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Complete List Of Nominations For The 58th Grammy Awards

Monkeys Fighting Robots

The Recording Academy announced nominations for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards Monday morning.

Kendrick Lamar leads nominations with 11, followed by Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, who each earn seven. Music producer/songwriter Max Martin receives six nominations and mastering engineer Tom Coyne, rapper Drake, and engineers/mixers Serban Ghenea and John Hanes each earn five nominations.

The Grammys will be held Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Is your favorite artist on the list?

RECORD OF THE YEAR

Really Love
D’Angelo And The Vanguard
D’Angelo, producer; Russell Elevado & Ben Kane, engineers/mixers; Dave Collins, mastering engineer
Track from: Black Messiah
Label: RCA Records

Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
Jeff Bhasker, Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson, producers; Josh Blair, Serban Ghenea, Wayne Gordon, John Hanes, Inaam Haq, Boo Mitchell, Charles Moniz & Mark Ronson, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
Track from: Uptown Special
Label: RCA Records

Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran
Jake Gosling, producer; Jake Gosling, Mark ‘Spike’ Stent & Geoff Swan, engineers/mixers; Stuart Hawkes, mastering engineer
Track from: X
Label: Atlantic

Blank Space
Taylor Swift
Max Martin & Shellback, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Sam Holland & Michael Ilbert, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
Track from: 1989
Label: Big Machine Records

Can’t Feel My Face
The Weeknd
Max Martin & Ali Payami, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Sam Holland, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
Label: Republic

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Sound & Color
Alabama Shakes
Alabama Shakes & Blake Mills, producers; Shawn Everett, engineer/mixer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer
Label: ATO Records

To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Bilal, George Clinton, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody, Snoop Dogg, Thundercat & Anna Wise, featured artists; Taz Arnold, Boi-1Da, Ronald Colson, Larrance Dopson, Flying Lotus, Fredrik “Tommy Black” Halldin, Knxwledge, Koz, Lovedragon, Terrace Martin, Rahki, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Thundercat, Whoarei & Pharrell Williams, producers; Derek “Mixedbyali” Ali, Thomas Burns, James “The White Black Man” Hunt, 9th Wonder & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
Label: TDE/Aftermath/Interscope

Traveller
Chris Stapleton
Dave Cobb & Chris Stapleton, producers; Vance Powell, engineer/mixer; Pete Lyman, mastering engineer
Label: Mercury Nashville

1989
Taylor Swift
Jack Antonoff, Nathan Chapman, Imogen Heap, Max Martin, Mattman & Robin, Ali Payami, Shellback, Taylor Swift, Ryan Tedder & Noel Zancanella, producers; Jack Antonoff, Mattias Bylund, Smith Carlson, Nathan Chapman, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Imogen Heap, Sam Holland, Michael Ilbert, Brendan Morawski, Laura Sisk & Ryan Tedder, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
Label: Big Machine Records

Beauty Behind The Madness
The Weeknd
Lana Del Rey, Labrinth & Ed Sheeran, featured artists; Dannyboystyles, Ben Diehl, Labrinth, Mano, Max Martin, Stephan Moccio, Carlo Montagnese, Ali Payami, The Pope, Jason Quenneville, Peter Svensson, Abel Tesfaye & Kanye West, producers; Jay Paul Bicknell, Mattias Bylund, Serban Ghenea, Noah Goldstein, John Hanes, Sam Holland, Jean Marie Horvat, Carlo Montagnese, Jason Quenneville & Dave Reitzas, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne & Dave Kutch, mastering engineers
Label: Republic

SONG OF THE YEAR

Alright
Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
Label: TDE/Aftermath/Interscope; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp., TDE Music, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, EMI Music Inc., More Water From Nazareth, Sounwave TDE Productions, SonyATV

Blank Space
Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
Track from: 1989
Label: Big Machine Records; Publisher(s): Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Taylor Swift Music/MXM admin. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, Inc.

Girl Crush
Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
Track from: Pain Killer
Label: Capitol Records Nashville; Publisher(s): Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Songs Of Crazy Girl Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., Hoodie Songs, HillarodyRathbone Music admin. by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

See You Again
Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
Track from: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Label: Atlantic; Publisher(s): Artist Publishing Group West/J Franks Publishing/Andrew Cedar Publishing admin. by WB Music Corp./Wiz Khalifa Publishing admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Charlie Puth Music Publishing/Artist 101 Publishing Group admin. by Warner Chappell Music, Universal Pictures Music, UPG Music Publishing

Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
Track from: X
Label: Atlantic; Publisher(s): Sony/ATV Music Publishing/BDi Music Limited

BEST NEW ARTIST

Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

Heartbeat Song
Kelly Clarkson
Track from: Piece By Piece
Label: RCA Records/19 Recordings Limited

Love Me Like You Do
Ellie Goulding
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Label: Republic

Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran
Track from: X
Label: Atlantic

Blank Space
Taylor Swift
Track from: 1989
Label: Big Machine Records

Can’t Feel My Face
The Weeknd
Track from: Beauty Behind The Madness
Label: Republic

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

Ship To Wreck
Florence + The Machine
Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Label: Republic

Sugar
Maroon 5
Track from: V
Label: 222 Records/Interscope

Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
Track from: Uptown Special
Label: RCA Records

Bad Blood
Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Label: Big Machine Records

See You Again
Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth
Track from: Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Label: Atlantic

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM

The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern
Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap
Label: RPM Records/Columbia Records

Shadows In The Night
Bob Dylan
Label: Columbia

Stages
Josh Groban
Label: Reprise

No One Ever Tells You
Seth MacFarlane
Label: Republic

My Dream Duets
Barry Manilow (& Various Artists)
Label: Verve Music Group

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

Piece By Piece
Kelly Clarkson
Label: 19/RCA

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Florence + The Machine
Label: Republic

Uptown Special
Mark Ronson
Label: RCA Records

1989
Taylor Swift
Label: Big Machine Records

Before This World
James Taylor
Label: Concord Records

BEST DANCE RECORDING

We’re All We Need
Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
Andrew Bayer, Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness & Paavo Siljamäki, producers; Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness & Paavo Siljamäki, mixers
Label: Ultra/Anjunabeats

Go
The Chemical Brothers
Tom Rowlands & Ed Simons, producers; Steve Dub Jones & Tom Rowlands, mixers
Label: Astralwerks

Never Catch Me
Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Steven Ellison, producer; Kevin Marques Moo, mixer
Track from: You’re Dead!
Label: Warp Records

Runaway (U & I)
Galantis
Linus Eklöw, Christian Karlsson & Svidden, producers; Linus Eklöw, Niklas Flyckt & Christian Karlsson, mixers
Track from: Pharmacy
Label: Big Beat/Atlantic

Where Are Ü Now
Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber
Sonny Moore & Thomas Pentz, producers; Sonny Moore & Thomas Pentz, mixers
Track from: Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü
Label: Owsla/Mad Decent/Atlantic

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM

Our Love
Caribou
Label: Merge Records

Born In The Echoes
The Chemical Brothers
Label: Astralwerks

Caracal
Disclosure
Label: Capitol Records

In Colour
Jamie XX
Label: Young Turks Recordings

Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü
Skrillex And Diplo
Label: Owsla/Mad Decent/Atlantic

BEST CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Guitar In The Space Age!
Bill Frisell
Label: Okeh

Love Language
Wouter Kellerman
Label: Listen 2 Entertainment Group

Afrodeezia
Marcus Miller
Label: Blue Note Records

Sylva
Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest
Label: Impulse!

The Gospel According To Jazz, Chapter IV
Kirk Whalum
Label: Mack Avenue Records

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE

Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes
Label: ATO Records

What Kind Of Man
Florence + The Machine
Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Label: Republic

Something From Nothing
Foo Fighters
Track from: Sonic Highways
Label: RCA Records

Ex’s & Oh’s
Elle King
Track from: Love Stuff
Label: RCA Records

Moaning Lisa Smile
Wolf Alice
Track from: My Love Is Cool
Label: RCA Records/Dirty Hit

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE

Identity
August Burns Red
Label: Fearless Records

Cirice
Ghost
Label: Loma Vista Recordings

512
Lamb Of God
Track from: VII: Sturm Und Drang
Label: Epic Records

Thank You
Sevendust
Label: 7Bros Records

Custer
Slipknot
Track from: .5: The Gray Chapter
Label: Roadrunner Records

BEST ROCK SONG

Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes, songwriters (Alabama Shakes)
Label: ATO Records; Publisher(s): Alabama Shakes Publishing/Break Mirrors Music

Ex’s & Oh’s
Dave Bassett & Elle King, songwriters (Elle King)
Track from: Love Stuff
Label: RCA Records; Publisher(s): Elle King Music/EMI Music Publishing, Inc./Bassett Songs/EMI April Music, Inc.

Hold Back The River
Iain Archer & James Bay, songwriters (James Bay)
Track from: Chaos And The Calm
Label: Republic; Publisher(s): B-Unique/Kobalt/Iain Archer/Kobalt

Lydia
Richard Meyer, Ryan Meyer & Johnny Stevens, songwriters (Highly Suspect)
Track from: Mister Asylum
Label: 300 Entertainment; Publisher(s): MCID

What Kind Of Man
John Hill, Tom Hull & Florence Welch, songwriters (Florence + The Machine)
Track from: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Label: Republic; Publisher(s): Rodeoman Music/EMI April Music/Universal Music Publishing

BEST ROCK ALBUM

Chaos And The Calm
James Bay
Label: Republic

Kintsugi
Death Cab For Cutie
Label: Atlantic

Mister Asylum
Highly Suspect
Label: 300 Entertainment

Drones
Muse
Label: Warner Bros. Records

.5: The Gray Chapter
Slipknot
Label: Roadrunner Records

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

Sound & Color
Alabama Shakes
Label: ATO Records

Vulnicura
Björk
Label: One Little Indian

The Waterfall
My Morning Jacket
Label: Capitol Records

Currents
Tame Impala
Label: Interscope

Star Wars
Wilco
Label: Anti/Dbpm

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE

If I Don’t Have You
Tamar Braxton
Track from: Calling All Lovers
Label: Epic Records

Rise Up
Andra Day
Track from: Cheers To The Fall
Label: Warner Bros. Records

Breathing Underwater
Hiatus Kaiyote
Track from: Choose Your Weapon
Label: Flying Buddha / Sony Masterworks

Planes
Jeremih Featuring J. Cole
Label: Def Jam Recordings

Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
The Weeknd
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Label: Universal Studios/Republic Records

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE

He Is
Faith Evans
Track from: Incomparable
Label: Prolific Music Group/BMG

Little Ghetto Boy
Lalah Hathaway
Label: Entertainment One/8Th Floor

Let It Burn
Jazmine Sullivan
Track from: Reality Show
Label: RCA Records

Shame
Tyrese
Label: Voltron Recordz

My Favorite Part Of You
Charlie Wilson
Track from: Forever Charlie
Label: RCA Records

