The Past, Present and Future of this LA Lakers Squad

Dirk and the boys deserve all the credit for this one.

It’s been more than 24 hours since the Mavs completed their dramatic sweep against the two-time defending champions, and I’ve finally cleared my mind of anger. If I had written this right after the game, it would be an incomprehensible fury-driven rant with no thoughtful insight whatsoever. I decided to wait it out so I could put my ideas into proper sentences.

The more I analyze that game, the more I see how it was representative of the entire Lakers season: inconsistent, unmotivated, stagnant and inexplicable. Anyone that watched even 5 minutes of this series could tell there was something seriously wrong with this team, more than just poor play. Something was happening in the locker room that only those involved with the team truly understood. How could a team that has been through so much together lack chemistry and drive? Where has Kobe’s magic gone? Why did Phil seem relieved after yesterday’s game? All these questions, and more, need to be posed in order to understand where this squad is going, and why they collapsed like they did.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was never any doubt that the Lakers inexcusably lacked drive and consistency all season. As devout fans, we kept telling ourselves to wait for the playoffs. Well, the playoffs have come and gone, and our problems were magnified on the big stage. Is the quest for a threepeat appealing to anyone other than Kobe, or has the team gotten fat and lazy with two rings? How could communication and trust break down so thoroughly after all this squad has been through? I think the answer is a quite simple one that is probably often overlooked and dismissed: loafing. I get it: back to back championships and three straight finals appearances is tiring, and making a fourth straight is a seemingly impossible task. And I get if the Lakers felt like they could coast through certain regular season games, like when they got embarrassed at home against Milwaukee. But the Lakers (i.e. Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant) have always had a very open relationship with the press, and with loafing, inevitably comes failure. With failure, comes blame. Unrighteous tension and mistrust were created by unfair blame and their open relationship with the press just magnified these problems to a point where all trust finally disappeared. Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Phil Jackson – these guys are used to the attention. It doesn’t bother them or get in their heads. Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, the Killer B’s – they aren’t. It clearly affected Pau, judging by his monumentally poor performance this postseason; Drew even voiced the issues to the press after Game 2. Now, you would think that the strong locker room presences of Kobe, Fish and PJ would be able to keep everyone together, but those three also had their problems this season. I have been getting the feeling all season that Phil wasn’t into it. He’s had his eyes set on the prize for months, and the prize wasn’t another championship. Rather, it’s his home in Montana, where he will return to for good in the coming weeks. When your coach and teacher isn’t motivated, it’s tough to persevere. Phil never truly believed in this year - he’s just relieved to get home.

Kobe, on the other hand, has never been more motivated. His goal is singular: more rings. The problem here is that Kobe is not the player he once was. There is no doubt that he is still the leader of this team and one of the best in the league, but he picks his spots very carefully and isn’t as aggressive as he was a couple of seasons ago. In 2006-2007, “Kobe taking over a game” meant dropping 25 in the second half and getting to the line with ease. It was something to fear. Somewhere between then and now, the meaning of “Kobe taking over a game” has changed drastically:  he shoots more, usually in double coverage, and freezes the offense. When Kobe breaks the Triangle at the end of a game, he alienates his teammates because he thinks he can carry his team like he used to do. Like in Game 1 against the Mavs when he had 36 points, not one of them off a layup. That’s not to say that he’s not capable of hitting big shots or that he shouldn’t be given the ball in crunch time, but Kobe MUST adapt to the limitations of his body and recognize the smart play. When you’re double-teamed, SOMEONE’S open – find him and make the pass. Run the offense and establish your bigs. These are all things Kobe has to work on, and I think that this offseason will revitalize him. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a much more vibrant and hungry Kobe next season.

Will Dwight Howard be able to carry the Lakers back to glory?

