I've imagined that Scarlett would be the #1 choice for Motoko for years and honestly, I am ok with that. She's very capable in action roles and has a body type that works) and also the casting of Takeshi Kitano as the Chief is fucking spot on. Perfect casting in equivalence of Patrick Stewart as Prof X.

Ghost in the Shell is a great anime to bring into Hollywood. The series (Stand Alone Complex) works on a level as a procedural police drama, regardless of cyborgs, underlying messages and the standard anime tropes, it is simply a well done cop show a la Law and Order, CSI or NYPD Blue.

Back to casting, I was hoping for Ron Perlman to land the role of Batou, which sadly he did not. I'm willing to give Pilou Asbæk a chance but I don't get the initial father like relationship feel from him partnered with Johansson, he seems a little a green and the older and much more seasoned Perlman I feel would have nailed it, but I can take that in stride.

As long it doesn't have a completely trash screenplay, I feel like this is gonna be a solid movie that can and hopefully will set the tone for more film studios to have faith in anime adaptations.

But that's just my 2 cents.

And we have no one to blame but ourselves...

Here's the rub, kids:

It's not what Trump wants to do in office that makes my blood run cold. It's not his lack of knowledge of politics or foreign policy that has me worried. It's not even his blatant misogyny and racism that trouble me.

There are pockets of supporters of Trump, large numbers even as proven by voter turnout, that are albeists, that are close minded misogynists, that are even outright bigots. There have been chants heard at Trump rallys to the tune of, "WE HATE MUSLIMS, GAYS, AND BLACKS, GIVE US OUR AMERICA BACK!"

These malignant tumors on the American population exists in large numbers and the disgusting platform Trump has run on has made them brazen, given them a leader, and a misguided sense of power and now entitlement with his subsequent win.

I have friends that voted Trump and I'm not gonna begin unfriending or arguing, but know that sentiment is what you backed. That it's ok to treat others as if their basic existence makes them lower than you. That sentiment, that idea, the thought that it is acceptable to treat anyone like less of a human being based on how they were born, that is the source of mine and many others fears.

For the last 8 years we as a people have been trying to fight for progressive change and just like that we have come to a full halt and slammed into reverse. We now are on the cusp of having a president that believes climate change was created by the Chinese. A man that has 76 open lawsuits filed against him as well as being accused of RAPING A MINOR (yet everyone of his supporters are SO QUICK to call Hillary a criminal), a man who plans on making America great yet his own business are majorly outsourced to other countries. A man who openly has put down the handicapped, woman, and a countless number of other races and creeds.

This is what you are supporting, and this is what I am fearing. A group of ignorant volatile bigots finding a common leader to help throw our society back into an age of despair.

As the rest of the world laughs at us, all I can do is remind us all is that we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Purely A Matter Of Relevance: THAT SINKING FEELING (A song for the panic and anxiety stricken)

So I've lost another amazing person last week, and instead of wasting time lamenting and being upset, they will shine through me and my art. Today, I bring you lyrics from one of my favorite tracks from Beyond Dishonor's Generations EP; That Sinking Feeling. This song touches on the anxiety and panic that can cripple us in a state of fear.

So pour one out for my brothers Matt V and Matt E, and read ahead and o can only hope my words inspire someone else to go forth into the world and create something magical.

That Sinking Feeling

Remember when your dream meant something, and then you woke up and realized it was all for naught?  So plan your next gig, your next adventure, your next orgasm... just so you know you are filling the void between the now and your endless slumber.  So smile, you could be dead already... only if you were so lucky.  But here you are now forced to exist.

Failure's not an option it's a fucking ultimatum.

There is no other choice, think about it, you didn't even choose to be born.

The panic sets in, the walls of you're psyche come crashing down... just close your eyes, and hope that ends as quickly as it started.

You can't lose control, you never had it to begin with.

We cannot escape ourselves, and I know I alone feel this torment.  The reminder this life is not yours to rule, and I know we cannot escape ourselves, I alone feel this torment.

So stop trying, and start living, because since you were born your body has been busy dying.  We cannot escape ourselves...  The reminder this life is not yours to rule, we cannot escape ourselves, and I alone feel this torment.

PURELY A MATTER OF RELEVANCE - I'M SO COOL AND I NEED TO MAKE A STATUS UPDATE TO REMIND THE WORLD HOW COOL I AM

Are you the guy who hates sports and finds it necessary to make status updates to remind everyone how much you don't care football season started?

You're the worst people.

Are you the guy who's too mature for Pokemon Go and finds it necessary to tell everyone how much of an adult you are because you don't play?

You sound like a fascist and a real fun person to be around at a party. Standing in a corner drinking an over priced and underwhelming craft beer telling anyone who will listen about the new pomade you bought for your Hitler Youth haircut.