BEST R&B SONG

Coffee
Brook Davis & Miguel Pimentel, songwriters (Miguel)
Track from: Wildheart
Label: RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment; Publisher(s): Art Dealer Chic, Pop Killer/Dleaurean

Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Label: Universal Studios/Republic Records; Publisher(s): SONGS Music Publishing, LLC, o/b/o Songs Of SMP, Songs Of Universal,
Inc. and Sing Little Penguin, Universal Music Corp, CP Music Group, Inc., Universal Pictures Music and UPG Music Publishing

Let It Burn
Kenny B. Edmonds, Jazmine Sullivan & Dwane M. Weir II, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)
Track from: Reality Show
Label: RCA Records; Publisher(s): JazLady Publishing, Dwane M. Weir II/Sean Michael Anderson Music LLC/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Sony/ATV Songs LLC

Really Love
D’Angelo & Kendra Foster, songwriters (D’Angelo And The Vanguard)
Track from: Black Messiah
Label: RCA Records; Publisher(s): Ah Choo Music Publishing/12:00 AM Music admin. by Universal Polygram International Publishing, Ear Kandy Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Shame
Warryn Campbell, Tyrese Gibson & DJ Rogers Jr, songwriters (Tyrese)
Label: Voltron Recordz; Publisher(s): Peer Music/Sounds From The Soul/Campbell Kids Music/Warner Chappell/@PenTorious D.J. Rogers Jr. Sounds From The Soul/Gibson & Gibson Music Publishing

BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM

Ego Death
The Internet
Label: Odd Future/Columbia

You Should Be Here
Kehlani
Label: Tsunami Mob/Atlantic

Blood
Lianne La Havas
Label: Nonesuch

Wildheart
Miguel
Label: RCA Records/ByStorm Entertainment

Beauty Behind The Madness
The Weeknd
Label: Republic

BEST R&B ALBUM

Coming Home
Leon Bridges
Label: Columbia Records

Black Messiah
D’Angelo And The Vanguard
Label: RCA Records

Cheers To The Fall
Andra Day
Label: Warner Bros. Records

Reality Show
Jazmine Sullivan
Label: RCA Records

Forever Charlie
Charlie Wilson
Label: RCA Records

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

Apparently
J. Cole
Track from: 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Label: Roc Nation/Columbia Records

Back to Back
Drake
Label: Cash Money Records

Trap Queen
Fetty Wap
Track from: Fetty Wap
Label: 300 Entertainment/RGF Productions

Alright
Kendrick Lamar
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
Label: Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath Records/Interscope Records

Truffle Butter
Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
Track from: The Pinkprint
Label: Young Money/Cash Money

All Day
Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney
Label: Def Jam Recordings

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION

One Man Can Change The World
Big Sean Featuring Kanye West & John Legend
Track from: Dark Sky Paradise
Label: Universal/Def Jam

Glory
Common & John Legend
Label: Def Jam Recordings

Classic Man
Jidenna Featuring Roman GianArthur
Label: Epic Records

These Walls
Kendrick Lamar Featuring Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
Label: Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath Records/Interscope Records

Only
Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown
Track from: The Pinkprint
Label: Young Money/Cash Money

BEST RAP SONG

All Day
Ernest Brown, Tyler Bryant, Sean Combs, Mike Dean, Rennard East, Noah Goldstein, Malik Yusef Jones, Karim Kharbouch, Allan Kyariga, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Victor Mensah, Charles Njapa, Che Pope, Patrick Reynolds, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, Mario Winans & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney)
Label: Def Jam Recordings; Publisher(s): Please Gimme My Publishing/EMI Blackwood Music Inc./MPL Communications Inc./TYLER BRANT PUBLISHING/WB Music Corp./ Hard Working Black Folks Inc./Top Dawg Music/Excuse My French Music/EMI Blackwood Music Inc./Monarch Music/Abou Thiam Publishing/Victor Kwesi Mensah Publishing Designee/ALLEN KYARIGA/EMI Blackwood Music o/b/o Papa George Publishing/Kaya and Ethan Music/Primary Wave Brian/Noah Goldstein admin. by Reach Music Publishing/Ritter Boy LLC/Mario Winans Publishing Designee/Broken Locks/Songs of Universal Inc./Jabriel Iz Myne /Universal Music/Patrick Reynolds Publishing Designee/Smooth Thug Music/Noel Ellis Publishing Designee/Justin Combs Music Publishing administered by EMI April
Music

Alright
Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
Track from: To Pimp A Butterfly
Label: TDE/Aftermath/Interscope; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp., TDE Music, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, EMI Music Inc., More Water From Nazareth, Sounwave TDE Productions, SonyATV

Energy
Richard Dorfmeister, A. Graham, Markus Kienzl, M. O’Brien, M. Samuels & Phillip Thomas, songwriters (Drake)
Track from: If Youre Reading This Its Too Late
Label: Young Money/Cash Money; Publisher(s): Sandra Gale/EMI Music Publishing, 1damentional publishing LLC/Sony/ATV Tunes, LLC, Matthew O’Brien/otek north/WB Music Corp./Jack Russell Music Ltd./Notting Hill Music Ltd.

Glory
Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
Track from: Selma (Music From The Motion Picture)
Label: Universal/Def Jam; Publisher(s): Paramount Pictures/Pathe Productions Limited

Trap Queen
Tony Fadd & Willie J. Maxwell, songwriters (Fetty Wap)
Track from: Fetty Wap
Label: 300 Entertainment/RGF Productions; Publisher(s): RGF Publishing, Zoovier, BMG Gold Songs, Tony Fadd Beats

BEST RAP ALBUM

2014 Forest Hills Drive
J. Cole
Label: Roc Nation/Columbia Records

Compton
Dr. Dre
Label: Aftermath/Interscope

If Youre Reading This Its Too Late
Drake
Label: Cash Money/Young Money

To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Label: Aftermath/Interscope

The Pinkprint
Nicki Minaj
Label: Young Money/Cash Money

BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE

Burning House
Cam
Track from: Welcome To Cam Country
Label: Sony Music Entertainment

Traveller
Chris Stapleton
Track from: Traveller
Label: Mercury Nashville

Little Toy Guns
Carrie Underwood
Track from: Greatest Hits: Decade #1
Label: 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville

John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
Keith Urban
Label: Capitol Records Nashville

Chances Are
Lee Ann Womack
Track from: The Way I’m Livin’
Label: Sugar Hill Records

BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

Stay A Little Longer
Brothers Osborne
Label: EMI Records Nashville

If I Needed You
Joey+Rory
Track from: Country Classics
Label: Gaither Music Group

The Driver
Charles Kelley, Dierks Bentley & Eric Paslay
Label: Capitol Records Nashville

Girl Crush
Little Big Town
Track from: Pain Killer
Label: Capitol Records Nashville

Lonely Tonight
Blake Shelton Featuring Ashley Monroe
Label: Warner Bros

BEST COUNTRY SONG

Chances Are
Hayes Carll, songwriter (Lee Ann Womack)
Track from: The Way I’m Livin’
Label: Sugar Hill Records; Publisher(s): Highway 87 Music admin. by BMG/Chrysalis

Diamond Rings And Old Barstools
Barry Dean, Luke Laird & Jonathan Singleton, songwriters (Tim McGraw)
Track from: Sundown Heaven Town
Label: Big Machine Records/McGraw Music; Publisher(s): Songs of Universal, Inc./Creative Nation Music/Twangin and Slangin Songs/Country Paper/Pulse Nation/BMG Gold Songs /Glassbean/We Jam Writers Group

Girl Crush
Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
Track from: Pain Killer
Label: Capitol Records Nashville; Publisher(s): Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Songs Of Crazy Girl Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., Hoodie Songs, HillarodyRathbone Music admin. by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

Hold My Hand
Brandy Clark & Mark Stephen Jones, songwriters (Brandy Clark)
Track from: 12 Stories
Label: Warner Bros Records; Publisher(s): Songs of Parallel/Vista Loma Music admin. by Amplified Administration and Harlan
Howard Songs

Traveller
Chris Stapleton, songwriter (Chris Stapleton)
Track from: Traveller
Label: Mercury Nashville; Publisher(s): WB Music Corp./Ken Tucky Music

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

Montevallo
Sam Hunt
Label: MCA Nashville

Pain Killer
Little Big Town
Label: Capitol Records Nashville

The Blade
Ashley Monroe
Label: Warner Bros.

Pageant Material
Kacey Musgraves
Label: Mercury Nashville

Traveller
Chris Stapleton
Label: Mercury Records

BEST NEW AGE ALBUM

Grace
Paul Avgerinos
Label: Round Sky Music

Bhakti Without Borders
Madi Das
Label: Kuli Mela

Voyager
Catherine Duc
Label: MG Music Ltd

Love
Peter Kater
Label: Mysterium Music

Asia Beauty
Ron Korb
Label: Humbledragon

BEST IMPROVISED JAZZ SOLO

Giant Steps
Joey Alexander, soloist
Track from: My Favorite Things
Label: Motema Music

Cherokee
Christian McBride, soloist
Track from: Live At The Village Vanguard (Christian McBride Trio)
Label: Mack Avenue Records

Arbiters Of Evolution
Donny McCaslin, soloist
Track from: The Thompson Fields (Maria Schneider Orchestra)
Label: ArtistShare

Friend Or Foe
Joshua Redman, soloist
Track from: The Bad Plus Joshua Redman (The Bad Plus Joshua Redman)
Label: Nonesuch

Past Present
John Scofield, soloist
Track from: Past Present
Label: Impulse!

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM

Many A New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein
Karrin Allyson
Label: Motema Music

Find A Heart
Denise Donatelli
Label: Savant Records

Flirting With Disaster
Lorraine Feather
Label: Jazzed Media

Jamison
Jamison Ross
Label: Concord Jazz

For One To Love
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Label: Mack Avenue Records

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

My Favorite Things
Joey Alexander
Label: Motema Music

Breathless
Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective
Label: Blue Note Records

Covered: Recorded Live At Capitol Studios
Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio
Label: Blue Note Records

Beautiful Life
Jimmy Greene
Label: Mack Avenue Records

Past Present
John Scofield
Label: Impulse!

BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM

Lines Of Color
Gil Evans Project
Label: Blue Note/ArtistShare

Köln
Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band
Label: Alternate Side Records

Cuba: The Conversation Continues
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Label: Motema Music

The Thompson Fields
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Label: ArtistShare

Home Suite Home
Patrick Williams
Label: BFM Jazz

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM

Made In Brazil
Eliane Elias
Label: Concord Jazz

Impromptu
The Rodriguez Brothers
Label: Criss Cross Jazz

Suite Caminos
Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Label: 5Passion

Intercambio
Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet
Label: Patois Records

Identities Are Changeable
Miguel Zenón
Label: Miel Music

BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE/SONG

Worth [Live]
Anthony Brown & Group Therapy; Anthony Brown, songwriter
Track from: Everyday Jesus [Live]
Label: Tyscot Records; Publisher(s): Key Of A Music/Tyscot Music

Wanna Be Happy?
Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
Label: RCA Records/Fo Yo Soul Recordings; Publisher(s): Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing admin. by Universal Music-Brentwood
Benson Songs and Irving Music, Inc. admin. by Universal Music Publishing

Intentional
Travis Greene; Travis Greene, songwriter
Label: RCA Inspiration; Publisher(s): Greenlight InternationalVNavidavi Music

How Awesome Is Our God [Live]
Israel & Newbreed Featuring Yolanda Adams; Neville Diedericks, Israel Houghton & Meleasa Houghton, songwriters
Track from: Covered: Alive In Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
Label: RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration; Publisher(s): Integrity’s Praise! Music, RGM-Newbreed Publishing, Sound Of The New Breed, Aaron Lindsey Publishing, CCMG Publishing, Neville D. Publishing

Worth Fighting For [Live]
Brian Courtney Wilson; Aaron Lindsey & Brian Courtney Wilson, songwriters
Track from: Worth Fighting For [Live]
Label: Motown Gospel; Publisher(s): ACER/Aaron Lindsey Music/Capitol Christian Music Publishing admin. by Capitol CMG

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SONG

Holy Spirit
Francesca Battistelli
Track from: If We’re Honest (Deluxe Edition)
Label: Fervent/Curb/Word

Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains)
Crowder; Ed Cash, David Crowder & Seth Philpott, songwriters
Track from: Neon Steeple (Deluxe Edition)
Label: sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records; Publisher(s): sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Songs/Worship
Together Music admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com/Alletrop Music

Because He Lives (Amen)
Matt Maher
Track from: Saints And Sinners
Label: Essential Records/Provident Label Group

Soul On Fire
Third Day Featuring All Sons & Daughters; Tai Anderson, Brenton Brown, David Carr, Mark Lee, Matt Maher & Mac Powell, songwriters
Track from: Lead Us Back: Songs Of Worship (Deluxe)
Label: Essential Records/Provident Label Group; Publisher(s): DATAMAMA MUSIC, Thankyou Music, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, I Am
A Pilgrim Songs

Feel It
Tobymac Featuring Mr. Talkbox; Cary Barlowe, David Arthur Garcia & Toby McKeehan, songwriters
Label: ForeFront Records; Publisher(s): Achtober Songs/Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing/D Soul Music admin. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com/Castle Bound Music, Inc./We Be Pawtying

BEST GOSPEL ALBUM

Destined To Win [Live]
Karen Clark Sheard
Label: Karew Records/Entertainment One

Living It
Dorinda Clark-Cole
Label: Entertainment One/Light Records

One Place Live
Tasha Cobbs
Label: Motown Gospel

Covered: Alive In Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
Israel & Newbreed
Label: RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration

Life Music: Stage Two
Jonathan McReynolds
Label: Entertainment One/Tehillah Music

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM

Whatever The Road
Jason Crabb
Label: Reunion Records/Provident Label Group

How Can It Be
Lauren Daigle
Label: Centricity Music

Saints And Sinners
Matt Maher
Label: Essential Records/Provident Label Group

This Is Not A Test
Tobymac
Label: ForeFront Records

Love Ran Red
Chris Tomlin
Label: sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records

BEST ROOTS GOSPEL ALBUM

Still Rockin’ My Soul
The Fairfield Four
Label: Fairfield Four Records

Pray Now
Karen Peck & New River
Label: Daywind Records

Directions Home (Songs We Love, Songs You Know)
Point Of Grace
Label: Word/Curb

BEST LATIN POP ALBUM

Terral
Pablo Alborán
Label: Warner Music Latina

Healer
Alex Cuba
Label: Caracol Records

A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition)
Ricky Martin
Label: Sony Music Latin

Sirope
Alejandro Sanz
Label: Universal Music Latino

Algo Sucede
Julieta Venegas
Label: Sony Music Latin

BEST LATIN ROCK, URBAN OR ALTERNATIVE ALBUM

Amanecer
Bomba Estereo
Label: Sony Music Latin

Mondongo
La Cuneta Son Machín
Label: Round Whirled Records

Hasta La Raíz
Natalia Lafourcade
Label: Sony Music Latin

Caja De Música
Monsieur Periné
Label: Sony Music Entertainment

Dale
Pitbull
Label: Mr. 305 / Sony Music Latin

BEST REGIONAL MEXICAN MUSIC ALBUM (INCLUDING TEJANO)

Mi Vicio Mas Grande
Banda El Recodo De Don Cruz Lizarraga
Label: Fonovisa

Ya Dime Adiós
La Maquinaria Norteña
Label: Fonovisa

Zapateando
Los Cojolites
Label: Round Whirled Records

Realidades – Deluxe Edition
Los Tigres Del Norte
Label: Fonovisa

Tradición, Arte Y Pasión
Mariachi Los Camperos De Nati Cano
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

BEST TROPICAL LATIN ALBUM

Tributo A Los Compadres: No Quiero Llanto
José Alberto “El Canario” & Septeto Santiaguero
Label: Los Canarios Music

Son De Panamá
Rubén Blades With Roberto Delgado & Orchestra
Label: Ruben Blades Productions

Presente Continuo
Guaco
Label: Latin Pulse / Sony Music Latin

Todo Tiene Su Hora
Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
Label: Universal Music Latino/Capital Latin

Que Suenen Los Tambores
Victor Manuelle
Label: Kiyavi / Sony Music Latin

BEST AMERICAN ROOTS PERFORMANCE

And Am I Born To Die
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Track from: Béla Fleck And Abigail Washburn
Label: Rounder

Born To Play Guitar
Buddy Guy
Track from: Born To Play Guitar
Label: RCA Records/Silvertone Records

City Of Our Lady
The Milk Carton Kids
Track from: Monterey
Label: Anti

Julep
Punch Brothers
Track from: The Phosphorescent Blues
Label: Nonesuch

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
Mavis Staples
Track from: Your Good Fortune
Label: Anti

BEST AMERICAN ROOTS SONG

All Night Long
Raul Malo, songwriter (The Mavericks)
Track from: Mono
Label: The Valory Music Co.; Publisher(s): Big Machine Music/Raul Malo Music

The Cost Of Living
Don Henley & Stan Lynch, songwriters (Don Henley & Merle Haggard)
Track from: Cass County
Label: Capitol Records; Publisher(s): Wisteria Music (GMR) admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Matanzas Music

Julep
Chris Eldridge, Paul Kowert, Noam Pikelny, Chris Thile & Gabe Witcher, songwriters (Punch Brothers)
Track from: The Phosphorescent Blues
Label: Nonesuch; Publisher(s): Chris Thile Music, Money Baby Music, Noam Tunes, Silver Hammer Music, Paul Kowert

The Traveling Kind
Cory Chisel, Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris, songwriters (Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell)
Track from: The Traveling Kind
Label: Nonesuch; Publisher(s): Criterion Music o/b/o Coolwell Music/Almo Music Corp. o/b/o Poodlebone Music/Chisel Publishing

24 Frames
Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell)
Track from: Something More Than Free
Label: Southeastern Records; Publisher(s): Songs Of Emchant

BEST AMERICANA ALBUM

The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Brandi Carlile
Label: ATO Records

The Traveling Kind
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Label: Nonesuch

Something More Than Free
Jason Isbell
Label: Southeastern Records

Mono
The Mavericks
Label: The Valory Music Co.

The Phosphorescent Blues
Punch Brothers
Label: Nonesuch

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM

Pocket Full Of Keys
Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle Records

Before The Sun Goes Down
Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
Label: Compass Records Group

In Session
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

Man Of Constant Sorrow
Ralph Stanley & Friends
Label: Red River Entertainment

The Muscle Shoals Recordings
The Steeldrivers
Label: Rounder

BEST BLUES ALBUM

Descendants Of Hill Country
Cedric Burnside Project
Label: Cedric Burnside Project

Outskirts Of Love
Shemekia Copeland
Label: Alligator Records

Born To Play Guitar
Buddy Guy
Label: RCA Records/Silvertone Records

Worthy
Bettye LaVette
Label: Cherry Red

Muddy Waters 100
John Primer & Various Artists
Label: Raisin Music Records

BEST FOLK ALBUM

Wood, Wire & Words
Norman Blake
Label: Plectrafone Records

Béla Fleck And Abigail Washburn
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Label: Rounder

Tomorrow Is My Turn
Rhiannon Giddens
Label: Nonesuch

Servant Of Love
Patty Griffin
Label: PGM

Didn’t He Ramble
Glen Hansard
Label: Anti

BEST REGIONAL ROOTS MUSIC ALBUM

Go Go Juice
Jon Cleary
Label: FHQ Records

La La La La
Natalie Ai Kamauu
Label: KEKO Records

Kawaiokalena
Keali’i Reichel
Label: Punahele Productions

Get Ready
The Revelers
Label: The Revelers

Generations
Windwalker And The MCW
Label: MCW Productions / PK Productions LLC

BEST REGGAE ALBUM

Branches Of The Same Tree
Rocky Dawuni
Label: Cumbancha

The Cure
Jah Cure
Label: VP Records

Acousticalevy
Barrington Levy
Label: Doctor Dread Presents

Zion Awake
Luciano
Label: Vpal Music

Strictly Roots
Morgan Heritage
Label: CTBC Music Group

BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM

Gilbertos Samba Ao Vivo
Gilberto Gil
Label: Masterworks

Sings
Angelique Kidjo
Label: 429 Records

Music From Inala
Ladysmith Black Mambazo With Ella Spira & The Inala Ensemble
Label: Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Home
Anoushka Shankar
Label: Deutsche Grammophon

I Have No Everything Here
Zomba Prison Project
Label: Six Degrees

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM

¡Come Bien! Eat Right!
José-Luis Orozco
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Dark Pie Concerns
Gustafer Yellowgold
Label: Apple-Eye Productions

Home
Tim Kubart
Label: Tim And The Space Cadets

How Great Can This Day Be
Lori Henriques
Label: Human Puppy Records

Trees
Molly Ledford & Billy Kelly
Label: Yay! Music

BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM (INCLUDES POETRY, AUDIO BOOKS & STORYTELLING)

Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø)
Patti Smith
Label: Random House Audio

Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks
Dick Cavett
Label: Macmillan Audio

A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety
Jimmy Carter
Label: Simon & Schuster Audio

Patience And Sarah (Isabel Miller)
Janis Ian & Jean Smart
Label: Audible Studios

Yes Please
Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)
Label: HarperAudio

BEST COMEDY ALBUM

Back To The Drawing Board
Lisa Lampanelli
Label: Comedy Dynamics

Brooklyn
Wyatt Cenac
Label: Other Music Recording

Happy. And A Lot.
Jay Mohr
Label: Lolflix Inc.