But who will be playing with him? Right now, the only other untouchable on this lineup is Derek Fisher, but who knows if he still wants to play, especially with a lockout looming. There are a couple of unmovables, like Pau with his $19 million salary next season, and Ron with niche skills and invaluable defense, but I think this team will be torn down and rebuilt over the next couple of seasons with Kobe as the veteran leader. Note how I said “veteran leader” and not “first option and best player”.  Kobe’s not going anywhere – he will retire a Laker and likely get very involved with the franchise after he’s done. But he needs someone to relieve the pressure from his worn old shoulders.  Well, no one in the league has broader shoulders than Dwight Howard, who I see becoming a Laker within the next two seasons. Let’s ignore all Shaquille O’Neal comparisons and look only at Dwight’s current situation and the Lakers’ current situation: Dwight is undoubtedly the most talented and dominant big man we have seen since Shaq was in his prime. A couple of years ago, we were unsure of Dwight’s offensive potential. We thought maybe he was destined to be someone who cleans the glass and gets easy buckets off misses, but never someone with a finesse game and fancy footwork. Orlando made a fatal error in underestimating his talent, and they built their team as a jump shooting team to compliment Dwight’s presence down low.  They figured he’d be there to clean up the garbage. Well, times have changed, and Dwight asserted himself more than ever this season as a multidimensional player with a much more refined low post game, and now Orlando is stuck with a poorly built team and a franchise player that doesn’t get half the touches he should. On top of that, he played sublime basketball in the first round, only to get ousted by the Hawks. His supporting cast didn’t “support” him very much at all. Dwight needs a change of scenery.

Now, let’s look at the Lakers: clear trust issues (as I mentioned before) and a dire need to rebuild. Their second option, Pau, has shown that he is not capable of carrying this team after Kobe retires and Shaq has shown us how effective the Triangle offense can be when run through a dominating big man. Also, Kobe needs someone to carry the brunt of the scoring load and the Lakers need to clean house. After that playoff performance from Bynum, his trade value has never been higher. And to those of you that are worried about his knees, I think that spraining it in the second last game of the season and coming back to play the way he did proves that he is healthy now, and a summer of rest will only help. Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom are also very valuable trade chips that would probably need to be included in any potential trade. And let’s be real here folks: Dwight Howard should be in L.A. He relishes the limelight and would thrive as the centre of attention in such a big city. A big city for a big guy with big dreams.

Kobe Bryant isn't the player he once was. Will he do what is needed to secure his legacy?

           What happens then? What happens when Dwight comes to Los Angeles? Let me tell you a story: I had a dog. His name was Spike and he died last year at 15 years of age. He was never really sick, just old with bad arthritis. When he died, I was more relieved than sad. Relieved that he was no longer in pain, and proud that he had such a long and beautiful life. When Spike was 11, my sister brought home a puppy. The little shit disturber had so much energy, perhaps too much for an old dog like Spike. But then, they became friends and I noticed his energy levels picked up. Now, this puppy was getting a lot of attention, and Spike occasionally would get jealous and demand some attention as well. It was never very much, but it made him happy because it reminded him that it was still his house and his family. I have no doubt in my mind this puppy added many years onto Spike’s life. Shortly before Spike died, my brother brought home ANOTHER puppy, this one with a lot more energy than the first. At this point, it had become quite clear that the attention that was once showered upon Spike would never return. I think it was thent that he really threw in the towel. Now that he’s gone, I look back upon his life fondly, and thank him for all the happiness he brought my family, but I also look forward to playing with the puppies when I get home. This is what I see happening to Kobe Bryant. He will always be loved and revered and respected in LA, and I think a young, hungry soul like Dwight would extend his career into the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar territory, but as soon as a second hungry young-gun comes to LA, Kobe will realize his time there is up and retire. He is too proud to be relegated to the bench. However, when he retires, he will at least know that he is putting this franchise in good hands.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            I’ve watched the Lakers religiously for 10 years, with special focus on the last 4, but I can tell you that a second threepeat would have been too perfect. Too perfect a retirement party for Phil Jackson, too perfect a career for Kobe Bryant. My one hope is that people finally stop comparing Kobe to MJ. It’s an unfair comparison. MJ was MJ and did things only MJ could ever do. He is the greatest of all-time and was the face of the Association for a decade.  He won six rings, all part of threepeats and all with Phil. Kobe is Kobe. He did things only Kobe could do, and a fair comparison is needed to compare his and MJ’s careers. But for their careers to mirror each other’s so perfectly – both coached by PJ, both involved in scandals (rape/gambling), hypercompetitive guards with an eerily similar repertoire of moves – would be unjust to both of them. It’s only fair that Kobe take the backseat on this ride.

