Black Black Black “s/t”

(Aqualamb) It’s good that they are not called None More Black Black Black, because this semi-industrial death-adjacent unit is more dusky than straight up dark, which may not be a bad thing. There are some actual hooks here, which are not hidden by doom and gloom. And they reference Soylent Green, Satan and spiders, the three tastiest “S”-words!

Metalleg “Hit of the Week”

(Trend Is Dead) If you love Metal and legs you are right on both counts, but that has nothing to do with this band. Miraculously this is a hooky, bouncy poppish punk band that has none of the poison that makes “pop punk” the worst thing in the world. This probably in large part because not only is there very little annoying fake nasal singing, but this band’s great singing actually demonstrates dynamics and skill (listen to that choice lilting chorus falsetto on “Too Bad”). Feels like punk rock but tastes like Willy Wonka candy!

The New Sounds of Numbers “Invisible Magnetic”

(Cloud Recordings) Perhaps I’m being swayed by the inner-childlike cover art by number one New Number Hannah Jones, but what is making me get extra enchanted here is that NSON are creating progressive, psychedelic, Elephant 6-ish music that somehow has an early 90s indie pop vibe. In other words, they are injecting simplicity and spareness into inherently complex forms. Really fresh tasting produce here!

Halfrican vs White Pages split cassette

(Cantstandya) Slippery, skanky punkr ock fromGlasgow via the Bowery via a dilapidated garage in Ohio vs. Boston via a Tasmanian Devil cartoon scrambled egg hardcore garage trash punksplosions….and everyone’s a winner!

All Dogs Invited “Mammals Amongst Us”

(Skymongrel) Sure, we all know poetical lyrics could come from writer-happy Iowa City, but dreamy/dreary Brit pop enchantments? Wrong continent! I recieved this cassette delivered to my door, so I guess you could say I get a “mammal-gram!”

Space Wolves “III,” “IV”

(U-T) I consider myself a fan of the idea of Morrissey, though I don’t actually enjoy his music. Space Wolves are far more poppy, jangly, lo-fi, and delightful than Mr. Smiths will ever be, and there are at least a dozen genuinely infectious tunes amongst the 25 cuts on these two cassettes. But the main Space Wolf clearly does not share my aversion to Morrissey’s singing and phrasing and inflections (though he lightens the melodrama by 500 notches). But even with a vocal approach that does not float anything resembling my boat I still really dig the pop chops and sweet songwriting, so two space paws up!

Maude Flanders "Puvvy Puzzy"

(Skymongrel) Iowa City's alright if you like saxophones! Invokes the Residents without sounding like them at all.

Devin Dart/Velvet Glaciers split cassette

(FeltCat) I was a teenager when the punk rock store owner/clerk told me I needed to buy the new KLF “Chill Out” LP, the first, best, and close to only, ambient record I have. While it’s always impressive to hear any sound artist create an atmospheric wall/vibe/spell, it’s rare to hear the nuance, whimsy, and serenity the artists formally known as the Timelords delivered there. VG  harkens back to that record, in part by manipulating some old records as playing-on-a-distant-AM-radio-in-a-field audio snapshots, but also in making me feel uncomfortably blissful.  DD's strange vibrations also do an amazing job of getting my brain to forget all the bullshit I have to deal with by filling it with some far more special blend of feces.

Neil Hamburger Comics Digest

(Blank Stare) How many comix artists does it take to make a high quality Neil Hamburger comic? Apparently more than 13, because this stinks. Jerry Lewis's comic hijinks translated quite successfully on the comic book page, marking yet another difference between "America's Funnyman" and "The King of Comedy." 

Local Comics #77 by Mike Goetz

(1340 Brandywine Dr. Rockford IL 61108) If Goetz was a football player he’d be the “Pun”-ter!