Zombre #2 The Magic Forest

(Zombre) Ansis Purins beautiful work has graced the pages of Roctober for years, and we're not so much surprised he got a Xeric grant to publish this comic as we are that Xeric doesn't just give him an unlimited debit card. If there's any knock I can put on this book it's bad timing...though Zombre, a blissfully undead innocent who has the gentle soul of Frankenstein (just before tossing that girl in the drink) and the commune-with-nature attributes of Swamp Thing, has been around for years in zines, minicomix and this magazine, having his best work come out after the cultural zombie flood of the last few years may get him lost in the Zombpocolypse of movies, TV shows, books, comics, toys, salsa, etc. that's cashing in on zombiemania. Also, having this brilliant book about hapless campers, silly forest rangers, and cartoon creatures come out so close to that Dan Aykroyd Yogi Bear computer animation abomination is unfortunate. But Zombre's day will come! The thing about the undead is that they have all the time in the world!

Snake Pit 2009

(birdcage bottom books) Ben Snakepit's light, cartoony, mundane, daily 3-panel diary comics, which he's been doing for over a decade (and which he may stop publishing, though not stop drawing, this year) are great because they are not that great. Meaning, they are not deeply personal soul-bearing autobiography, and hardly anything happens (he goes to work, he goes to band practice, he gets high, he plays videogames, he does laundry, he watches cable, he cooks with his girlfriend). But what's great is that despite going through the motions and the grind Ben is pretty satisfied, and in fact a few times a year his comix avatar just loudly declares how much he loves his life. The greatness of Ben's work is that despite defying literary laws of what makes a work good (drama, intrigue, narrative development) it tells you that his life, and consequently, your life, are OK. It helps you be satisfied with mundanity and helps you appreciate the little things. Ben Snakepit enriches all of our lives through boring comics!

Wil Forbis and the Gentleman Scoundrels "Shadey's Jukebox"

(Rankoutsider) Forbis may not have the perfect voice for Western Swing music, but he also avoids all the embarassing false twang that turns too much retro country into the equivalent of a hillbilly minstrel show. Instead, these scoundrels put together some fine lyrics, solid chops, and good intentions, and end up with some super solid, sometimes funny/sometimes sad honky tonkers.

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!