Excuses and apologies

I'd like to apologize for not posting anything new for some time. Truth is, I've been listening to Lateralus for 2 straight weeks non-stop. I'm starting to listen to some more jazz, though, so I may be writing something on that soon.

More to come...

Lateralus (2001) - Tool

Track List
1. The Grudge

2. Eon Blue Apocalypse

3. The Patient

4. Mantra

5. Schism

6. Parabol

7. Parabola

8. Ticks & Leeches

9. Lateralus

10. Disposition

11. Reflection

12. Triad

13. Faaip De Oiad

                                                                   

Let’s start this whole blogging thing right from the top. Lateralus is one of my favourite albums of the aughts, and was also the album that got me into prog metal. I remember the first time I heard “Schism” I was blown away by the complex rhythm changes and overall beautiful cohesive sound of the group. It’s really incredible how each member of Tool manages to make their part so complex and yet maintain such beautiful unity with the others. They are all on completely the same page, and you have to applaud them for their professionalism.

My favourite track on the album is probably the first, “The Grudge”. I wake up to this track every morning, and it sounds like an angry tribe of cannibalistic Indians has raided my room and placed me on the sacrificial altar. Suffice it to say it wakes me up quite well. This track is completely driven by Danny Carey’s epic drumming. Every beat courses through you like a lightning strike. Around 3:21, the build up begins, slowly peaks then breaks down at around 4:50, where we’ve got a nice little instrumental interlude. The best part has got to be at 6:50 when Maynard James Keenan, lead vocalist, lets out this primal scream that is enough to scare the shit out of anyone. A pulsing beat and intricate guitar work contribute to making this song a must-hear on my list.

The next track that matters is “The Patient”, which seems to be an interesting play on words. On the surface, it’s about some patient whose patience is being tested by the tedium and length of the tests being performed on him. He decides to “wait it out” because of the rewards that wait for him at the end of his journey. Who knows what Maynard is really talking about, but this song is truly haunting. Its got this eerie/sad/pained vibe to it – to be honest, its kind of reminiscent of the story of Job, whose faith and patience were tested by God through a series of horribly cruel punishments. God basically made some dumbass bet with the Devil that Job would always remain faithful no matter what God threw at him. So God decides to decimate Job’s farm and kill his family and livestock. Pretty interesting parallel, although I really don’t know if that’s what MJK was going for. When I hear this song, I like to close my eyes and concentrate on the melody… it puts me into a sort of meditative state. Reminds me to persevere through the ten inches of shit sometimes put in my path.

Next up is “Mantra”: this is a true testament to the eccentricity of Tool. Maynard squeezed his cat once and the cat appropriately let out a yelp. Maynard found this sound to be hysterical, slowed it down, and named it “Mantra”. I don’t know what to tell you.

The most popular single from Lateralus is no doubt “Schism”. This track is truly exceptional in its musicality. Just thinking of the time changes makes me want to vomit: apparently, it’s in 13/16 time (according to Wikipedia), with a multitude of time changes throughout the song. As the name suggests, the lyrics deal with some sort of schism Maynard sees in humanity. Some people think he’s talking about religion, others say relationships. In my opinion, its about all of that. The line that makes everything clear to me is “cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion between supposed brothers, between supposed lovers”. Basically, relationships of any kind need to be maintained like a well-manicured lawn. If you leave them unattended, they will disintegrate and the so-called schism opens up. This also refers to one’s relationship with God – if you don’t keep up your relationship, the schism grows to be too wide and nearly impossible to cross. Interesting concepts, meaningful lyrics and very complex rhythms.

For the sake of this review, let’s combine “Parabol” and “Parabola”. “Parabol” is a short, soft lead-in to “Parabola”, which features a heavier electric guitar and more pulsing sound. The themes from the first carry on into the second, but are slightly more amplified, both lyrically and musically. The theme seems to be sex, but not the physical act. Rather, MJK seems to be focusing on the reminders sex brings – “this body holding me, reminding me that I am not alone”. The closest you will ever get to someone, intimately, is through sex. MJK is saying that sex serves as a reminder that we are not alone. All of this pain and suffering is just an illusion, because we are eternal. Memories of us will live on well after we are gone. He's trying to think from an eternal outlook, which is a new concept to me.

