About / Contact   Store    Poetry    Recipes    Policies    T-Shirts    NEWS

Also streaming on Apple & Soundcloud.

September 2026

Other News and Perspectives

* Ellen DeGeneres was spotted recently.  But everything's okay now, the spots eventually disappeared.  * Folks who remember dark / gothic underground bands from the late 1980s and 1990s are bound to appreciate the latest release from the Miami Lakes, Florida-based band Life In Sodom.  Night/Day is housed in a nifty simply-designed slick digipak sleeve.  This double CD package features a wealth of well-produced songs that pack a big moody punch.  The core band members are Gerrie Brand (lead vocals), Danny Heinze (guitars) and Virginia Fuillerat (vocals).  On this album, the three musicians receive additional support and rhythmic sounds from Dino Rio (drums) and Billy Nightmare Torres (bass).  Nice thick sounding cuts include "Night/Day," "Silent Cries," "All But Love" and "Heaven's Gate - Cinematic Mix."  The album has been released on the band's own Nutrix Recordings label.  Cool sounding stuff.  *  Pencil Invention.  A Pencil has been invented.  It's a simple idea really.  A thin stick of writing lead is embedded into a round wood tube.  Then you just shave off some of the wood and grind the writing lead into a pointed area.  Grab hold of it and then...you can write.  Not only that, you can also draw.  There's no limit to the creative things you can do with the Pencil.  The only problem is that there is only one and it currently resides in a very prestigious museum in Paris, France.  Perhaps one day the economy will make it so that more Pencils can be produced.  But, at least for the time being, there is only one.  *  There's so much underground music being recorded in the twenty-first century that doesn't sound underground at all.  Such is the case with the latest release from Downpilot.  The band is the project created by multi-instrumentalist Paul Hiraga, a fellow who has an interesting knack for combining smart melodies with intelligent lyrics.  Strange Horses (Hirgaga's eighth full-length release) presents nine songs that have an amazing amount of commercial appeal.  His compositions feature impeccable arrangements and vocals that always hit the target dead center.  Hiraga writes and records classic pop in the best sense of the word, and his music is infused with inspiration and genuinely good vibes.  Groovy compositions include "Primitive Skin," "Rose Paranoia" and "Strange Horses."  *  Globs of Blobs.  Although there is no indication of anything at this point, thousands of people around the globe have reported Globs of Blobs.  Some describe them as globby while others say there are much more blobby.  Whether globby or blobby, the Globs of Blobs cannot be easily explained.  Even more importantly, they cannot be easily eradicated.  Thus, it appears they are simply here to stay.  *  Eccentric Uke-centric.  We recently received a release that is quite unlike anything we've heard over the past few decades.  Doctor Sparkles is the musical project created by Kevin Patrick Baiko.  He describes his own music as "uke-centric," which is a fast and simple way of giving you an idea of what he does.  Silhouettes of Aloha, his latest album, presents pop music that is infused with the sound of the ukulele and inspired by the islands of Hawaii.  Baiko has a velvety smooth voice that is a perfect fit for his songs.  Genuinely inspired tracks include "Islands of the Imagination," "The Forbidden Pool," "Songs of Songs" and "Prodigal Son."  These tracks also include guest musicians from the Virginia Beach Symphony, the Golden Children Choir (Nigeria), Denisse Ferrara (Argentina) and Evan Gibson of Revival (Kauai).  Nice slick stuff with a decidedly personal feel.  Check out the music at DoctorSparklesMusic.com.  *  The Underground Band Everyone Needs To Hear.  We've been fans of the electronic duo Hyperbubble for years.  Jess and Jeff have managed to create an entire career based on the early electronic/programmed sounds of the 1980s.  Many probably thought Hyperbubble was a short-lived fad.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  This talented hilarious couple are still going strong, and their songs are now more relevant than ever before.  So it makes perfect sense that Joe Wallace should choose to make a documentary about the band and their music.  Cowgirls and Synthesizers tells the story of two unusual individuals who found each and and decided to center their lives around their love of music and performing.  This documentary sheds light on just how smart and creative Jess and Jeff are.  It tells the story of how the band came to be and focuses on the recording of the band's album (of the same title) in Nashville, Tennessee.  