Are you the guy who doesn't watch popular TV shows and find it necessary to remind us via social media how cool you are because "you don't follow trends."

You literally should've just made a status update that says, "I'm whiny and I need to remind everyone how much of a curmudgeon I am daily to validate my otherwise meaningless existence."

It's not that I hate you "keyboard cool guys," but let me be the one to point of how much of an actual loser you sound like when you need social media to tell the world how much of a cool guy you are. Hell, I'm no saint. I write a blog no one cares about and I try week in and week out I have talent and that my opinion is somehow more relevant than yours.

It's not. I just make it seem cooler with the use of adjectives and $0.50 words left over from high school vocabulary books. Truth be told, we're all a bunch of nerds and losers hoping that someone out there can relate.

We're all just vacant minds looking for like minded tenants to come in and stay awhile.

The thought that makes me cringe is that those cool guy culprits subconsciously are hoping that someone is as big as tool as them and will smash their like button.

Spend some more time sharing some dank memes and less time reminding me that you've never watched the Walking Dead.

Cool, you've never watched a tv show, let me go bake you a cake and style in some icing on top that reads "NO ONE CARES."

Go back under your rock of obscurity, please, my news feed needs more room for my crushes to post selfies that I can creep on. I'm the guy that has a poorly managed and even more poorly written blog, and this was purely a matter of relevance.

PURELY A MATTER OF RELEVANCE - The Problems We All Have

I've been gone a long time, kids. Like a ghost stalking the hallways of a dusty asylum, I have stayed amongst you crazies quietly from ethereal sideline.

Put me on coach, I'm ready to play. Centerfield? Fuck that, I can't run that fast or jump that high. I'm more of a middle reliever. I'm here to help carry you through to those long innings of life with some insightful humor and an inquisitive philosophy on life.

I haven't been posting from the blog because every moment I have spent writing has been spent honing and perfecting my stand up comedy routine. The blog has been a platform for me to use as a jumping point to get into doing live comedy. It will all culminate on my birthday, October 1st, where I will be roasted by my peers and perform for the first time to a live crowd. If you can attend, I highly recommend you do as to not miss the guaranteed hilarity of either a successful performance or the bombing of lifetime.

For those not lucky enough to attend such a debacle, I present to you with this week's Purely a Matter of Relevance, a written tidbit of what you will have to look forward to from my performance. Please, read and laugh (or don't lol) and leave your irrelevant opinion in the comments section of a small slice of my irrelevant comedic view of the world. Enjoy!


Problems we all have 'em, its great

My problems are my problems and no one can ever truly understand how the can infect and degrade and warp our minds. Our fragile little minds, weak fragile underachieving mass, only working at 10% of its capacity like a fucking Kardashian with cerebral palsy.

Anything, literally anything can break the mind, words can crush them. Destroy them. You're driving around having a good day and you hear a lyric from song that can fuck your whole day up.

When Jessie Spano got addicted to speed on a very special episode of Saved By The Bell, I was crushed! that shit fucked me up. A death of my favorite character on Walking Dead or Game of Thrones fucks my whole week up. I sulk around my house, devastated, calling out sick, "Like, fuck man, I'm sorry. Yeah I'm not gonna make it in. Yeah man, my brother Tyrese died, yeah I know just like T-Dog, I know it's fucked up, I know I missed last week cause my cousin Jon Snow got stabbed, it's dangerous out here, I just can't I'm sorry."

It's sad how weak our fragile little minds actually are.

And we're the only animals like this! Could you imagine a bear going through anxiety and depression? Not cause his girl left him for some other bear, cause that was months ago, she left and took half the honey, the divorce was hard on the cubs. But could you imagine him sad cause he saw something that reminded him of her.  This majestic creature, not leaving the cave for a week, sitting around in sweatpants watching daytime television, depressed about life? He finally gets up the strength to go outside, he ends up walking around the woods with his boy, lamenting haha.

"See this tree, man? This was her tree. After Stacy would shit, she rub her ass on this tree right here, you see that man? You see those stains, I can't, I can't do this, fuck man, I'm a mess."

DIPLOMA?! Who gives a shit? by Contract Killa Guerrilla

Diploma? Who Gives A Shit?

I know its late but who really cares anyway, just shut up and listen ladies and gentleman.

Its recently just passed that time of the year where seniors that either have been model students or skated along by the skin of their teeth and kindness of a few teachers have walked across the stage and received that much coveted piece of paper which is supposed to be the golden ticket to life but I really sit here and wonder to myself, what does it even matter?

