Meat Puppets - "Mirage" CD

The band's 5th album, originally from 1987, is here reissued with an additional 5 previously unreleased tracks appended. On "Mirage", the band's unique amalgam of post-punk, bluegrass, classic rock, and psychedelia congealed into a highly listenable, and distinctive whole. Consisting solely of brothers Curt and Cris Kirkwood with drummer Derrick Bostrom, "Mirage" contains certifiable classics like "The Wind And The Rain", or and the rollicking Western hoedown of "Get On Down", which garnered some MTV airplay back in the day. "Beauty" showcases the Curt's prowess on guitar, with lightning-fast licks that, if electrified, could double as thrash metal. "A Hundred Miles" is a calliope of chiming guitars amidst the sing-a-long pop-song structure. A strong album, and one that still sounds relatively fresh, save for the drum machine pulsing through most of the tracks. (MVD Audio)

Meat Puppets site

Meat Puppets - "Monsters" CD

The band's 1989 LP was to be their final for SST Records, and it begins with the stomping heavy rock of "Attacked By Monsters". More electric and "rock" than previous Meat Puppets offerings, this album shows another leap by the band, further upping the ante with better harmonies, and an arguably more "mainstream" sound. But rather than "selling out" (as some accused them of, especially as they were to soon signing to major label London Records), this seems, in retrospect, to be more a gradual and natural move towards more accessible songwriting.

"The Void" is another swaggering boogie-rock monsterpiece that reminds a little of a slightly psychedelic ZZ Top, believe it or not, as does the blazing "Flight Of The Fire Weasel". But there's still plenty of meandering, freaky guitar fireworks otherwise, a specialty that the brothers Kirkwood are renowned for. As it stands, "Monster" is a solid effort, and holds up well, even over 20 years later. (MVD Audio)

Meat Puppets site

"Won Ton Baby" DVD (director: James Morgart)

With nods to horror classics "Basket Case" and "Child's Play", this indie grindhouse shocker stars the delectable Debbie Rochon as "Madame Won Ton", a former madame and Chinese restauranteur who, in the 70s, bedded a drugged-up Elvis. Her resulting pregnancy produced a parasitic twin embedded in her freaky blonde daughter (played by co-creator Suzi Lorraine). Confused yet? When "Baby Won Ton" finally emerges (thanks to a grisly surgery), he's a murderous mini-Elvis with an Asian accent and a prehensile umbilical cord.

Credit must go to the puppeteers and effects team, as the "Baby" is weird but well-done, and the gore effects are heavy and designed for maximum gross-out effect. Take the scene where "Baby" masturbates (with his umbilical cord) to a diarrhea chugging video. Great atmospheres here, too, harkening back to the prime 70s-era of seedy urban grindhouse cinema. A fun and memorably humorous horror shocker here. (R Squared Films)

"Bong Of The Dead" DVD (director: Thomas Newman)

"There will be bud!" claims the packaging. This spliff-tastic splatter parody adds a new spin on the tried, true, and, dare I say, trendy zombie mythology. Set in the not-distant zombie apocalypse, a pair of bone-headed stoners discover that by pureeing zombie brains into fertilizer for their marijuana, they can get higher than a giraffe's cooch. So they set out to harvest more zombies, only to end up crossing paths with a tough chick named Leah, who reluctantly joins them, all the while adding some sexual tension and providing a measure of intellect.

The gore? Very well-done here. And the cinematography is also solid, with the "stoned" scenes shrouded in a misty camera effect. The acting is only so-so, but with a finale that's over-the-top and reminiscent of some of Peter Jackson's classics, this one's a whole bloody lot of fun. (MVD Visual)

Bong Of The Dead official site with trailer and $2.99 download deal

"From Straight To Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper, and LA's Lunatic Fringe" DVD

This nearly 3-hour unauthorized documentary does an admirable job compiling a history lesson on the short-lived, but influential labels set up by Frank Zappa and manager Herb Cohen in the late 1960s. Straight Records and Bizarre Records both were showcases for some of the wildest and most unusual sounds to come from the era.

Featured here are looks at the artists who benefit from Zappa's tutelage, from the medically-diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic Wild Man Fischer to Captain Beefheart to Alice Cooper, Lenny Bruce, Tim Buckley, and others. As with most of the releases from Sexy Intellectual, there are plenty of interviews with friends and acquaintances, though particularly absent are words from the most pivotal players. Nonetheless, this is an interesting document and a fine history lesson, especially to fans of Zappa. (Sexy Intellectual via MVD Visual)

Zappa website

Black Flag - "Live" DVD

This old VHS transfer captures the band in their Henry Rollins days, in front of a British crowd in 1984. It begins with a daring Rollins reading Henry Miller to the rowdy punk rock audience, certainly a harbinger of his future as a stand-up comic and writer/storyteller. Nonetheless, this soon devolves into a melee of abrasive and wild hardcore/punk, complete with a shirtless Rollins bellowing his lyrics like a feisty bulldog. The band, led by the innovative guitar of Greg Ginn, amply back up the charismatic Rollins, as they roar through classics like "Nervous Breakdown", "Slip It In", "Six Pack", "My War", and plenty more.

It's a fine document of an era long gone, and though watchers should not expect an HD-quality experience, this is a great and rare look at one of American punk's legends. And for Rollins fans, a place to see a thinner, long-haired Rollins in his more youthful, raw element. (Visionary via MVD Visual)

The best Black Flag site out there!

Roy Buchanan - "Live At Rockpalast" DVD

Often heralded as one of the greatest guitarists of all-time, the relatively unknown Buchanan reportedly turned down both the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton to play in their bands (the Stones after the death of Brian Jones, and Clapton's early Derek & The Dominos) back in the 60s. His mastery of otherworldly fretwork encompassed early rock & roll as well as blues styles, and he influenced many of the greats.

This German TV broadcast, recorded live in 1980, presents Buchanan in his glory, with plenty of his own compositions as well as covers of "Peter Gunn" and Hendrix favorites "Hey Joe" and "Foxy Lady". As with other releases in the "Rockpalast" series, it's an impeccable recording, with multi-camera angles and clean, clear sound. Buchanan's music was so timeless, there's little clue that this show is over 30 years old, aside from the audience's attire. Masterful, and much respect to Buchanan, R.I.P. (MiG Music via MVD Visual)

Roy Buchanan tribute site