JOE JACK TALCUM & THE POWDERS / SAMUEL LOCKE WARD & THE BOO HOOS:
Just Add Tears: LP
I can’t imagine life without The Dead Milkmen. From junior high onwards, Milkmen lyrics consumed a ton of my mental space. Joe Jack Talcum wasn’t the lead singer of the Dead Milkmen, but he sang some of their best known songs, including “Dean’s Dream,” “Methodist Coloring Book,” and “Punk Rock Girl.” I only saw the Milkmen live once back in the day in 1993 and they totally kicked ass. Their recent reunion shows I saw in Philly and Baltimore weren’t nearly as incredible, but Joe Jack Talcum always blows me away live when he tours solo. His sets feature a mix of old hits, as well as a slew of originals. He often performs acoustic, but the addition of backing band The Powders make the songs on this split all the more rocking. Talcum’s sense of humor shines through on each track, which Milkmen fans won’t want to miss. The flip side is from prolific Iowa City musical wizard Samuel Locke Ward, and it’s an awesome display of aggressive silliness, in the vein of The Bananas from Sacramento. Limited to just 500 copies, this LP includes a digital download and comes housed in a neat silkscreened cover. Don’t be a dick by only listening to it digitally. Vinyl is meant to be played, not shelved. –Art Ettinger (Grotto, grottorecords.blogspot.com)