As I work all day long I pass house after house that have these signs that always spouts sayings like “Here Lives A Ewing High Grad” or “2016 Lawrenceville Graduate” and anything far and wide in between. I see these signs and all I really think is how thoroughly unimpressed I am and granted me being unimpressed isn’t personal, it’s the collective feeling that I’m just putting out there for the early acknowledgement that the world is just unimpressed to put it nicely. The fact that you or someone you know graduated high school really doesn’t do anythingbeneficial for anyone aside from you and that’s only because your emotionally involved and therefore have a bias, to the rest of the country and world no one gives a shit if you got your diploma….actually scratch that because the only time anyone else gives a damn if you have a diploma is when you don’t have one which then your less than shit for not being able to get that same pointless piece of paper. Back in about any of the older generations if you had your diploma then you were set and really a leg up on about 30%-75% of your peers (obviously depending on your era) due to the fact of poverty, social and economic class, general circumstance but here in this current day and age the demand for higher qualifications has made the diploma worth less than the ink and paper its used to make because even in the older days if you didn’t have a diploma and high school education you would still be alright because most often than not you had picked up a solid trade in order to pull a good living wage to provide for your family along with the fact that the cost of living (and anything else) was way cheaper but nowadays the price of everything has doubled, tripled, quadrupled, quintupled and on and on and on blah, blah, blah but yet I still don’t even get to the point that matters. 

In this country in order to just survive you need have finished grad school just to be safe, I would’ve settled for an Associate’sdegree but with the way of the world becoming that much harder always that won’t even cut it. Bachelors is basically the new value of what the high school diploma use to be and that’s a tougher pill to swallow when you realize that if you fuck up once your screwed because there’s less leniency than there was before and less value in what you’re learning now. As of 2014 the united states education system was ranked 36th in the world when we use to be in the top 5. With an ever decreasing value in the system and the harder penalty on you for not to have the NOT value (jeez it’s about as bad as the credited value of the dollar anymore but hell at least knowledge lasts and is passed down and even still I can say money still makes the world go round). 

Far be it from me to take bitterness for the world and sprinkle that in everyone’s coffee but when I see the struggle of people trying to make ends meet because they don’t have the right pieces of paper saying they are worth more than they earn it makes me tired and all about the world and its status and with the choices of whose going to start WW3 Trump or Hilary I really just want to go to sleep forever but that’s not a beneficial way to live so really I will just continue with how life is because that change isn’t something I can facilitate so hey little Johnny & Suzy congrats on your diploma, high school was really just a popularity contest and a fashion show for you because shit if my diploma meant little then your diploma means jack now and for the future but wait you can grab some solace in the fact that every graduating class after you the value depreciates like a new car driven off the lot, lets throw a bitter party as we work our 3 jobs to not get by really :D meh who needs a merc for some odd jobs?

Stay tuned next week y’all and keep one in the chamber for me fam,

Contract Killa Guerilla aka K. Maryland

PURELY A MATTER OF RELEVANCE - I'M SO BAD WITH GOODBYES (A Open Letter To Any Woman I Have Interacted With)

Happy Monday, guerrillas!  I have left you the last two weeks, and for that I must apologize.  I spent some time house/dogsitting for friends, furthering my liver's training (some call it alcoholism, I try not to nitpick) and trying not to melt in this summer heat.

What I did accomplish during this time was a lot of thinking.  It's the one of the few things including your circulatory and respiratory systems we do involuntarily, even while sleeping.  The mind continues to wander even in your subconscious state, and over the last weeks, my brain has been writing a letter.

This is a "Dear John" letter to any and all it may concern.  I'm not saying goodbye to anyone person in particular, I am more saying goodbye to the feelings I have shared with a few.  This is me cleansing my soul of the weight of these feelings.  Over the past 10 years I have shared my mind, heart and sometimes bed with a few select people.  Some of these amazing people have been girlfriends, some have been flings.  Some might have been just a collection of amazing conversations or a collection of text, emails or other correspondence.  I don't wish to say farewell to any of you, but the mere thought of you, all of you, runs through my mind more than most would expect, and I can't let it go unaddressed for any longer.

I'm So Bad With Goodbyes

It's 3 AM Sunday evening.  Sitting on the edge of my bed, head sunk in between tired shoulders.  The scent of smoldering ash, the warm sensation of a burning cigarette diminishing in my fingertips.  The soft glow of a television screen, laugh tracks echoing throughout the room, the stacked laughter of the dead my only comfort.  The gentle hum of the air conditioner filling the space between the scripted lines and the giggling.  An allegory for my mind; as instincts of sleep and the impulses of insomnia turn my brain into a battlefield, the space between the synapses are consumed by you.

You are where my mind wonders in the dark.  The light shining beyond the veil of my apprehension.  You are where my mind drifts to in the calm sea of indifference.  The buoy balancing in the wake of my desires.  I am appalled by my own inconsistencies, but it speaks true to my ever expanding heart.  I can't get you off of my mind.  Any of you.