Of course, the video also features a wealth of videos and original music.  The song "Cowgirls and Synthesizers" is impossibly catchy and captures the spirit of what the band is all about (the lyrics are insane).  There's no one else like them.  And now, thanks to this wonderfully entertaining documentary, their careers are probably operating on a significantly higher plane of existence than ever before.  We could never get enough of this kind of ultra-creative crazy stuff.  Highly recommended.  *  Perfect Balance.  The ongoing collaborative recordings of Ken Stringfellow and Jeremy Morris continue on a perfect path.  This is evidenced once again by the trippy positive pop songs on Jeremy's latest album Tomorrow Is Today.  This release features walls of super cool psychedelic guitars.  The overall effect is something like hearing bubblegum music with a heavy dose of 1990s tripped-out shoegaze bleeding through the speakers.  But of course, songs are the main attraction and there's no shortage of smart hummable melodies here.  Twelve tracks of pure pop bliss that are resilient and precise.  There's not a bad track to be found, but particularly cool cuts include "Tomorrow Is Today," "The Magistrate," "Little World" and "Children of the Light."  This album (and many more) can always be found on the Jam Records website at JamRecordings.com.  *  Thinking Thinking Thinking.  We wanted to know what people are thinking this month so we went out into the world and asked people what they were thinking.  We figured we would be bombarded with answers.  But, to our surprise, not a single person responded.  So our only conclusion is that people aren't thinking of anything right now.  *  Americana in London.  Listeners may do a double take when they hear the music created by the South London-based band Starter Car.  If we hadn't read the press release, we would have never guessed this band is British.  The group has just released their debut full-length entitled Afterlight.  With a decidedly American sound and feel, these tracks will probably appeal to folks on both sides of the Atlantic.  Carefully crafted audio cuts include "Throwing Down," "Wisecrack" and "Kicking."  On Germany's Tapete Records label.  *  Turning Off in 2026.  This is the year everyone decided to turn everything off.  First it was televisions.  Then it was computers.  Then it was DPCs (Dysfunctional Pocket Computers).  Then it was refrigerators.  Who knows what people will be turning off next (!).  The basic idea is that things are better when they are turned off.  Everyone wants things to be better of course, so this makes perfect sense.  This trend is likely to continue for the next three decades.  *  Underground Not Underground.  One of our favorite underground artists is a cool Maryland-based artist named Kowtow Popof.  This fellow has a sound that isn't really underground at all, although his overall image and approach are decidedly unusual and different (check out his videos...interesting stuff).  Popof's lyrics and melodies are once again right on track on his latest release entitled Fibronostalgia.  Considering how unlistenable almost all modern commercial pop is in 2026 (blech), it's reassuring to know there are still plenty of smart people making cool credible music in our world.  Nine songs that are simultaneously catchy and thought provoking.  Curiously addictive compositions include "Countdown in Bedlam," "T-Rev," "Neon Grey" and "People Are Alike All Over."  You can always locate the mega-cool Kevin Kerr (that's his real name) at KowtowPopof.com. *  To close this month, we'd like to include some completely positive words about a fantastic new magazine entitled Dummy.  Anyone who ever loved all the craziness that was happening with underground publications (and more) in the 1990s will go apeshit over this publication.  We received the first two issues and they're both beyond killer.  The first issue features interviews with Gary Panter, Wayne White, Ric Heitzman, Mark Newgarden, Kaz and more (whew!).  Paul Reubens fans should note that the Dummy debut focuses on the art of Pee-Wee's Playhouse (an all-time favorite here in babysueland).   So much cool artwork and interesting insights.  Fantastic stuff.  The second issue of Dummy poses the question "Parody or Priracy?" as it pertains to Mickey Mouse.  This one's a real head-turner and it presents solid food for thought on a number of different issues.  Dummy is a professional publication edited and published by John Kelly, a man who obviously doesn't mind pushing peoples' buttons and presenting distinct opinions from the other side.  Check out this fabulous magazine at DummyZine.com or . . . better yet . . . go online and order the print magazines.  You will not be disappointed.  *

