Noodle Muffin "Karmic Bitchslap," "Time to Retox"

(Fyoog State) I am completely befuddled that despite their dumb name, despite messing around with some odious styles (jokey 80s retro, pop punk, whatever it is Smashmouth does), and despite them thinking "Cuntservative" is an acceptable song title, I am actually charmed by Noodle Muffin. The way they never get hung up on punchlines but rather commit to a song's humorous theme and then just jump into it head first, the way the singer's voice never gets too aggressive (which keeps the humor from getting ugly), and the pleasantly jarring jumping around from style to style (even to the Smashmouth sound) made me totally not hate these guys. And a tribute to Billy Bob Thornton that sounds better than all the Billy Bob Thornton recordings is a nice bonus.

Lowbrow Reader #8

(www.lowbrowreader.com) I would like to say that you will never read a more intelligent, nuanced, passionate celebration of the sublime charms and brilliant craftsmanship of Adam Sandler's film Billy Madison than the one featured here, but I hold my tongue because I'm pretty sure this article will launch an entire field on Billy Madison studies that will produce work to rival this for generations to come. Brown will even offer a major in it.

zinester's guide to NYC edited by Ayun Halliday

(Microcosm) In the back of the thick, anecdotal guide to all things New York are a bunch of hand written street maps, like your friend might scrawl out for you to help you get around, but instead of being unintelligible and confusing these marker markings are completely clear and actually helpful. Which pretty much sums up the book: tons of tips about trains, tattoo parlors, bike shops, bars, and free museum passes scribbled out with the personality and character of loopy cursive handwriting...but you can actually read it and it helps.

The Two Koreas "Science Island"

(Randy Vicar) Should be called The Two Coreas because this is twice as rocking as anything Chick Corea ever did! Should be called the Two Corneas because mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the ROCK! Should be called the Two Gorditas because this slab of dumb garage rock meets smart went-to-college rock busted my belly with musical  deliciousness!

The Mighty Grasshoppers

(Vital Gesture)  Grasshoppers, Asshoppers, or cashhoppers - nobody rides for free. And the real price to pay for riding along with this band is having to listen to the underdash 8-track blasting the kind of 60s/70s style rock 'n' roll that's never been considered the coolest by the punk kids --- Dave Edmonds, Creedence, the least bluesy British Invaders, even some early Tom Petty. And baby, it's worth it!

Tortured Tongues "Let Me Down" ep

(Hozac) In rock 'n' roll, as in walking down the street, it's hard not to stare and be fascinated by an amazing pile of vomit. 

Jay Banerjee "("Ban-er-jee." Just Like It's Spelled)"

(www.jaybanerjee.net) As I wrote when the preview ep came out, this is the perfect album cover, Jay looking weird and creepy in a kissing booth, because despite the bubblegum-ish pop making you feel tingly all over his gloriously imperfect voice makes everything a little weird and freaky ---  like a kissing booth worker giving the evil eye. Hearing a full-length of hook-laden, sweet power pop-sicles makes me want to classify Jay as a cousin of M.O.T.O.'s Paul Caporino, minus the wild rock abandon. Should change his name to Banerjeenius!

The Perennials "Oh Kimmy" ep

(Eradicator) By continuing to release stellar songs not only has this band guaranteed that I exceed my minimum daily requirements of infectious lo-fi jangle pop but they have also (finally) schooled me in how many r's are in the word "perennial."

Idle Times "s/t"

(Hozac) If bands like T.Rex, Cheap Trick, the Byrds, and, I don't know, let's say the Monkees, all had $5 recording budgets and their vocalists were really sleepy (from earning the $5, presumably) and their master lacquers got warped, they could only hope to sound this good. Grand, triumphant, genre-non-commital  lo-fi that manages to stay weird despite the grandiosity. Plus really good LP art.

The Hamburglars "Robble Robble Robble Robble" ep

(www.hamburglars.com) It's not just that this is a masked band dressed in full Hamburglar costumes that makes this record the best Happy Meal toy ever. It's not just that they play ridiculous garage rock with blazing guitar so hot it would make Grimace spooge. And it's not that virtually every lyric to every song is "robble robble robble robble robble rbble robbel robble robble robble." It's that they included a lyric sheet!