Its never one.  One could be managed.  One can be compartmentalized and tucked away deep in the recesses of my mind.  There are too many, so many beautiful people that have entered my life.  Too many angels that have left imprints that I can never ignore.  You all mean more to me than you would ever allow yourself to believe, and I cannot go a day without something as simple as a thought of you does not run through my mind.

It's 3 AM, and my mind wishes to remind me of every nick and scratch on the armor that my heart wears.  The girl I had a crush on in middle school.  My first girlfriend freshman year.  The girl way out of my league I urged up the courage to ask out senior year.  My prom date.  The girl from the bukkake film I starred in.

I remember them all, all of the time (especially the last one, that's an interesting memory).  I feel like that estranged friends and past loves or recent crushes think I could give a shit less and my mind wanders to the dozens of other people trying to occupy my time, but they wouldn't be more wrong.  I carry this sense of discontent that I cannot be more to more people.  This is not a farewell, but more me recognizing my feelings and vocalizing them in hopes of personal retribution.  You all mean so much to me;

• To the ex I dated, loved, lived with and tolerated, a day doesn't go by that I don't think of you.
• To the friend I had the luxury of benefiting from that aside initial apprehension, we both at some point wanted to grow into more before you decided you didn't feel the same way,  I think about you more than I wish.  
• To the rad girl too pretty and pure for this world that I could watch Star Wars with and could always make me smile, and now I must act like it I don't miss your skin, you cross my mind always.  
• The amazing friend I made over social media sites that lead to hours of late night phone conversations, I miss the sound of your voice.
• The beautiful girl from across the bridge that would hang out with me and let me awkwardly sit close to you and make fun of horror movies, I miss that time I kissed you.
• To the gypsy girl of West Philly and our date nights at the theaters, I miss your infectious smile.
• To the fling from New Hope, I miss the fun and wild times.
• The cute girl who orders that same drink when I worked the bar, your personality excited me, and I enjoyed the fun we had and miss the times since I haven't been working there as much.
• The high school friend that I always had a soft spot for, the times we spent together mean so much to me, even if I was an asshole that didn't call back, I think it about it all the time.
• The perfect one from out of state I wouldn't dare pursue, I crush on you hard, and think about it more than someone should
• My most recent ex even.  Listening to pop music now makes me think to times I sent DMs you never have nor ever will respond to.  "Hello from the other side, at least I know that I tried to tell you I'm sorry for breaking you heart."

Maybe it's more because my own heart is broken, maybe I'm an ego-maniacal vagabond with tendencies akin to a sociopath that does things of this nature in a wild guilt ridden sense of attempting to gain absolution.  Or maybe I just genuinely have an overflowing heart that inundates my world with emotions that I need to scoop out with a bucket to empty out the vessel known as my psyche before I drown in my own lament.

There are so many that I didn't list, and if any girl that is reading this has to stop and think if they fit the bill of who I am addressing, you most likely already do.  So many crushes I have on the beautiful specimens of the world.  Looking through your profile pictures and Instagram accounts.  The girl who messages me and the girl I send a message to, what does that smiley face mean?  Should I tell her I think she's pretty, should I ask her out for drinks, should I ask her what sounds she makes when she's really excited and tell her how badly I want to find out?  I'm an over thinker, I'm not sure.  My heart is on my sleeve, and I can hopelessly romanticize almost anything or any moment.

I cannot lie, some of you I harbor just the slightest bit of resentment for.  Girls who told me they loved me to two weeks later tell me they don't feel the same.  Girls who loved to hang out with me, or loved to have sex with me, but weren't okay with dating me.  You know who you are, and it sickens me that I am supposed to be the guy, the rough and tumble man in that situation.  Forced and expected to act that things like that don't bother him.  To save face in spite of his heart being stepped on.

But also the flip side of that coin, I have been the asshole that have had girls tell me they wanted to be more or could totally see themselves being in a relationship with and I stopped calling or texting back.  Or a time when I literally stopped answering my phone because I wasn't sure of the future of what we were, and as stated before, I'm so bad with goodbyes.  I am no saint in this story, I have been on both sides of this discussion; asshole guy and heartbroken loser.

Please don't confuse my words with juvenile and love struck sentiment, though.  I am an adult, and as much as I am shouting into the void, do not take these ambiguities as a VagueBook emotional farce.  I live my life, and go on everyday, I do not harp on nor let my feelings for love gone past hinder my life, nor does it create an overemotional mess that makes it impossible for me to function in relationship scenarios.  Oh, quite the contrary to be exact.  In spite of all of these feelings that pass through my mind, I have developed an understanding of my heart, and have created a way for me to enjoy the simplicity of life and love without losing who I am in the process by investing large portions of emotions into every interaction I make.  There are amazing and beautiful people everywhere, and those that I may talk too I wish nothing but happiness and contention for them all.