Just Being Honest
Craig Ferguson
Label: Lionsgate Records

Live At Madison Square Garden
Louis C.K.
Label: Comedy Dynamics

BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM

An American In Paris
Leanne Cope, Max Von Essen, Robert Fairchild, Jill Paice & Brandon Uranowitz, principal soloists; Rob Fisher & Scott Lehrer, producers (George Gershwin, composer; Ira Gershwin, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: Masterworks Broadway

Fun Home
Michael Cerveris, Judy Kuhn, Sydney Lucas, Beth Malone & Emily Skeggs, principal soloists; Philip Chaffin & Tommy Krasker, producers (Jeanine Tesori, composer; Lisa Kron, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: PS Classics

Hamilton
Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos & Phillipa Soo, principal soloists; Alex Lacamoire, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bill Sherman, Ahmir Thompson & Tarik Trotter, producers; Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: Atlantic

The King And I
Ruthie Ann Miles, Kelli O’Hara, Ashley Park, Conrad Ricamora & Ken Watanabe, principal soloists; David Caddick, David Lai & Ted Sperling, producers (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2015 Broadway Cast)
Label: Universal Music Classics

Something Rotten!
Heidi Blickenstaff, Christian Borle, John Cariani, Brian d’Arcy James, Brad Oscar & Kate Reinders, principal soloists; Kurt Deutsch, Karey Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Lawrence Manchester, Kevin McCollum & Phil Reno, producers; Karey Kirkpatrick & Wayne Kirkpatrick, composers/lyricists (Originial Broadway Cast)
Label: Ghostlight

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA

Empire: Season 1
(Various Artists)
Label: Columbia

Fifty Shades Of Grey
(Various Artists)
Label: Republic Records

Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
(Various Artists)
Label: Big Machine Records

Pitch Perfect 2
(Various Artists)
Label: Universal Music Enterprises/Republic Records

Selma
(Various Artists)
Label: Paramount Pictures/Pathé Productions

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA

Birdman
Antonio Sanchez, composer
Label: Milan Records

The Imitation Game
Alexandre Desplat, composer
Label: Sony Classical

Interstellar
Hans Zimmer, composer
Label: WaterTower Music

The Theory Of Everything
Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer
Label: Back Lot Music

Whiplash
Justin Hurwitz, composer
Label: Varèse Sarabande

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA

Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey
Label: Universal Studios/Republic Records; Publisher(s): SONGS Music Publishing, LLC, o/b/o Songs Of SMP, Songs Of Universal, Inc. and Sing Little Penguin, Universal Music Corp, CP Music Group, Inc., Universal Pictures Music and UPG Music Publishing

Glory
Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
Track from: Selma
Label: Def Jam/ARTium Records; Publisher(s): Paramount Pictures/Pathé Productions Limited

Love Me Like You Do
Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Nilsson, Ali Payami & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Ellie Goulding)
Track from: Fifty Shades Of Grey
Label: Republic Records; Publisher(s): MXM admin. by Kobalt, Wolf Cousin/Warner/Chappell Music SCAND, Shellbeck Industries, Universal Pictures Music

See You Again
Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
Track from: Furious 7
Label: Atlantic; Publisher(s): Artist Publishing Group West/J Franks Publishing/Andrew Cedar Publishing admin. by WB Music Corp./Wiz Khalifa Publishing admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Charlie Puth Music Publishing/Artist 101 Publishing Group admin. by Warner Chappell Music, Universal Pictures Music, UPG Music Publishing

Til It Happens To You
Lady Gaga & Diane Warren, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
Track from: The Hunting Ground
Label: Streamline/Interscope; Publisher(s): Diane Warren Trust d/b/a REALSONGS/Sony ATV songs LLC/House of Gaga Publishing Inc./GloJoe Music Inc.

BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION

The Afro Latin Jazz Suite
Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa)
Track from: Cuba: The Conversation Continues
Label: Motema Music

Civil War
Bob Mintzer, composer (Bob Mintzer Big Band)
Track from: Get Up!
Label: MCG Jazz

Confetti Man
David Balakrishnan, composer (Turtle Island Quartet)
Track from: Confetti Man
Label: Azica Records

Neil
Rich DeRosa, composer (University Of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band)
Track from: Lab 2015
Label: North Texas Jazz

Vesper
Marshall Gilkes, composer (Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band)
Track from: Köln
Label: Alternate Side Records

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPPELLA

Bruno Mars
Paul Allen, Troy Hayes, Evin Martin & J Moss, arrangers (Vocally Challenged)
Label: PMG Records

Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
Ben Bram, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado & Kevin Olusola, arrangers (Pentatonix)
Track from: That’s Christmas To Me
Label: RCA Records

Do You Hear What I Hear?
Armand Hutton, arranger (Committed)
Track from: Home For Christmas
Label: Mixed Bag Music Group, LLC.

Ghost Of A Chance
Bob James, arranger (Bob James & Nathan East)
Track from: The New Cool
Label: Yamaha Entertainment Group Of America

You And The Night And The Music
John Fedchock, arranger (John Fedchock New York Big Band)
Track from: Like It Is
Label: Mama Records

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS

Be My Muse
Shelly Berg, arranger (Lorraine Feather)
Label: Jazzed Media

52nd & Broadway
Patrick Williams, arranger (Patrick Williams Featuring Patti Austin)
Track from: Home Suite Home
Label: BFM Jazz

Garota De Ipanema
Otmaro Ruiz, arranger (Catina DeLuna Featuring Otmaro Ruiz)
Track from: Catina Deluna Lado B Brazilian Project Featuring Otmaro Ruiz
Label: Catina DeLuna

Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)
Maria Schneider, arranger (David Bowie)
Track from: Nothing Has Changed
Label: Legacy/Columbia

When I Come Home
Jimmy Greene, arranger (Jimmy Greene With Javier Colon)
Track from: Beautiful Life
Label: Mack Avenue Records

BEST RECORDING PACKAGE

Alagoas
Alex Trochut, art director (Alagoas)
Label: Better Problems

Bush
Anita Marisa Boriboon, art director (Snoop Dogg)
Label: Doggy Style/ Iamother/ Columbia Records

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (Deluxe Edition)
Brian Roettinger, art director (Florence + The Machine)
Label: Republic

My Happiness
Nathanio Strimpopulos, art director (Elvis Presley)
Label: Third Man Records

Still The King: Celebrating The Music Of Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds & Dick Reeves, art directors (Asleep At The Wheel)
Label: Bismeaux Records

BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE

Beneath The Skin (Deluxe Box Set)
Leif Podhajsky, art director (Of Monsters And Men)
Label: Republic

I Love You, Honeybear (Limited Edition Deluxe Vinyl)
Sasha Barr & Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty)
Label: Sub Pop

The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32)
Susan Archie, Dean Blackwood & Jack White, art directors (Various Artists)
Label: Third Man Records / Revenant Records

Sticky Fingers (Super Deluxe Edition)
Stephen Kennedy & James Tilley, art directors (The Rolling Stones)
Label: Universal Music Enterprises, A Division Of UM

30 Trips Around The Sun
Doran Tyson & Steve Vance, art directors (Grateful Dead)
Label: Rhino

What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World (Deluxe Box Set)
Jeri Heiden & Glen Nakasako, art directors (The Decemberists)
Label: Capitol Records

BEST ALBUM NOTES

Folksongs Of Another America: Field Recordings From The Upper Midwest, 1937-1946
James P. Leary, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Label: Dust-To-Digital/University of Wisconsin Press

Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection
Jeff Place, album notes writer (Lead Belly)
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting To Be Danced
Joni Mitchell, album notes writer (Joni Mitchell)
Label: Rhino

Portrait Of An American Singer
Ted Olson, album notes writer (Tennessee Ernie Ford)
Label: Bear Family Productions

Songs Of The Night: Dance Recordings, 1916-1925
Ryan Barna, album notes writer (Joseph C. Smith’s Orchestra)
Label: Archeophone Records

BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM

The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11
Steve Berkowitz, Jan Haust & Jeff Rosen, compilation producers; Peter J. Moore, mastering engineer (Bob Dylan And The Band)
Label: Columbia/Legacy

The Complete Concert By The Sea
Geri Allen, Jocelyn Arem & Steve Rosenthal, compilation producers; Jessica Thompson, mastering engineer (Erroll Garner)
Label: Columbia/Legacy

Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, And Country 1966–1985
Kevin Howes, compilation producer; Greg Mindorff, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Label: Light In The Attic Records

Parchman Farm: Photographs And Field Recordings, 1947–1959
Steven Lance Ledbetter & Nathan Salsburg, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Label: Dust-To-Digital

Songs My Mother Taught Me
Mark Puryear, compilation producer; Pete Reiniger, mastering engineer (Fannie Lou Hamer)
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL

Before This World
Dave O’Donnell, engineer; Ted Jensen, mastering engineer (James Taylor)
Label: Concord Records

Currency Of Man
Maxime Le Guil, engineer; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Melody Gardot)
Label: Verve/Universal

Recreational Love
Greg Kurstin & Alex Pasco, engineers; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer (The Bird And The Bee)
Label: Rostrum Records

Sound & Color
Shawn Everett, engineer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Alabama Shakes)
Label: ATO Records

Wallflower
Steve Price, Jochem van der Saag & Jorge Vivo, engineers; Paul Blakemore, mastering engineer (Diana Krall)
Label: Verve Music Group/Universal

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL

Jeff Bhasker
• Ain’t Gonna Drown (Elle King) (T) • Burning Doves (Mikky Ekko) (T) • Burning House (Cam) (T) • Grand Romantic (Nate Ruess) (A) • Last Damn Night (Elle King) (T) • Never Let You Down (Woodkid Featuring Lykke Li) (T) • Runaway Train (Cam) (T) • Uptown Special (Mark Ronson) (A)

Dave Cobb
• Delilah (Anderson East) (A) • Little Neon Limelight (Houndmouth) (A) • Smoke (A Thousand Horses) (S) • Something More Than Free (Jason Isbell) (A) • Southernality (A Thousand Horses) (A) • 3 (Honeyhoney) (A) • Traveller (Chris Stapleton) (A)

Diplo
• B**** I’m Madonna (Madonna Featuring Nicki Minaj) (S) • Doctor Pepper (Diplo Featuring CL, Riff Raff & OG MacO) (S) • Golden (Travie McCoy Featuring Sia) (S) • Lean On (Major Lazer Featuring MØ & DJ Snake) (S) • Peace Is The Mission (Major Lazer) (A) • Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü (Skrillex And Diplo) (A) • Where Are Ü Now (Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber) (T)

Larry Klein
• Currency Of Man (Melody Gardot) (A) • Freedom & Surrender (Lizz Wright) (A) • Heartland (Indra Rios-Moore) (A) • I’m Leaving You (Florence K) (A) • Parker’s Place (Parker Bent) (A) • Speaking In Tongues (Luciana Souza) (A) • Tenderness (JD Souther) (A)

Blake Mills
• Sound & Color (Alabama Shakes) (A)

BEST REMIXED RECORDING, NON-CLASSICAL

Berlin By Overnight (CFCF Remix)
CFCF, remixer (Daniel Hope)
Track from: Berlin By Overnight
Label: Deutsche Grammophon