September 2026 Notable Releases and Things

David Woodard - Skeletons (Kool Kat Musik).  Choice Chirp - Bird In, Bird Out (Wink-A-Wilt).  Erin Propp - The Longing Years.  Wrong Dog - Slippery Fish (Noise Purse).  The Lucky Ones - Prodigals & Vagabonds EP (Paradiddle Records).  Post Pulse - Lupaus (Almots Records).  Flaming Forge - Bells Roar (Lion Tongue).  One Tiny Roar - Roar & Roar (Deplorable).  Gene - Apollo.  Come On, Drown - You're The Next Wet Contestant (Thursday Monday).  Upset About Everything - Doing Nothing About Any Of It (Mirror Lamp).  Ripped Trousers - How Come You Don't Never Do Nothing No More? (Cowlick Drink).  Valar Morghulis - The Call of the Void.  Altared States - Last Rites EP.  64 Funnycars - Happy Go Lucky (604 Records).  Mama's Broke - Reunion (Free Dirt Records).  Hans Hjelm - The Night Electronic (Kungens Ljud / Bild).  Changing Places In The Fire - Changing Places In The Fire (Wild Thing Records).  Pie Pie - Purely Coincidental (Ham & Ham).  Town of Rats - Suspenders & Make Up (Big Cake).  I, Supernova - Asterisms, Vol. 1 (Deep Elm Records).  Motihari Brigade - Problematic.  This Is Your Band - This Is Your Album (This Is Your Label).  Someone Else's Band - Someone Else's Album (Someone Else's Label).  Just Another Band - Just Another Album (Just Another Label).  Not A Very Good Band - Not A Very Good Album (Not A Very Good Label).  Jerusalem - Black Horses (Singsong Music).  Medicine Head - Fiddlers Anthology (Singsong Music).  Mike Hurst - With A Little Help From His Friends (Singsong Music).  Eddington (Motion picture, A24).  Andy Williams - Born Free / Love, Andy (Collectables).  Don Lonie - Don Lonie Talks With Teenagers (Vinyl LP, Word Records).  The Real McKenzies - On Yer Bike.  The Shirts - Live At Paradise 1979 (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  MZZTR - Pronounced MISS-TER EP.  Age of Life - Coalescence Phase / EP.  Sans Froid - Back Into The Womb (Church Road Records).  Kaleo - A/B (10th Anniversary Edition, Rhino).  Baby Jane - Winter Forever.  Kimiko - Modern Dance EP.  Raivo Jackson - Tangled Up In Roots (Raivo Jackson Records).  Ola Englund - The Neverending Story.  MV Wells - Le Dauphin.  Leopard DaVinci & Helena - Flaws (The Sleepers RecordZ).  Prison - Big Rigs on the BQE (Drag City).  Here Now What's All This - Nothing We Can Do (Have A Go At It).  Starscream - Truth In A Lie (Rock Company).  Still Living - Ashes (Rock Company).  Mama's Broke - Reunion (Forward Music Group).  Laura Roy - Late Bloomer Season (Forward Music Group).  Akhavelli - Moorthodox Psyence (Below System Records).  Alexander Gallant - The Prince of Birchy Head.  Goose - Big Modern!  Cameron James - On Time.  Ata-Tat - Dark Promises EP.  Arise From Worms - A Bleeding Tree Hanging Self Destruction (Church Road Records).  Pretty Elf Bunny - Happy Sunrise (One Two Seven).  Skooshny - The Recordings 1971 - 1981 (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  Witchsorrow - The Devil And All His Works (Church Road Records).  She Was Funny - She Was Brainy (How Long Before Yeah).  The Jimmy C - Pretending To Be A Person (Kool Kat Musik).  BendreTheGiant - Swollen Eyes (Tender Loving Empire Records).  Gundriver - Give War A Chance.  Nest of Singing Birds - The Marshall Sessions.  Lyle Workman - Live At Alvas (Blue Canoe Records).  King Black Acid - Telling Secrets In A Crowded Room (Mazinga Records).  Faun Fables - The Transit Runner (Drag City).  Sparkle Blood - Zip Zap.  All-Seeing Eyes - Trone Des Fleur (14th Floor Music Distribution).  Among Legends - Lose My Grip.  Taxi Girls - Static.  