I want to be a friend and a person that can enjoy their time around, and frankly, yes, I would fuck your brains out, but if you're not interested, that's fantastic!  I love having friends and people to enjoy, it matters not if you want to have sex, but we're adults, if having sex is on the menu it's never something that I would turn away from..   I want to make out with almost all my friends, you beautiful fucking creatures. Those who cry about the friend zone because they feel they're owed something by giving out friendship (something that every fucking human being should give without expecting a return) are fucking children.  Shave your neck beard and man the fuck up, the friend zone doesn't exist, you're just pathetic.

I digress, this letter is me saying goodbye to the times we had, I wish that the times could continue.  In some senses they will, many of the girls mentioned previously are still good friends of mine, some don't speak to me and I can respect that.  Relationships are hard and the cloudy ambiguity of texting and all of the tone that is lost within it has made communication something of problem in today's society.  Huh, ironic how tools that help us communicate with the world at faster and faster rates also creates a schism when dealing personal communication.  Be bold, be honest, the worst people will say to you is no.  Obviously a pinch of charm, a dash a wit, and a sprinkling of rugged good looks never hurts (it works for me at least), but go out there and make connections.  Make new friends.  Fuck their brains out if that's their thing, or just share some good times over some drinks and karaoke, I don't know, whatever it is you kids enjoy these days.

To every girl I ever shared a long stare with, made laugh at a bad pun or shared an evening with.  To the ones whose hand I held, whose cheek I kissed and whose night I made, I miss you, and at 3 AM when the dust settles on the day and the dawn begins to bring anew, remember, you will be on mind.  I'm so bad with goodbyes, so I'll just say later days.

Reese Dunlap

THE NEW COLOR OF MARVEL

If you were asked who Ironman, Thor, Spider-Man, Captain America are then you’d likely have more than a passing knowledge of these icons, unless  you’ve been living under a rock for the past 6 or 7 decades. How could you not, since nowadays they’re everywhere even if you’re not a comic book nerd you know them. Early this week it came to my attention that Marvel is making another big impact change in their comic story division and its not their first either. News broke that there will be a new Ironman but not just another run of the mill shoe filler to hold the place for a while, this change is to become a staple in the comics main continuity. When I say new Ironman I should technically say Ironwoman, and even more technical than that it should be Irongirl. Tony Stark's replacement is going to be a 15 year old MIT undergrad by the name of Riri Jones. Riri is an African-American teenager who came to Tony’s attention when she reverse engineered his Ironman suits. This is actually not the first race change Marvels done to its main character and its actually not the first gender change either.

Circa October 2014 Sam Wilson, better known as Falcon, picked up the nigh indestructible shield and became the new Captain America officially in Captain America #25. Wilson has been a moderately known member of the Avengers since his debut in the comics back in the 60’s but didn’t grab high notoriety until his role was filled by Anthony Mackie in the hit film Captain America: The Winter Soldier and subsequent roles in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-man, and this years killer blockbuster Captain America: Civil War. But even with that said he didn’t gain popularity points until the nation was brought to the attention that an African American man would go from the point of being a sometime sidekick, to pillar of American culture by filling the role of one of medias most infamous characters.

A personal favorite of mine whose run I  followed in depth was Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-man who now is the main continuity Spider-man for the All New, All Different Avengers which follows the world collision events that was the confusing and unnecessary event called Secret Wars (not the old first Secret Wars from like the 70’s-80’s) but anyway Miles is half African American and half Latino and coming from a highly mixed family he easily became a character I wanted to see progress and not get cancelled as I was connecting with him on that same level. Today he’s the main Spiderman in the comics alongside with the classic Peter Parker Spiderman but to the best of my knowledge Miles actually was the first drastic change therefore paving the way for everything being revamped.

Now XX chromosome side we have along with this new Ironman, we previously had two massive changes i.e. Kamala Khan taking over the role of Ms. Marvel from Carol Danvers, a Muslim middle eastern teenage Jersey girl and then there’s also one Jane Foster taking over the mighty mantle of Thor from….well Thor. These changes have severely shown us that change can happen, can work, and can be permanent. In the real life society where middle eastern people are still prejudiced against because of 9/11 and even more so now for ISIS issues, Kamala really was a risky shot in the dark. But one that showed that Marvel isn’t afraid to defy what makes you comfortable, they’re about what’s right and storytelling. A more noticeable change was, as I said, Jane Foster picking up Mjolnir from her former lover Thor. This is something nobody really saw coming and figured once it was revealed that it would only be a short thing and things would go back to normal, but that’s not the case. They stayed and successfully work so to them I say - kudos to you guys.