Hold On (Fatum Remix)
Bill Hamel & Chad Newbold, remixers (JES, Shant, & Clint Maximus)
Label: Intonenation Records

Runaway (U & I) (Kaskade Remix)
Ryan Raddon, remixer (Galantis)
Track from: Runaway (U&I) Remixes
Label: Big Beat/Atlantic

Say My Name (RAC Remix)
André Allen Anjos, remixer (Odesza Featuring Zyra)
Track from: Say My Name Remixes
Label: Counter Records

Uptown Funk (Dave Audé Remix)
Dave Audé, remixer (Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars)
Label: RCA Records

BEST SURROUND SOUND ALBUM

Amdahl: Astrognosia & Aesop
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Ingar Heine Bergby & Norwegian Radio Orchestra)
Label: 2L (Lindberg Lyd)

Amused To Death
James Guthrie, surround mix engineer; James Guthrie & Joel Plante, surround mastering engineers; James Guthrie, surround producer (Roger Waters)
Label: Columbia/Legacy

Magnificat
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Øyvind Gimse, Anita Brevik, Nidarosdomens Jentekor & Trondheimsolistene)
Label: 2L (Lindberg Lyd)

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7
Erdo Groot, surround mix engineer; Erdo Groot, surround mastering engineer; Philip Traugott, surround producer (Paavo Järvi & Russian National Orchestra)
Label: Pentatone

Spes
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Tove Ramlo-Ystad & Cantus)
Label: 2L (Lindberg Lyd)

BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, CLASSICAL

Ask Your Mama
Leslie Ann Jones, John Kilgore, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum & Justin Merrill, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (George Manahan & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra)
Label: Avie Records

Dutilleux: Métaboles; L’Arbre Des Songes; Symphony No. 2, ‘Le Double’
Dmitriy Lipay, engineer; Alexander Lipay, mastering engineer (Ludovic Morlot, Augustin Hadelich & Seattle Symphony)
Label: Seattle Symphony Media

Monteverdi: Il Ritorno D’Ulisse In Patria
Robert Friedrich, engineer; Michael Bishop, mastering engineer (Martin Pearlman, Jennifer Rivera, Fernando Guimarães & Boston Baroque)
Label: Linn Records

Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Beyong Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Chorale & Kansas City Chorale)
Label: Chandos

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3, ‘Organ’
Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony)
Label: Reference Recordings

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, CLASSICAL

Blanton Alspaugh
• Hill: Symphony No. 4; Concertino Nos. 1 & 2; Divertimento (Peter Bay, Anton Nel & Austin Symphony Orchestra) • Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil (Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Chorale & Kansas City Chorale) • Sacred Songs Of Life & Love (Brian A. Schmidt & South Dakota Chorale) • Spirit Of The American Range (Carlos Kalmar & The Oregon Symphony) • Tower: Violin Concerto; Stroke; Chamber Dance (Giancarlo Guerrero, Cho-Liang Lin & Nashville Symphony)

Manfred Eicher
• Franz Schubert (András Schiff) • Galina Ustvolskaya (Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Markus Hinterhäuser & Reto Bieri) • Moore: Dances & Canons (Saskia Lankhoorn) • Rihm: Et Lux (Paul Van Nevel, Minguet Quartet & Huelgas Ensemble) • Visions Fugitives (Anna Gourari)

Marina A. Ledin, Victor Ledin
• Dances For Piano & Orchestra (Joel Fan, Christophe Chagnard & Northwest Sinfonietta) • Tempo Do Brasil (Marc Regnier) • Woman At The New Piano (Nadia Shpachenko)

Dan Merceruio
• Chapí: String Quartets 1 & 2 (Cuarteto Latinoamericano) • From Whence We Came (Ensemble Galilei) • Gregson: Touch (Peter Gregson) • In The Light Of Air – ICE Performs Anna Thorvaldsdottir (International Contemporary Ensemble) • Schumann (Ying Quartet) • Scrapyard Exotica (Del Sol String Quartet) • Stravinsky: Petrushka (Richard Scerbo & Inscape Chamber Orchestra) • What Artemisia Heard (El Mundo) • ZOFO Plays Terry Riley (ZOFO)

Judith Sherman
• Ask Your Mama (George Manahan & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra) • Fields: Double Cluster; Space Sciences (Jan Kučera, Gloria Chuang & Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra) • Liaisons – Re-Imagining Sondheim From The Piano (Anthony de Mare) • Montage – Great Film Composers & The Piano (Gloria Cheng) • Multitude, Solitude (Momenta Quartet) • Of Color Braided All Desire – Music Of Eric Moe (Christine Brandes, Brentano String Quartet, Dominic Donato, Jessica Meyer, Karen Ouzounian, Manhattan String Quartet & Talujon) • Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (Ursula Oppens) • Sirota: Parting The Veil – Works For Violin & Piano (David Friend, Hyeyung Julie Yoon, Laurie Carney & Soyeon Kate Lee) • Turina: Chamber Music For Strings & Piano (Lincoln Trio)

BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Label: Reference Recordings

Dutilleux: Métaboles; L’Arbre Des Songes; Symphony No. 2, ‘Le Double’
Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
Label: Seattle Symphony Media

Shostakovich: Under Stalin’s Shadow – Symphony No. 10
Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon

Spirit Of The American Range
Carlos Kalmar, conductor (The Oregon Symphony)
Label: Pentatone

Zhou Long & Chen Yi: Symphony ‘Humen 1839’
Darrell Ang, conductor (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra)
Label: Naxos

BEST OPERA RECORDING

Janáček: Jenůfa
Donald Runnicles, conductor; Will Hartmann, Michaela Kaune & Jennifer Larmore; Magdalena Herbst, producer (Orchestra Of The Deutsche Oper Berlin; Chorus Of The Deutsche Oper Berlin)
Label: Arthaus

Monteverdi: Il Ritorno D’Ulisse In Patria
Martin Pearlman, conductor; Fernando Guimarães & Jennifer Rivera; Thomas C. Moore, producer (Boston Baroque)
Label: Linn Records

Mozart: Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Diana Damrau, Paul Schweinester & Rolando Villazón; Sid McLauchlan, producer (Chamber Orchestra Of Europe)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon

Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges; Shéhérazade
Seiji Ozawa, conductor; Isabel Leonard; Dominic Fyfe, producer (Saito Kinen Orchestra; SKF Matsumoto Chorus & SKF Matsumoto Children’s Chorus)
Label: Decca

Steffani: Niobe, Regina Di Tebe
Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Karina Gauvin & Philippe Jaroussky; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)
Label: Erato

BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE

Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Bernard Haitink, conductor; Peter Dijkstra, chorus master (Anton Barachovsky, Genia Kühmeier, Elisabeth Kulman, Hanno Müller-Brachmann & Mark Padmore; Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
Label: BR Klassik

Monteverdi: Vespers Of 1610
Harry Christophers, conductor (Jeremy Budd, Grace Davidson, Ben Davies, Mark Dobell, Eamonn Dougan & Charlotte Mobbs; The Sixteen)
Label: Coro

Pablo Neruda – The Poet Sings
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (James K. Bass, Laura Mercado-Wright, Eric Neuville & Lauren Snouffer; Faith DeBow & Stephen Redfield; Conspirare)
Label: Harmonia Mundi

Paulus: Far In The Heavens
Eric Holtan, conductor (Sara Fraker, Matthew Goinz, Thea Lobo, Owen McIntosh, Kathryn Mueller & Christine Vivona; True Concord Orchestra; True Concord Voices)
Label: Reference Recordings

Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Charles Bruffy, conductor (Paul Davidson, Frank Fleschner, Toby Vaughn Kidd, Bryan Pinkall, Julia Scozzafava, Bryan Taylor & Joseph Warner; Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Chorale)
Label: Chandos

BEST CHAMBER MUSIC/SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

Brahms: The Piano Trios
Tanja Tetzlaff, Christian Tetzlaff & Lars Vogt
Label: Ondine

Filament
Eighth Blackbird
Label: Cedille Records

Flaherty: Airdancing For Toy Piano, Piano & Electronics
Nadia Shpachenko & Genevieve Feiwen Lee
Track from: Woman At The New Piano
Label: Reference Recordings

Render
Brad Wells & Roomful Of Teeth
Label: New Amsterdam Records

Shostakovich: Piano Quintet & String Quartet No. 2
Takács Quartet & Marc-André Hamelin
Label: Hyperion

BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO

Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L’Arbre Des Songes
Augustin Hadelich; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
Track from: Dutilleux: Métaboles; L’Arbre Des Songes; Symphony No. 2, ‘Le Double’
Label: Seattle Symphony Media

Grieg & Moszkowski: Piano Concertos
Joseph Moog; Nicholas Milton, conductor (Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern)
Label: Onyx Classics

Mozart: Keyboard Music, Vol. 7
Kristian Bezuidenhout
Label: Harmonia Mnudi

Rachmaninov Variations
Daniil Trifonov (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon

Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated!
Ursula Oppens (Jerome Lowenthal)
Label: Cedille Records

BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM

Beethoven: An Die Ferne Geliebte; Haydn: English Songs; Mozart: Masonic Cantata
Mark Padmore; Kristian Bezuidenhout, accompanist
Label: Harmonia Mundi

Joyce & Tony – Live From Wigmore Hall
Joyce DiDonato; Antonio Pappano, accompanist
Label: Erato

Nessun Dorma – The Puccini Album
Jonas Kaufmann; Antonio Pappano, conductor (Kristīne Opolais, Antonio Pirozzi & Massimo Simeoli; Coro Dell’Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia; Orchestra Dell’Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia)
Label: Sony Classical

Rouse: Seeing; Kabir Padavali
Talise Trevigne; David Alan Miller, conductor (Orion Weiss; Albany Symphony)
Label: Naxos

St. Petersburg
Cecilia Bartoli; Diego Fasolis, conductor (I Barocchisti)
Label: Decca

BEST CLASSICAL COMPENDIUM

As Dreams Fall Apart – The Golden Age Of Jewish Stage And Film Music (1925-1955)
New Budapest Orpheum Society; Jim Ginsburg, producer
Label: Cedille Records

Ask Your Mama
George Manahan, conductor; Judith Sherman, producer
Label: Avie Records

Handel: L’Allegro, Il Penseroso Ed Il Moderato, 1740
Paul McCreesh, conductor; Nicholas Parker, producer
Label: Signum Classics

Paulus: Three Places Of Enlightenment; Veil Of Tears & Grand Concerto
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
Label: Naxos

Woman At The New Piano
Nadia Shpachenko; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, producers
Label: Reference Recordings

BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION

Barry: The Importance Of Being Earnest
Gerald Barry, composer (Thomas Adès, Barbara Hannigan, Katalin Károlyi, Hilary Summers, Peter Tantsits & Birmingham Contemporary Music Group)
Label: NMC Recordings

Norman: Play
Andrew Norman, composer (Gil Rose & Boston Modern Orchestra Project)
Track from: Norman: Play
Label: BMOP/Sound

