AC/DC "PWR UP"

(Columbia, 2020) They had a Rock Mission, and they accomplished it: this sounds EXACTLY like an AC/DC record! Which you may scoff at, but think about the times the Ramones failed to make a record sound exactly like a Ramones record, which is ostensibly 3% easier. After one member died, one got caught for murder, and one lost his hearing the idea of a mostly intact reunion seemed unlikely, but here it is, as solid and thunderous as ever. PWR UP (not to be confused with the Pwr Bttm, gratefully) does have a weird spoken part that sounds eerily like Gene Simmons on "Domino," but I blame Brian's audiology therapist for that, everything else is just about perfect, and even that is kinda amusing.

White Castle Sloppy Joe Slider/Smoky Joe Slider

 

(White Castle) Any time a White Castle marquee lists something I have not tried before I feel both obligated (they have served me well over the decades) and genuinely excited to try it. Often they are not great - mediocre waffles do not a good bun make, and everything does not work in nibbler form - but every now and again they hit. Now the Sloppy Joe is a weird one to undertake, because I imagine for most of us (Adam Sandler affirms this) our experience with them is from school cafeterias, so any affection has to do with nostalgia for mediocrity. And as far as that goes, the basic SJS delivers the inadequate meat to bun ratio, and the slightly tangy but not actually tasty sauce. However, add a slice of cheese and both of those faults are mitigated to a degree. I believe these sandwiches have been offered before, somewhat forgettably if my memory does not serve me, but this year they have added a welcome variation. The Smoky Joe not only pays tribute to the Robins R&B hit (with more gusto than the Broadway jukebox musical of the same name, which did not feature the song in its entirety), but by adding some extra flavor and some cheese and some crunchy onion ring crumbles this now appeals to me as much as it does to Joe. To Joe who, you ask? Joe Mama!

How to with John Wilson

(hbomax.com, 2020) This is the best TV show I've seen in forever. Most of the short series consists of the meticulous lo-fi poetry of documentarian/editor Wilson illustrating his monologues about how to negotiate contemporary life with mundane, hilarious, poignant, disconcerting, joyful, astounding clips of the streets, stores, people, vermin, pets, signs, garbage, commerce, scaffolding, and feces of New York. The City is captured with more wonder and truth than the films of Woody, Marty, or Spike. While affecting a naive outlook he invites outgoing individuals to share seemingly bizarre aspects of their values and belief systems, but not because he is making fun of them or even because they are the world's weirdest people. It is because he gives them an opportunity to keep talking and does not stop listening. When a delightfully demeanored regular dude who is good at cooking, and good at explaining how he is doing it, also happens to open up about his theory of extraterrestrial infiltration, it is not because he is king kook, but because Wilson made him feel comfortable to share ideas that he, and perhaps many people you see all the time, find important. And while this may be the cheapest show on HBO, it is possibly the most masterful. Without spoilers, I have to acknowledge how genuinely brilliant it was for him to ask an intact-foreskin advocate about what recent movies he liked. Who would have known that question would lead to the best 20 seconds of TV this decade? How To Make The Best TV Show? Like this!

Reese's Stuffed with Pieces Big Cup

 

(Hershey's) The reason the King Size Snickers is such a magnificent candy is girth.Or more accurately, presence, as it takes up so much space and represents so much protein that instead of seeming like a snack it seems more like a steak. Long before the Seinfeld gag about eating a Snickers with knife and fork I marveled at the meat-like presence of the mighty King Size Snickers. But it just tastes pretty good. The Reese's Big Cup has the weight of the KSS (symbolically, not sure of the net weight), yet tastes a little better, but without the power/oomph/mouthfeel of the Snickers' intact peanuts. But add Reese's Pieces inside the peanut butter cup's peanut butter and you not only get crunch, but it is a sweet, sinful candy crunch! And the fact that you have candy coated peanut butter densely surrounded by the same peanut butter housed within the candy shell is an enigma inside a riddle. Or a chicken nugget floating in puréed chicken. This is a substantial, excellent confection!