“Ticks & Leeches” is next and, boy, this is an angry fucking song. It’s literally about ticks and leeches stealing our blood, but there is clearly a deeper meaning (as with every Tool song). At 3:26, the song slows down beautifully and there is a nice little interlude. The peace lasts for a minute and a half before the band comes back with one of the angriest sequences I have heard in any song ever (and that’s saying a lot).  I’ve heard that this song is actually about the record company screwing with Tool, and I could see how that would make them angry. But, come on, the anger here is palpable. The last words: “I hope you choke”. ‘Nuff said.

NEXT is the big one, the title track, and probably my track pick on the album: “Lateralus”. You really get to appreciate Danny Carey in this song. I mean, this guy is probably one of the top five living drummers in the world, and you really get to hear it on this song. His rhythms are unbelievably intricate and impossibly difficult. What’s really cool about this song is how the lyrics are laid out. The syllables for the first bit of the song are separated in a manner that imitates the Fibonacci sequence. The Fibonacci sequence is when the next number in the series is the sum of the previous two. So, for example, it would start 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 etc. Apparently, this was all intentional. I’m not too sure the meaning of it, but it’s still really freaking cool. This track basically deals with the dangers of taking things at face value – “Black and white are all I see/in my infancy/ red and yellow then came to be”. At first, we take everything at face value. As we mature, colours appear in our analyses and it elevates our knowledge. It’s all about lateral thinking, probably where the name “Lateralus” came from.

The next three tracks, “Disposition”, “Reflection” and “Triad” are what I imagine a prog metal jam session to be like. Only, on acid. “Reflection” is driven by a really cool drumbeat that I can’t even explain – just check it out. The lyrics are about letting go of your ego and elevating to a higher realm of spirituality. Some pretty deep shit, and it’s a good song to listen to when you are feeling discouraged. The other two tracks are basically instrumental, but beautifully complex, and I can only imagine how they must sound live (a dream of mine is to see Tool live.  Their light show is probably out of this world).

“Faaip De Oiad” is completely terrifying and should only be listened to in the daytime, if at all. It’s a phone call of some dude ranting and raving about “extra-dimensional beings” and some conspiracy theory at Area 51. Faaid De Oiad means Voice of God in Enochian, which is an occultist language that supposedly was biblical roots. I usually stay away from this track because, to be honest, it scares the shit out of me.

Anyways, I guess that’s the end of the album, and I should probably wrap up. Next time you are bored on a Wednesday night, and you’re in the mood for a musical journey, you should smoke a bowl and listen to Lateralus. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything but listening to the album – make it the activity of the night. Just close your eyes and listen. I promise it's more interesting then most of the shit on TV nowadays (except Mythbusters, that show rocks).

Here are some links, if you are interested into looking more into the album:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS7CZIJVxFY - Lateralus and the Fibonacci sequence

http://allmusic.com/album/lateralus-r528279 - I don’t think they go into enough detail – this album deserves more.

http://www.amazon.ca/Lateralus-Tool/dp/B00005LAIB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295132680&sr=8-1 – if you want to buy the album.

http://www.nutsie.com/playlist/Tool%20-%20Lateralus/981637 - if you want to listen to it online - I would recommend buying it because the artwork is exceptional. Speaking of artwork...

http://toolshed.down.net/pix/official.html - scroll down to "Lateralus" to take a look at this incredible artwork by Alex Grey.

Intros and Hellos

Hello everyone, welcome to my blog!
My name is Zack, and I love music. Pretty generic, right?
Not so much. To be honest, I listen to everything. That means everything from Bach to Radiohead to Townes Van Zandt to Joe Henderson to Rammstein. Really, the only exception is Kanye West, and that's because his breathtaking douche-baggery has tainted his music.
I'm creating this blog because I want everyone to hear what I hear when I listen to music. People will hear death metal and think it's shit, same with jazz. They just don't know what to listen for. I want to share that with you guys.
I'm going to write album reviews on whatever I'm listening to at the time, and it truly varies by the day. Any album I write about, you should listen to.
Anyways, I think that's all for now. I'll come back tomorrow with a review.
Cheers,
Z