Paulus: Prayers & Remembrances
Stephen Paulus, composer (Eric Holtan, True Concord Voices & Orchestra)
Track from: Paulus: Far In The Heavens
Label: Reference Recordings

Tower: Stroke
Joan Tower, composer (Giancarlo Guerrero, Cho-Liang Lin & Nashville Symphony)
Track from: Tower: Violin Concerto; Stroke; Chamber Dance
Label: Naxos

Wolfe: Anthracite Fields
Julia Wolfe, composer (Julian Wachner, The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street & Bang On A Can All-Stars)
Label: Cantaloupe Music

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

LSD
ASAP Rocky
Dexter Navy, video director; Shin Nishigaki, video producer
Label: RCA Records/A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds Music

I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)
The Dead Weather
Cooper Roberts & Ian Schwartz, video directors; Candice Dragonas & Nathan Scherrer, video producers
Label: Third Man Records

Alright
Kendrick Lamar
The Little Homies & Colin Tilley, video directors; Brandon Bonfiglio, Dave Free, Andrew Lerios & Luga Podesta, video producers
Label: Aftermath Records/Interscope Records

Bad Blood
Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Joseph Kahn, video director; Ron Morhoff, video producer
Label: Big Machine Records

Freedom
Pharrell Williams
Paul Hunter, video director; Candice Dragonas & Nathan Scherrer, video producers
Label: Columbia

BEST MUSIC FILM

Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown
James Brown
Alex Gibney, video director; Peter Afterman, Blair Foster, Mick Jagger & Victoria Pearman, video producers
Label: Inaudible Films

Sonic Highways
Foo Fighters
Dave Grohl, video director; John Cutcliffe, John Silva, Gaby Skolnek & Kristen Welsh, video producers
Label: RCA Records/Roswell Records

What Happened, Miss Simone?
Nina Simone
Liz Garbus, video director; Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby, Jayson Jackson & Justin Wilkes, video producers
Label: Netflix

The Wall
Roger Waters
Sean Evans & Roger Waters, video directors; Clare Spencer & Roger Waters, video producers
Label: Back Lot Music

Amy
Amy Winehouse
Asif Kapadia, video director; James Gay-Rees, video producer
Label: Universal Music Enterprises

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Spotlight: Why Are People Walking Out?

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Walking into the theater, the ticket taker rips the tickets and says, “Ooh Spotlight, gotten a lot of complaints about this one.” It’s laughed off. Then, halfway through the movie, an elderly couple gets up and walks out, the husband seemingly dragged out by the wife. They don’t return. When the movie ends, those of us who are left sit in silence for what feels like an eternity. Looking around, some people are shaking their heads, and it’s unclear whether they’re shaking at the events in the film, or the film itself.

Spotlight, directed and co-written by Tom McCarthy , is the story of the Boston Globe, and the 2001 Spotlight investigative team that broke the story of child abuse in the Boston Catholic Church, and the cover up that spread throughout the town. Read Monkeys Fighting Robots two reviews of the flick here and here.

The tales of abuse are horrifying, but maybe the even bigger shock is the depth of the cover up. Teachers, police, and even parents of victimsall burying their heads in the sand because they don’t want to believe that members of their church are capable of such actions. This is why it’s so disappointing, to see and hear about people walking out of this movie; it ignores the message the filmmakers (and the real life Spotlight team) tried to get across. The Spotlight team didn’t want to hear the truth – they were part of the problem for all those decades of abuse. But they knew that reporting the news isn’t about reporting what people want to hear, but what they need to hear.

While film is a source of entertainment for the masses, it can be so much more. Great films can educate, and open people up to new points of views. Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing is a tough watch, centering on incredibly flawed characters, and infuriating its viewers. But it’s this kind of movie that sparks conversation that leads to change. There’s a reason it made the AFI’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time in 2007.

The dialogue in Spotlight is explicit, and makes its viewers uncomfortable. It’s supposed to; no one wants to hear a man recount putting a priest’s penis in his mouth when he was twelve. But instead of heading for the exit, understand that these are real things that happened because a society was too uncomfortable to listen.

Take two things away from this rant. One, go and see Spotlight, it’s an important film. Two, sit through it in its entirety, and listen to every disturbing detail. Leaving early, or denying that the events are true, will only allow atrocities like this to continue.

The original eye-opening story can still be found on the Boston Globe website, here.

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The 12 Days of Star Wars: Jedi Outcast

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Believe it or not, there is an entire class of Star Wars fan whose primary affectation for the series derives not from the movies, but rather the plethora of games that they have inspired. From Super Star Wars to Tie Fighter and Galactic Battlegrounds to Battlefront, players have experienced the campaigns of a galaxy far, far way from a number of perspectives. Some have followed the cast of the movies, some showed us what it was like to be a lone foot solider, some explored the role of the humble fighter pilot and others placed you as the tactical mastermind of an intergalactic conflict. However, only one series really made you feel like a Jedi; the Jedi Knight quadrilogy.

gamswdfps1580The first game in the series; Star Wars: Dark Forces, was your typical 90s first-person shooter. Taking place before and during the Original Trilogy, Dark Forces told the story of Kyle Katarn; mercenary hired by the Rebel Alliance to steal  the plans for the original Death Star. Following this the Empire begins to develop the Dark Trooper program, forcing Katarn to sabotage their initiative before it can lay siege to the Rebellion. Despite being little more than a Doom clone, Dark Forces was one of the first games to truly immerse the player in the Star Wars universe. From the level design, music and sound effects, everything contributed to ensuring that player felt like they were (to borrow a phrase from Disney) part of Lucas’ world. Even the scope of the story was such to place the player as an integral part of the Rebellion. It helped that Katarn received orders from Mon Mothma herself. While critically acclaimed upon release, it would be the sequel that would truly turn the series into something special.

ss_f25e18dacac9ccd2083363f5504ba7bf13d26a1d.600x338Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight was as the title suggests the first in the series to feature lightsaber combat. Indeed, it was the first 3D Star Wars game to feature an elegant weapon of a more civilised age. Once again starring Katarn, this game revealed the mercenary’s Jedi heritage. One year after the Battle of Endor, Katarn embarked on a quest to track down the Dark Jedi Jerec, learn the ways of the Force and avenge his father’s death.

KylejanAs a newly awakened Jedi, players could choose from a variety of Force powers, both light and dark side in nature. It also was the first Star Wars game to feature a karma system with both Light and Dark Side endings being available. Players who succumbed to the temptation of the Dark Side, would see Katarn establish himself as the new Emperor. It also featured live-action cutscenes, marking the first time that lightsaber combat had been officially filmed since Return of the Jedi. An expansion pack dubbed Mysteries of the Sith featured both Katarn and his apprentice; Mara Jade (yes, that one) as playable characters. Released in 1998, it expanded the story and set the stage for the next game in the series.


Jedi_Outcast_pc_coverJedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
saw a Katarn who had returned to his mercenary ways and abandoned his Jedi powers following a brush with the Dark Side. When his long-time partner; Jan Ors is seemingly killed by Dark Jedi while infiltrating an Imperial stronghold, Katarn embarks on spiritual journey to regain his lost powers.  Katarn had to prove to Luke Skywalker, the New Republic and, most importantly, himself that he was worthy of the title; Jedi Knight. It was a story that really explored what it meant to be a Jedi and analysed the burden of power. The nature of the Dark Side is examined wonderfully here with the central antagonist Desann, a former padawan of Skywalker, acting as perfect mirror for Katarn. What pressures lead one down that path and what keeps them in the light? These were questions that Jedi Outcast dared to ask in a market where even it’s immediate predecessor had tended to discuss the issue in the context of black and white morality. Katarn is a flawed character and one whom the player can relate to moreso than many of  the holier than thou figures of the Prequels. It is arguably one of the more challenging and compelling pieces of Star Wars expanded universe material.

ss_7f02fd0575f5a35b3902634f8203fe89f6851213.600x338Jedi Outcast perfected the formula that had been established by its predecessors, with an engaging story and fluid combat that truly allowed a player to feel like a Jedi. Besides improving and expanding on the controls, lightsaber combat was reworked so that players could engage in extensive combos. It allowed players to forge their own path and customize Katarn’s powers with a mix of both Light and Dark Side with a number of upgrades available for each power. The powers were not intrinsically good or evil, it was the player’s choices which defined type of Jedi they wanted to be. While some may argue that Bioware’s Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) eclipsed Jedi Outcast in this regard, it is hard to deny the impact that it had on future games in the series such as The Force Unleashed. Were it not for Jedi Outcast, i’m not sure we would have gotten that level of customisation in KOTOR or any other game. It is the reason why we place such a value on  such features in our Star Wars’ games and is deserving of recognition in that regard.

The things which distinguished Jedi Outcast above all was its superb multi-player. Until Battlefront many wouldn’t have associated Star Wars with solid multiplayer experiences, but two years beforehand Jedi Outcast nailed it.  This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Jedi Outcast was powered by the Quake III engine. With both local and online player supporter, Jedi Outlast featured arena battles with a number of game modes (death-match, capture the flag etc). Players could utilise a number of weapons and Force Powers to wipe out the competition across a multitude of maps spanning the films and expanded universe. Nothing was more satisfying than besting your friends in a one-on-one lightsaber duel that would put Darth Maul to shame. The PC version was also the subject of an extensive modding community which added jet-packs, skins and game-modes ensuring that the game remained viable even a decade after its release. If you wanted to run around as Boba Fett with a purple lightsaber, Jedi Outcast was the game for you.

jedi-knights-3-1920x1080In 2003, Jedi Outcast was given a sequel/spin-off in the form of Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. Jedi Academy starred Jaden Korr, the apprentice to Katarn as he/she tried to tie up the loose-ends of the previous game. It featured reasonable character customisation with respect to species, gender and clothing. Additionally, one of its key selling points was the ability to create your own lightsaber choosing the hilt, design and colour. Players could stick with their single lightsaber or branch out by dual-wielding or forging their own double-edged lightsaber; the saber-staff. While it too had a substantial multiplayer component, there was little to distinguish it from Jedi Outcast.

Next year Disney will release Rouge One; the first Star Wars spin-off film of its kind.  The film will tell the story of the how the Rebels obtained the Death Star plans and it is more than likely that Kyle Katarn will not play a role. So until then, spare a thought for the mercenary turned Jedi and give the Jedi Knight series a try. For those yearning to experience what is truly like to be a Jedi, this is the Star Wars game you are looking for.