Heroes of Chicago House Coloring Book by Plastic Crimewave (Intro by Pepper Gomez)

 (Wake Up!) Steve Krakow's portraiture has improved over the years, to where he can really capture character and nuance in the eyes and smiles and posture of the under-heralded heroes of Chicago music he honors. Of course, it is hard to capture the energy and joy and seriousness and playfulness of house music in a drawing...but you can provide that when you color them in! The local history of house music, as it played out on the South Side, North Side, and eventually in other cities and countries where obscure Chicago DJs became superstars and Chicago underground heroes went unknown, is complicated and crazy. Suffice to say, some of the selections and omissions here would spark debate, and a few vocal critics would argue that some Villains of Chicago House slipped in. But the best part of a l-o-n-g night of dancing is the ethereal vibe of pure love, so putting aside any politics, this is just a beautiful tribute to Frankie and Ron and Julian and Farley and Marshall and Mr, Fingers and the other architects of Chicago's best export outside of cheese/butter/caramel popcorn mixes. Speaking of mixes, my favorite page, as a CAN-TV cable access veteran, is the inclusion of the always interesting Marcus Mixx (one of the best drawings in the book). 

Chuck Berry "Wild Berrys"

 

(Pickwick, 1974) Yes, this is a Pickwick knockoff of Mercury-era blues songs, but if this had the same cover art and they had titled it "Chuck Amuck" it would be my all time favorite Chuck Berry album.

Zine Explosion 1985-1995 by Burf Quimby

 

(Quimbys) Mr. Quimby has established himself as a towering historical figure in modern zine history, opening the best zine store in the world and more recently bringing zine retail back to New York, so reading this first hand, brisk, excellent summary of the key movers, movements, moments and mishegas in 80s and 90s zine history is a delight. I appreciate that he celebrates some of the transgressive characters and trends that might not be smiled upon as much today without acting like things were unproblematic nor putting down current mores. Along with some of the other mini zines he has been producing of late, I am really impressed with his development as a designer, with a clean simple look that still nods to the xerox era.

Lenny & Squiggy present Lenny and the Squigtones

(Casablanca, 1979) With David Lander's recent passing I just wanted to take the opportunity to note that this record is FUNNY AS F-word! Musical comedy rarely is good music or good comedy, and this is both.  Watching Laverne and Shirley showcased brief glimpses of the pure funniness of these two guys, but it had to adhere to the sitcom writers' needs, so to hear them in character have space to riff and craft jokes and mouth off at a heckler and be longform hilarious is wonderful. Lander and Michael McKean  developed chemistry with their longstanding comedy group The Credibility Gap (which also featured Harry Shearer, so it's surprising that the Squigtones feature Nigel Tufnel in the band and not the other Tap-per), and in the era of comedians as rock stars this just made sense, and shoulda been a bigger hit. The most memorable song is "Night After Night," an anti-monogamy ode which they did on the show  (and which opens with Lander's legendary, "This song is called 'Night After Night,' and it's about two nights in a row").But the funniest thing on here is "Squiggy's Wedding Day," a 50s parody with a manic Squiggy rattling off his celebrity guest list, with Lenny's feelings hurt because he is not on it ("you're teed off because I didn't invite you to  a song?"). Comedy gold! If only there was a Dr. Demento in the imaginary 50s!

Monkey Up

(Air Bud Entertainment, 2016) Ostensibly this movie is a talking money remake of Dicky Roberts, with a failed actor (in this case an energy drink spokesman capuchin monkey replacing David Spade...not a fair swap IMHO) who doesn't have the range for a prestige acting job, but then moves in with a real family that teaches about life and love, resulting in him becoming a better thespian...and a better primate overall. But mainly this is movie about the challenges of making a movie starring an animal  trained mainly to do the '"Heil Hitler" gesture, adding an ominous air to one liners about jelly beans ("nobody likes the black ones") or Cyrano's big hook nose.

Kiss Crazy #9

 

(1990) This issue of Larry Blake's UK KISS fanzine is possibly the best comic book ever made! In this "Rock N Roll Fantasy" story, Bruce Kulick, longstanding KISS guitarist in the makeup-free era, laments not having a super hero profile, but then the magical talisman from the Phantom of the Park TV movie turns him into a makeup superhero, and he must save the world from Mr. Blackwell (the wicked character from the KISS/Lou Reed concept album "The Elder") alongside the rest of the super-powered band, the Sgt.Pepper's era Beatles, and Space Bear. See, on The Tomorrow Show in 1979 a wasted Ace Frehley cracked up Tom Snyder by putting part of his costume on Tom's stuffed animal and calling it Space Bear. At the time that severely annoyed Gene who wanted to show off his intelligence and charm, but 11 years later it inspired, may I remind you, the best comic book ever made! At the end it turns out to just be a dream, but get this... Space Bear is hiding in Bruce's room and there's a demo they recorded with the Beatles in his Walkman!