One can ask what brought on these changes, but really why ask why and just shut the hell up and read the comics, that’s what we’re all here for and enjoy anyway, right? But if you seriously must know, the editor in chief Axel Alonso has told reporters that this has been in the works for years and is an idea he’s been bouncing around for the a long time. If you want to look deeper than that, then just be aware of the change being kind of a needed or expected thing because its not the 60’s anymore where the starting line up for everything was middle aged white guys, its 2016 and the world is different and the new changes actually fit a more real demographic of: different races, ages, and genders as well as orientations; because let’s not forget we now have a dope Hulk who is Asian by the name of Amadeus Cho, and a few years back we had the first comic book gay wedding with the X-men which wash the kick off predecessor for the big cultural changes in Marvel.

Now this is the new Marvel and all, and I for one am all about it because it shows the progress we’ve so sorely needed in this field, but at the same time I’m not use to it as I’m more accustomed to the Classic Marvel Avenger. The old white guys that wore the unitards are what I grew up, with so its honestly a hard accepted transition. But Marvel is for me, the reader, but it’s not solely for me or about me; it’s for everyone, it’s for the fans before me that had to deal with the changes that are normal to you and me, it’s for the next gen that will just pick up a comic book one day and fall in love with the characters and that will be their status quo. At the end of it all; change is common, change is needed for better or for worse. We are all tired of monotony, and seeing this paradigm shift gave me a whole new feeling that didn’t exactly scare me nor did it quite answerd my prayers, it was new like the feeling you get on new comic book Wednesdays.

Check it out and let me know how you guys feel about this new lineup. Do you love it? Do you hate it?

Stay tuned next week y’all and keep one in the chamber for me fam,

Contract Killa Guerilla aka K. Maryland

TOP TENSDAY: MY TOP TEN FAVORITE TV DRAMAS

Welcome back, kids!  You've clicked the correct buttons on your mobile device so I would be safe in assuming that you didn't lose any digits in any firework incidents this past holiday.  Which is fantastic, because now you can view this week's Top Tensday!

This turn of the wheel, the reader gets to peruse a listing of my favorite TV dramas!  I promise you there will be no spoilers, so feel free to read without fear.  I chose to limit this list to only hour long dramas because my love of cartoons, comedies and anime would be A) exhausting to attempt to whittle the list to ten and B) would not leave enough room to truly do these amazing shows justice.  So without hesitation, I bring you this week's list!

Honorable Mention

Carnivale

This was a great series that never got to truly spread it's wings being canceled abruptly after it's second season.  The age old tale of good vs. evil is spread across the setting of the rural midwest Dust Bowl.  Our protagonist is in the form of a convict on the run hiding withing a traveling carnival full of mystics, shapeshifters, psychics and other supernatural kin with the ability to heal but at the cost of taking the "life force" from his surroundings.  He is unknowingly pitted against the dangerous Brother Justin, a traveling preacher with the power to reveal the hidden sins of man to themselves, resulting in being overpowered by guilt and remorse.  They were set on a collision course of subliminally designed biblical proportions that we were never lucky enough to witness.

Spartacus

 An amazingly fun romp through the sands of Ancient Rome, this short series retold the story of Spartacus in hour long epics of gladiator battle, wanton nudity and colorful language.

With the sudden sickness and subsequent death of titular star Andy Whitfield, producer Sam Raimi intelligently went back and produced a prequel season before finding a proper replacement to finish out the series.  It started slowly, but culminated in season1 finale, "Kill Them All," which is still one of my favorite hours in TV viewing history.

True Detective

It's not often in TV do soft spoken gems emerge like diamonds in the rough sea of syndicated sitcoms and celebrity infused reality shows (there's nothing real about Kardashian, let's be honest}, but every once in awhile TV throws you a curveball and you are treated to magic unfolding in a weekly hourly format.  Such was the case with season 1 of True Detective.  Showcasing the dramatic subtlety of veterans Matthew Mcconaughey and Woody Harrelson, this show fascinated viewers with a veil of mystique and terror that would captivate us for its duration.  A benchmark in storytelling, this a high recommendation for any fans of murder, mystery and eerily magical dialogue.

10. Merlin

 Possibly the most family friendly show on the list, this BBC series ran for 5 seasons,and told the origin story of the world's most famous wizard.  No, not the Boy Who Lived, but the OG man in the pointed hat, Merlin.  Taking cues from ensemble fantasy shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we were treated to weekly adventures of a young Merlin and now Prince Arthur as they attempted to rid the land of Camelot of evil spirits and apparitions.  The glue that held it together was the ongoing arc of Merlin hiding his magic from all besides his trusty mentor, Gauis, and the further foregoing tales of Arthur's relationship with pre-royalty Guinevere, the gathering of the knights of the round table, Excalibur, and prophecies of the future evils of then allies Morgana and Mordrid.