Join us tomorrow as we take a look at one of the most odd and rarest album every created; Empire Jazz. In the meantime, check out yesterday’s article on Heir to the Empire as we count down to Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

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Behind The Scenes Of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

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It does seem that with everyday the world gets closer to the premiere of ‘The Force Awakens’ that we get yet another tidbit of video in the form of a teaser or a featurette just to wet our Star Wars appetites. Well, Saturday night at Comic Con in Brazil, another video was released with the focus being on the “legacy” of Star Wars. What was striking about the video was just the amount of giddiness that everyone seems to be demonstrating on set from the director (J.J. Abrams) to the actors (Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, and Daisy Ridley). They all seem to be truly in awe of the idea that they get to bring back such an amazing franchise back to theaters. The other part of the video that stuck out to me is just the level of respect that everyone seems to have for Harrison Ford. About forty-five seconds into the video you witness John Boyega not only getting his Han Solo action figure getting autographed but actually hugging his fellow actor out of respect. The video doesn’t give away anything at all but it certainly does get any Star Wars fan with a pulse excited to see what will be the most highly anticipated film of 2015.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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Review: Sakurako-san ‘Grandmother’s Pudding’ – Just… Bleh

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This episode of Sakurako-san, ‘Grandmother’s Pudding’, gives us old ladies and pudding. But the episode itself..? Meh, it had some good points, many bad ones.

Review of Sakurako-san Episode 9 ‘Grandmother’s Pudding’

I’m going to try to stay positive throughout this review. This show has garnered a lot of perhaps unearned hate from me, and this review will try to rectify that. In order to achieve that kind of mood let’s get a lot of the negative things out-of-the-way first.

Sakurako-san 'Grandmother's Pudding' Body 1
The body proportions are all kinds of messed-up looking here

Yuriko is kind of annoying this episode.

The line”But isn’t that too simplistic of a choice?” would insinuate that Yuri’s grandmother is trying to make it hard to find, even though if things had gone according to plan that wouldn’t be necessary. I mean, why would Shoutaro even say this? What do you think you live in… a mystery show?

The painting references go as such: reference to Yuri’s name, nice hidden meaning to their relationship has girl and grandmother, and… is kind related to some random poem.

The music choices are oddly suspenseful at times, the whole scene was really.
“You didn’t want the doll did you?”
*Yuriko clenches her fists*
“Sakurako-san! Don’t accuse people of such things!”

Sakurako rants about love for about two minutes and concludes with “And that’s why I can’t help you.” Wait… why? Because you don’t know anything about love? I’m confused.

Shoutaro’s line”There are things you value because they are pointless.” Makes literally no sense.

Why is Yuri even trying to find this painting in the first place? I thought her Grandmother would have given it to her for her wedding… so why look now? Doesn’t that seem a bit mean-spirited to search for it now? With not regard for the original plan for it?

“I thought I’d visit my grandmother’s grave.”
“You are so simple-minded, boy.”
WHAT!? That is so offensive! How could Sakurako say such a thing! Seriously! Just because Shoutaro is feeling sentimental about his own grandmother he’s simple-minded?

Whew, ok, with that out-of-the-way I can focus on the positive!

Um… well… I like the visuals of the story Sakurako was telling, that was nice.

Sakurako-san 'Grandmothers' Pudding' Body image 2

Gran is a way better detective than Sakurako-san, so the detective work is actually pretty nifty this episode.

Finally, the episode seems to promise that the actual storylines (hinted at in either Episode 2 or Episode 4) are actually going to come. This being Sakurako’s little brother ‘Soutaro’ or the thing with her uncle.

There aren’t many episodes yet, and it’s clear the show is treating this as the ‘meat’ of the show. So either the Uncle storyline will be saved for a later season, or they’ll be connected. Unless they try to squeeze both in, which I do expect better from Sakurako-san than that.

The only worrisome thing is that at the very end we have a clear suicide, probably related to the teacher guy. It makes sense, he has a big spot in the OP, but really the focus should be on the Uncle and Soutaro.

Overall episode nine of Sakurako-san ‘Grandmother’s Pudding’ is just an okay episode. There have been worse, there have been better.

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The 12 Days of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire

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In the 12 days leading up to the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, we take a step onto the larger world of Star Wars by examining the novels, games, comics, albums, TV series and audio dramas that have fed our imaginations over the years. Some of these you may be aware of and some you won’t, but regardless we hope that you seek out some of these works and give them the appreciation they deserve. May the Force be with you.


A long time ago in galaxy far, far away, there was the Expanded Universe (EU) . For over 20 years, games, books, comics etc all informed the universe that was Star Wars. Until the dark times, until Disney bought the rights. In a great purge only comparable to the Empire’s mass slaughter of the Jedi Order, Disney wiped the slate clean and established a new canon consisting of the films, The Clone Wars TV show, Rebels and any work subsequently  approved by the new Lucasfilm Story Group . The old EU was labeled the “Legends” timeline and its stories relegated to the realm of “what ifs”.

Two key texts kick-started what is now known as the “Legends” timeline. Dark Empire (written by Tom Veitch and illustrated Cam Kennedy) ; dealt with a revived Emperor Palpatine tempting Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side. An interesting premise, no doubt. If you are curious as to why Luke would fall to the Dark Side, the answer is that the plot demands it and tries to pass it off as all part of cunning plan. As you could reasonably predict the young Jedi is redeemed thanks to the love of his sister; Leia Organa. The story-line was sloppily executed despite featuring some important long-lasting plot points such as the birth of Han and Leia’s son; Anakin, but the less said about it the better. The real powerhouse and re-vitaliser of the franchise, however, came in the form of Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire.

220px-HeirToTheEmpireSet five years after Return of the Jedi, we are shown that despite
the victory at Endor, the Alliance has struggled to establish the New Republic as the bastion of hope and democracy that it so desired. The remnants of the Empire maintain a strong grip over much of the galaxy. Luke is struggling to find his place in the galaxy and desires to create a New Jedi Order. Meanwhile, the Imperials, led by Grand Admiral Thrawn search for their own trump card; a Dark Jedi to bolster their significant military might and restore the Empire to it’s former glory.

For many, Heir to the Empire and the Thrawn Trilogy as a whole served as the de facto sequel trilogy. The characters develop naturally and experience internal conflicts largely unexplored by the films. It’s also one of the first works to acknowledge that true political revolution doesn’t occur overnight and that the Battle of Endor was merely to first step. People often chastise the prequels and expanded universe for focusing too much on the politics of intergalactic war, but to ignore it would be a mistake. Zahn handles the issue quite well and makes the political context in which the novel takes place as compelling a setting as the conflict itself.

It’s not perfect in any respect. Leia is one of the characters who should benefit most from the space and character development opportunities a novel provides. Instead, her main role in the plot is as a goal for the Empire. By capturing Leia, the Empire captures her unborn twins which can then be manipulated into serving the Dark Side. Focusing on Leia as a protective mother is fine, but a missed opportunity. Were her story-line to center on the conflicting role as both diplomat and military commander, it would make for a more compelling piece. As it stands, despite having some stand-out moments, it hard to not feel that she is side-lined.

heirtotheempire00Early in the novel we get our last glimpse at Old Ben Kenobi as the Jedi Master reminds his pupil to pass on what he has learned noting that he isn’t the last of the old Jedi, but rather the first of the new. We get some interesting insights into the nature of the Force which suggests that Force Ghosts cannot maintain themselves in perpetuity. Once again demonstrating that Kenobi was exaggerating his claim of becoming “more powerful than you could possible imagine”.  The lose of his mentor’s guidance further sends Luke into depression and an identity crisis of sorts which will continue to be explore throughout the trilogy. This is the first time he is truly alone and its central to his character development.

It also, to my knowledge, marks the first use of “Battle Meditation” a Force power which allows the user to improve their army’s combat-effectiveness through increased morale, stamina and battle-prowess. As abilities goes, the notion that the Force allows Jedi and Sith to  co-ordinate fleets and troops as if they were one entity is fascinating. It arguably one of the most useful and intriging Force powers and explains somewhat why Jedi, in particular, were deemed to be suitable military commanders.  It would be further explored to great effect in later works such as Knights of the Old Republic and Legacy of the Jedi.

hqdefaultNow for what you’ve all been waiting for. Heir to the Empire introduces the reader to Grand Admiral Thrawn; one of the greatest villains in the Star Wars universe.  To say he isn’t your typical Star Wars villain is an understatement of Death Star proportions. He isn’t physically powerful, he isn’t Force sensitive and he, most importantly, isn’t Vader.
If he is to be compared to any of the established on-screen villains it would be Grand Moff Tarkin; a military strategist grounded in the world of realpolitik more so than ancient religions. Ideologically speaking, Thrawn doesn’t care about the Dark Side or the Force as a whole. The motivations of the Emperor mean nothing to him. He supports the Empire because he sees it as a source of stability and order within the galaxy. The use of Dark Jedi is merely a mean to an end for him. If it increases the effectiveness of the Empire’s military might then he will exploit it as such, no more and no less. In a universe where everyone is seemingly vying to be the next Dark Lord of the Sith, this is a welcome change of pace.

thrawn_stragetizes_using_alien_artOne of the most interesting aspects of his character is his appreciation for art. For Thrawn, to understand a culture’s art is to understand the culture itself. From this understanding, he is able to create military plans specifically designed to tackle that culture based on their values and social systems.  He is Sherlock Holmes turned warlord with a fleet of Star Destroyers at his command.

There are other intriguing plot-points surrounding the character’s race and how that played into the xenophobic hierarchical structure of the Imperial Navy. There are not the primary focus of the piece and are explored more thoroughly in later works. Simply put, Thrawn knew that he was facing a glass ceiling and made himself so indispensable to the Empire that Palpatine could not but recognise his worth and grant him the title of “Grand Admiral”.

Just in case you haven’t twigged it, Thrawn is widely loved within the Star Wars fan community. Lucasfilm and Disney could probably appease many the EU fan by including a Thrawn cameo in one of their forthcoming movies. Indeed, if he happened to be played by Benedict Cumberbatch, then all would be forgiven.

13433051._SX540_The other major EU character who gets their introduction here is Mara Jade; a bounty hunter/smuggler with a grudge against Luke. In reality, Mara is a former Emperor’s Hand; an elite assassin trained in the ways of the Force by Palpatine himself. It’s probably best not to ask how many people Vader or the Emperor were training on the side because we’ll be here all day. To be honest, there isn’t much to say about Mara in this book, her primary goal is to kill Luke Skywalker thereby avenging the Emperor. The two have some nice dialogue exchanges, bur that’s really it. Its interesting from an indoctrinee viewing the Emperor as father figure perspective, but her character is fleshed out much better in the subsequent books of the Thrawn Trilogy.

There are a couple of ways that you can experience Heir to the Empire. You could, of course, read the book itself. The audio-book, like all Star Wars novels, greatly enhances the experience by providing suitably background music and sound effects to really immerse you in the action. Dark Horse also released a six-issue comic adaptation which is currently available through Marvel Unlimited. The disadvantage of that version is that you miss out on some of the inner monologues and beautiful descriptions which characterise Zahn’s work. Heir to the Empire has compelling villains, a gripping plot which takes its characters to their next level and cracking dialogue. If you are taking your first step into a larger world there is no better place to begin than Heir to the Empire.

Join us tomorrow for the next installment of the 12 Days of Star Wars; Jedi Outcast.