Pharis & Jason Romero - These Are The Days That Turn Into Years.  Age Of Life - Coalescence / Phase EP.  Day 40 - Phenomenon.  Bad Mothers Union - Sore Losers.  Killian Walsh - Ise.  Kalamata - Zenosyne.  Tony Levin, Markus Reuter & Pat Mastelotto - Let's THRAK Again (MoonJune).  Bellstar - Before A Fall.  For Fox Sake - The Fox (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  Orang-Utan - The Producer's Cut (Adrian Millar Archive)  (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  John Howard - Overnight Bags (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  The Get Alongs - Second To None.  Howard Gladstone - Brief and Bright.  Jeffrey Halford and the Healers - Used Parts.  Coffin Hunters - Cosmic Dawn (Bitter End Records).  Hubris - White Shores.  Ed Askew - The Final Painting (Drag City).  Various Artists - Fakes - Volume Three: A Charity Compilation (Drunk Dial Records).  Kalamata - Zenosyne (Copper Feast Records).  Kulk - Choosing To Die (Church Road Records).  consonari - Tell Me A Story (PARMA Recordings).  Quintana Dead Blues Experience - Ashes.  King Black Acid - Ready For Magic (Mazinga Records).  49 Winchester - Change of Plans (Lucille Records / MCA).  Onesie - Way Thousand Bump To The Sky.  Edy Modica - I'm Just Like You And It Sucks (VEEPS//).  Cabaret Voltaire - But What Time Is It Really?  Alfred Hillig - Widowmaker Express.  Sans Froid - Back Into the Womb.  Steve Khan - Green Room: A Tribute to Ralph Towner (Blue Canoe Records).  Taxi Girls - Static.  Code Blue - Recharged! (Nickel and Dime / Triple X Records).  Earth Tongue - Dungeon Vision (In The Red Records).  Oren Ambarchi - Cooked (Drag City).  Solystalgia - Solystalgia (Nameless Grave Records).  Wine Lips - TV Dinner.  Blood Magick - Moribound.  Witchsorrow - The Devil And All His Works (Church Road Records).  Mark Wirtz - The 70s Albums: Balloon and Hothouse Smiles (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  Mothertomb - Dying To Live.  The Cartographer - The Collapse of a Bitter End.  Arise From Worms - A Bleeding Tree Hanging Self Destruction (Church Road Records).  Doghouse Rose - Born To Break Even (Stomp Records).  Aggressica - Control.  Aggressica - That's How They Get You.  Brand X - Theory of Nothing (MoonJune).  Throes - The Colorless Light of Emptiness (Church Road Records).  Russ Stedman - Aroxomonopedia (Bandcamp).  Briscoe - Heat of July.  Brian Sumner - Every Other Name You Ever Heard.  Noctule - Extinguish Thy Flame.  Frolic - Legacies of Cybernetica (Hectic Records).  Sakoya - World Gone Crazy (Adventure Cat Records).  Burner - No One Is Coming To Save Us (Church Road Records).  Among Legends - Lose My Grip.  Moonraker - Me And The Bells (Punkerton Records).  Darren Flynn - The Pinebox EP.  Mrs. Miller - More Mrs. Miller (Capital).  Unicorn - Last Orders (The Full Round Edition) (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  Bates Motel - Live in LA 1980 (The No Vacancy Edition) (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  Wilderspool - As All The Stars Begin To Fade... (Think Like A Key / TLAK).  Wizard Tattoo - When Gods Had Hands (Garage Fire Recordings).  Krayolas - Outlaw Garage Hits! (Saustex Records).  Legendary Ten Seconds - Mellotron and Guitar.  The Goods - Summer's Almost Gone (Dandy Boy Records).  Something Ain't Rights - Rotten In The Brain EP (Hovercraft Records).  Doghouse Rose - Born To Break Even (Stomp Records).  Medicine Head - Two Man Band (Singsong). Vernon/Jammer - Blues Reunion (Singsong).

This section only includes full-length releases and EPs.]