9. Peaky Blinders

Of all of the shows on the list, this is my most recent obsession.  It's so damn good, that when formulating this list there was no doubt in my mind that it would make it.  The show tells the story of the Shelby brothers and friends from Birmingham, England that have returned from WW1 and have become a notorious gang of racketeers.  Cillian Murphy has seemed to grown a hard nosed edge not necessarily perceived in previous roles that makes him a perfect fit as the stalwart leader of the gang, second oldest of the brothers Tommy Shelby.

 (Cillian smoked an estimated 3,000 tea leaf cigarettes during the filming of the most recent season)

With a supporting cast of top notch stars (Sam Neill, Tom Hardy and Ioan Gruffold), Peaky is an under the radar home run that any fan of time pieces, British mobsters or those who likes to see hooligans slash out eyes with razor blades tucked in their peaked hats (hence the title), should check out this awesome series.

8. Vikings

History Channel found a winner with this LOOSELY based true story retelling of the rise of Viking society.  Our hero, visionary, mohawked badass Ragnar Lothbrok, his equally kick ass shield maiden wife Lagertha, two handed axe wielding brother Rollo, and battle tested son Bjorn Ironside set out to pillage and plunder the Western world with a cast of shield mates and future conspirators and mutineers.  Drama is never in short supply when slavery, prophecies and infidelity are at play, and this show does not lack in any of these departments.  The characters, and Ragnar especially, have a cool factor that makes this show a must watch for fans of blood and battle, if it pleases the gods that is.

7. The Walking Dead

(Don't dead, open inside?}

Everyone's favorite post zombie apocalypse drama has most definitely earned it's spot on the list.  Will I say choices the show runners have made that have strayed them off of the amazing path already laid out by the comic book's source material have caused this show to backslide down the list?  Damn straight.  I promised that this list would be spoiler free, and I intend to stick to that, but for a show that has grown notoriety for not being afraid to kill it's main characters, it has dropped the ball... which is sad because said ball shouldn't have dropped; it was set up on a tee, and the barbed wire baseball bat was right there ready to knock it out of the park.

(Swing away, Negan)

Even still, with favorite characters like queen of the wasteland, Carol, crazy Rick (cause I only like Rick when he's at his most unhinged), zombie apocalypse Whoopi Goldberg, and the hillbilly Boondock Saint just to name a few, this show has held my attention now going into it's 7th season, and I don't show any signs of stopping tuning in.

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6. Doctor Who

Now what type of list would this be if I forgot everyone's favorite madman with a box?  Beginning in 1963, Doctor Who has been captivating fans worldwide with tales of aliens and monsters spanning across multiple timelines and dimensions.  With a protagonist that (stole) owns a telephone box that is "bigger on the inside" than can travel anywhere in space and time and that can regenerate after dying, this show created the perfect formula for longevity.  A family show crafted by the minds of the BBC, this heartfelt, fun and fancy free series will rip your heart from your chest, put a cigarette out on it, and leave it in a bin labeled "fuck your feelings."  A show truly not afraid to kill main characters, since, ya know, killing the main character is it's main plot device, this show has been giving nerds and tumblr SuperWhoLock fan fiction authors a traumatic case of the feels since it's triumphant return to regular programming in 2005.

  

Complex and well engineered, this cavalcade of paradoxes will keep you guessing and wanting more, as long as there's no more Clara, we're really sick of her.

 

5. Deadwood

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I blame the tunnel vision like focus of HBO executives on drawing out 8 years of waiting to NOT show Tony Soprano getting his just desserts for the premature cancellation of wonderful programming like Rome, Carnivale and the literal cream of HBO's crop, Deadwood.  I know there are diehard Wire fans that will disagree with me, and honestly, it would be a hard if not impossible argument for me to win.  But where I saw a cop drama unfold with amazing acting and writing, I also saw the obvious; a cop show.  It will always be confined by the box of it's own design.  Now you can counter that this was simply a western, but I would argue that Deadwood was much more than your Roy Rogers romp and even more so than a gritty spaghetti western.  All the complexity of crooked cops and straight shooters and conversely the ins and outs of murderers, mobsters and addicts you would see in your average cop drama got the wild, wild West treatment before layered with on point scripts and memorable characters.

 (Mr. Wu and ain't nothing to fuck with.)

 From the accurate depictions of the death of outlaw Wild Bill Hickock, de facto lawman Seth Bullock, and the wiley and hilarious ways of Calamity Jane, Deadwood delivered week in and week out and yet only survived 3 years in the shadow of north Jersey's favorite wise guy.