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Why Ben Affleck As Batman Is Not Only A Good Choice, But The Right One

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August 22. 2013. The day Ben Affleck was announced as Batman for Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice. This announcement was met with much consternation, gnashing of fanboy teeth, and cries of ‘Batfleck’ as an insult. There was even a Change.org petition to bar him from playing Batman (or any other hero) for 200 years. The White House denied the petition, just in case anyone had any ideas about going that route.

Why?

Is it because Affleck has starred in some high profile failures? Because of Daredevil? Because your significant other made you sit through Gigli, Forces Of Nature, or Bounce? These are all decent reasons. Gigli was the cinematic equivalent of trying to make ‘fetch’ happen. So yes, while Ben Affleck has had missteps, like Reindeer Games, he has also shown that he has learned from them. Solid, and in some cases award-winning, performances in films like Hollywoodland, The Company Men, The Town, State Of Play, and Gone Girl showcase his ability to turn in a good to great performance in a variety of films.

Not convinced yet? Understandable. Let’s talk about Argo. Affleck produced, starred in and directed the 2012 film about how the C.I.A. smuggled American embassy workers out of Iran during the 1979-1981 hostage crisis using a fake science fiction film. After all was said and done, Affleck came home with an Oscar for Best Picture to go with his BAFTA awards for Best Director and Best Actor and a number of other accolades for the movie.

Ben-Affleck Batfleck
Affleck accepts Oscar for Argo
Photo: ABC/ACMPAS

So how is a two-time Oscar winner not fit enough in some eyes to don the cape and cowl of the Dark Knight?

Because you didn’t like him in Daredevil?

Affleck’s involvement in Dawn Of Justice does a number of things. It puts a big name in one of Warner Bros. biggest films in recent years, and that will put butts in seats. Yes, these movies have to make money so we can get more of them, and maybe even some different DC characters down the road.

Henry Cavill is solid as Clark Kent/Superman but he can not carry a film this big and important on his own. It also gives Cavill an excellent foil in Affleck. There is an age difference of 11 years between the actors, Cavill is 32 and Affleck is 43, and this difference looks to be at play in the film. While Superman has only been in the hero game a short time, Batman has been down in the trenches of Gotham City for a decade or more and has every reason to be distrustful of a being as powerful as Superman.

Without the mask, we get a chance to see what could be the right balance of Bruce Wayne in a film. Seen by many as the shallow, old money, billionaire playboy who thinks way too highly of himself, all of the previous actors to don the cowl did ok with Bruce Wayne, but they were just ok. Bruce Wayne is a great character on his own, but showing that on film has been a challenge, from Michael Keaton to Christian Bale. Affleck can bring that no limit self-assured bravado that we have seen flashes of, but not fully realized to Gotham’s favorite son.

Ben Affleck in BVS
Bruce Wayne (Affleck) in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Photo: Warner Bros

Warner Bros. is also giving Affleck the reigns for a Batman solo flick, release date sometime in 2018, which he will be starring and directing. So we will have an Oscar-winning director helming a superhero film. Not bad, right?

You may not like him, and no argument will convince you that ‘Batfleck’ is worthy of playing Batman. Your reasons may be marginally valid, be it the failure of Daredevil, Gigli, or Pearl Harbor or that you just don’t like his face. Here’s the thing, it doesn’t invalidate that he has more successes than failures, that he has done great films and knows what makes a movie good. The success of Batman v Superman will dictate the future of the DC slate going forward and like it or not, Batfleck is a part of that. Affleck will be donning the Batsuit not only in Dawn Of Justice, but in the upcoming Suicide Squad, and Justice League films.

Agree? Disagree? Think I am soft in the head? Leave a comment below

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice releases March 25, 2016

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Doctor Who Review: ‘Heaven Sent’

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“Heaven Sent” is an example of Doctor Who at its best. A dark, compelling and character driven episode and working as an introspective about The Doctor. It is one of the best episodes of the Nu-Doctor Who series and easily Peter Capaldi’s best episode.

After the events of “Face the Raven”, The Doctor is teleported to a mysterious castle in the middle of a sea that is one light-year away from Earth. All around him are clues on what he needs to do and is surrounded by memories of his past. Even worse, The Doctor is being chased by a creature in a white cloak, having to avoid it while he figures out who put him in the castle and why.
doctor who - heaven sent, thinking
“Heaven Sent” is a truly bold episode, working as an intense mystery and psychological drama with Capaldi excelling in the role, having to work alone for most of the episode. This episode shows The Doctor suffering from grief and is in pain and despair. We get to see more insight into the The Doctor’s mind, particularly his fears and doubts – linking back to the Season 9 openers. The script is based on The Doctor being forced to reveal a dark secret so he can move onto the next part of the puzzle or to save his life. This is The Doctor at his lowest ebb and it is an emotional moment, relying on a pep talk from a character from his past to get him out of this point. The phrase “get off your arse and win” needs to become a meme.

The mystery in “Heaven Sent” was well crafted, with the information given to us in small doses. There are little clues littered throughout regarding the endgame of the episode but it only really comes together at the end when everything is revealed. It will not be spoiled here, but it was a cracker as it shows how all these little clues were signalling the ending without being too obvious. It is beautifully tied together and “Heaven Sent” has a fantastic montage at the end, having plenty of gravity to it. This episode show’s Steven Moffatt’s writing at its best, being tight and concise as it ties everything together and works on an emotional level.
doctor who - heaven sent the veil
Rachel Talalay returns to direct the final two episodes of Doctor Who. Her direction is exemplary, capturing the somber tone of Moffat’s writing and The Doctor’s despair and isolation. There are dark moments, whether it is The Doctor reflecting to himself, falling into a sea of skulls and constantly being chased by The Veil – forcing The Doctor to make personal revelations. Like Moffat’s writing, Talalay’s direction ties the twist to the preceding events together perfectly. If “Sleep No More” is an example of Doctor Who trying to be inventive and failing, “Heaven Sent” is a Doctor Who episode being different and succeeding.

Murray Gold also supplies some of the best music ever for the show, which is a massive achievement considering his work for Doctor Who. It is the best music from this season, sharing some similar beats to Mozart’s “Requiem”. It gives “Heaven Sent” an operatic feel which best describes the episode as a whole, having grand moments – when all the floors of the castle movie like sliding puzzle and showcasing The Doctor’s personal turmoil. The music was a perfect reflection to the episode as a whole.

“Heaven Sent” is deserving of all the praise it has been receiving and it will go down as a classic Doctor Who episode. “Heaven Sent” stands alongside “Blink” for quality and invention.

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Review: iZombie ‘The Hurt Stalker’ – Spot On

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This episode of iZombie, wonderfully titled ‘The Hurt Stalker’, is quite wonderful itself. Brimming with great lines, Supermax development, struggles for Liv and Major, Gilda being Gilda, and Liv in jail.

Review of iZombie Season Two Episode 8 ‘The Hurt Stalker’

The most noticeable focus in this episode is definitely the long-awaited tension between Gilda and Liv, book-ending the episode. The brain featured this episode, an obsessive wedding planner, is the perfect opportunity to bring in the drama.

The largest of which is between Liv and Major. With Liv getting into Majors phone (Reason #528 not to use the fingerprint scanner), good thing ‘Rita’ didn’t text about Major’s night jogging. What’s interesting is primarily at the end of the episode, with Liv in Major’s phone, while Gilda texts a sexy photo. While the plan is almost assuredly going to work at first, Major won’t be happy about this. It will be clear that Gilda is trying to break him and Liv apart, and if she doesn’t have a good excuse for it, things could end badly for… someone.

Additionally, this stalker-brain-worried-about-Major-cheating almost led to Liv finding out about Major’s jogging routine. This leads us to the biggest flaw of the episode, which is the false tension brought here. Everyone was led to believe that Liv would find out, because last we saw the safe had Major’s hunting supplies, but much to everyone’s surprise it had been switched out with the engagement ring, yay… If I were writing iZombie (which I clearly am under-qualified for), I would have this interrupted, by Ravi or a case development, and played out for a few episodes longer. Even when Liv is off the stalker brain, she wants to know what’s inside, she isn’t obsessive enough to force Major again, but is suspicious. This would have removed the false tension in the scene, and wouldn’t have broken immersion, resulting in much more of a perfect episode.

Aside from this one moment, ‘The Hurt Stalker’ was spot-on. Supermax got some long-overdue screen-time, more about Clive was known, and the mystery was pretty great too.

iZombie 'The Hurt Stalker' Body 1
iZombie — “The Hurt Stalker” — Image Number: ZMB208a_0032.jpg — Pictured: Leanne Lapp as Gilda — Photo: Diyah Pera/The CW — © 2015 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

The first Supermax development seen is when zombies get their hands on it. The subject then turns from a Dawn of the Dead shambling zombie to the sprinting zombies of 28 Days Later. Perhaps the more interesting moment is when Du Clark tests Supermax on himself. It did indeed boost his performances, though the violent tendencies haven’t quite been normalized yet. We can only hope no one is nearby when Major inevitably drinks one.

Despite not being involved in the investigation of this case, Clive really was the star of this episode. Much was learned about this man, from his food taste to idea of entertainment. The sad aspect of it however, is that this is not the first time Clive has been suspected of… shady dealings, last season there was a similar episode based around casting doubt on Clive’s character. Though Liv this time was more loyal to Clive’s word, it’s a little sad the only way we get to learn about Clive is if he’s accused of something.

The murder featured this episode was quite enjoyable as well. A nice touch to introduce the victim last episode, usually the best episodes of iZombie had their victims introduced prior. While the investigation was entertaining, the standout moment is when Liv is behind bars. Giving off a strong Orange is the New Black vibe along with the tension from a lack of brains gave this sequences equal parts humor and suspense.

The most curious moment was when the police captain was revealed to have cheated on his wife. This seems like an unnecessary addition, all it contributed was a reason the scrapbook was stolen (which itself is unnecessary), and give Clive an opportunity to jab at the captain. One can only hope this will develop into something later, (perhaps another crooked captain?) otherwise that was nothing more than a waste.

Overall, ‘The Hurt Stalker’ was another example of iZombie in top-form. The second season took a while to get going, but at this pace season two is leading up to an unforgettable climax.

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Who Will Return For ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’

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As we are less than two weeks away from the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the news cycle will quickly turn Star War: Episode VIII.

Who survived The Force Awakens? From the trailers, it looks like at least one person dies in The Force Awakens.

Where is Luke Skywalker?

Who is returning to Episode VIII?

What new characters will be added to Episode VIII?

Turn back now, spoilers ahead.

Jessica Jones Star Wars The Walking Dead

We know that Andy Serkis’ character Supreme Leader Snoke is a major villian throughout the new Star Wars trilogy.

This week we found out that Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma will return for Episode VIII.

Kennedy told the LA Times she has big plans for Phasma and confirmed that the captain will carry on into the next movie. “She’s an important character, a baddie in the best sense of the word.”

So know we some of the villains that will return, but what about the heroes?

Star Wars: Episode VIII is directed by Rian Johnson and will be in theaters on May 26, 2017.

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