 4. Sherlock 

From the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Doctor Who show runners Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss brings us a modern day adaptation of the world's most famous detective, sorry Bats.  The picture above shows the classic look of our beloved hetero but not so hetero team of Watson and Holmes, and I used this photo to aid in my point in why I believe Sherlock is the best written show airing on TV as we speak.  The fast talking, always thinking deduction mastermind Holmes was most recently seen in last years Christmas special, The Abominable Bride.  An episode that took us back to Victorian London that so beautifully bridged the old and new setting as if it had been planned since day one of principal filming.  For any fan of witty, asshole-ish sociopaths, I HIGHLY recommend this show.  With 3 seasons under it's belt, it only has a total of 9 actual episodes.  The great part that each is an hour and a half long, as a miniseries if you will, each story gives you a full arc, and time for it's characters and stories to stretch out it's legs and breathe.  I cannot sing the praises of stars Benedict Cumberland Farms (something like that) and Bilbo Baggins enough.  A fantastic score, superbly directed and superimposed text showcase an attention to detail and production that I just adore.

If you haven't, watch, if you have watched, then watch again.

3. Heroes

Not all the shows on this list have the cleanest of track records.  I will get this out of the way early in this review;  The looming writing strike that Hollywood was faved with a couple of years back affected many films and shows at the time.  None of which faced the nasty backlash of this like Heroes.  I stayed a faithful viewer through the trainwreck that was the shortened and obviously disjointed second season (the season in which the strike directly affected), the smart introduction of Villains of the first half of season 3 and subsequent ball dropping of the second half with the "Fugitives" arc, and the mess that was the final season which you could tell the ship was sinking and the band playing was starting to sound flat.  None of this negativism could remove this show from the list, and I say that with much confidence because of the STELLAR premiering first season.

(Save the cheerleader, save the world.)

To me, the most fun and favorite opening season of any show I have ever watched, Heroes started with so much promise that it would develop into the live action X-Men TV series we all wanted.  Sadly, we weren't so lucky and the show was cancelled before it's true potential could be realized.  Unlike many fan favorite shows, Heroes actually made a return with the Heroes Reborn miniseries. Although I felt the the writers obviously had their heads in the right, it sadly all seemed too little, too late.

2. Game of Thrones

Is anyone surprised?  Honestly, there's probably more surprise that this didn't top the list, but as great as this show is, it has flaws, but c'mon, you thought your book reading, liveblogging, door holding, many faced god praying, white walking, Maisie Williams adoring

(Jesus, take the wheel)

resident GoT fanatic wasn't going to include the unanimously decided most popular show on TV?  Get real.

It all started when I heard that journeyman actor and personal fave of mine, Sean Bean was set to star in a new season.  I figured I would give it the once over, and 10 shocking, incestuous, molten gold pouring, head chopping episodes later, I found myself at the nearest Barnes & Noble's purchasing the entire series of novels.  Everyone knows how much I adore this albeit loose, yet phenomenal adaptation of my favorite books, so I will save you a lengthy diatribe.  What I will say is that it is a wonderful story of politics, betrayal and magic, ripe with murder, dragons and full frontal nudity, and if you decide not to watch it, at least you could learn a thing or two and pick up the books, they are fun and fast reads.  Of course, you don't have to watch it if you don't choose to, just get comfortable under that rock of obscurity you like so much.

1. Breaking Bad

 

If I can, let me take a moment to say how much stress, anxiety and anticipation play a role in what excites me, or the average human being.  We all love a sense of the unknown.  As much as we say we hate it, it's what drives us to continue on living.  Not knowing how successful the outcomes will be is as much a part of the experience as actually making it  It's the adrenaline that pushes us to see things through.

There has never been nor am I sure ever will be a show that created such a palatable sense of tension as Vince Gilligan has served up to us in the form of a gifted chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer that with what seemed no options left decided to get into the meth making business- excuse me, I meant the EMPIRE business.  Each week, I would sit around the glow of the television set yelling into the void, "there's NO WAY Walt and Jesse are going to get out of this."

And every week I was wrong.  An empire is exactly what happened.  An empire of a show that was bestowed upon us.  We were treated week in and out for 5 seasons of crazed turmoil, twisting allegiances, psychotic hitmen, roofed pizzas, and yes Flynn, even breakfast. Teamed with his junkie protege, wigger poster child Jesse Pinkman, Walter White maneuvered the criminal underbelly of New Mexico's crystal meth industry and garnered a following of immense proportions.  Easily one of the most quotable series to date, shot, scored and acted at the highest of levels, this perennial award winning MASTERPIECE of a show is in my humble and irrelevant opinion, the best television show to have ever aired.  So MASH and The Wire can put that in it's pipe and smoke it, but just don't add chili p, I fucking hate chili powder.

Let the argument commence!  Make sure you share, comment and like!  Tell me about my choices and why you're smarter and your choices are better.  Hell, you can even write a blog about it!  Until next week chaps!

Reese Dunlap