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TCB Debriefing 11/4/23: Jessica Sele, Atsuko Okatsuka, James Austin Johnson, Curb Your Enthusiasm, F Marry Kill
November 4, 2023
News
atsuko okatsuka, blonde medicine, comedy album, curb your enthusiasm, james austin johnson, jessica sele, lucy hale, seth meyers, stand up comedy, weird vibes

1. Nailing a comedy album title is often a quietly difficult challenge. Many a comedian try sidestepping it by just going the “Live at…” route while others fall short of the mark with a goofy name coupled with a corny pose for the album cover. For our money, the deeply funny Jessica Sele not only comedically lives up to the pitch perfect album title of Weird Vibes, her brand new record from venerable comedy record label Blonde Medicine, but she embodies it. Sele never ceases to surprise and has us snickering throughout the whole hour in fully embracing her own strangeness in every aspect of her life and presenting so frankly, but doing so with a gleeful awkwardness. All told, Weird Vibes radiates pretty sweet vibes. Weird Vibes is now streaming and available now wherever you get your comedy albums.

2. Not only is Atsuko Okatsuka full grown, but she is a bonafide comedy star. Just look at this tour schedule and sold out dates (and those added dates that you should get tix for if you’re anywhere around those cities).

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2. James Austin Johnson, yet again, proves that he’s the perfect weapon at SNL on his Late Night with Seth Meyers appearance this week.

3. Season 12 of Curb Your Enthusiasm is set for Feb. 2024. Perhaps, it’ll be an early Valentine’s gift on 2/12?

4. Turns out F*ck Marry Kill will be the latest game to be adapted into feature film (THR). This adaptation will, of course, not shy away from the nature of the game and, instead, lean into it with star Lucy Hale trying to figure out which of the three guys she’s dating is a local serial killer and which are F or marriage material. With all of that in mind, we are curious as to who owns the trademark to F Marry Kill if anyone.

5. We’ll leave you with this: Yes, this TCB Debriefing is a day late because we run this site all on our own and book a theater, so apologies for this and any future delays (and thank you kindly for reading).

TCB Debriefing 10/27/23: Albert Brooks, Joe Kwaczala, Welcome to England, Dead Guy
October 27, 2023
News
albert brooks, comedy album, dead guy, hbo, joe kwaczala, welcome to england

1. Even those comedy purists that are self-appointed guardians of the label “comedy legend” cannot deny the legendary status of one Albert Brooks. Thus, a documentary on the groundbreaking comedy visionary is more than called for and thank goodness it’s coming in the form of Albert Brooks: Defending My Life from director/friend Robert Reiner. Take your first gander with the trailer here, then look for it on HBO/Max on Sat. Nov. 11th.

2. Have no idea when the next season of I Think You Should Leave is going to come out? Fear not as Joe Kwaczala’s Funny Songs & Sketches can (and very much should) be your fix for carefully honed and precisely engineered tomfoolery. Kwaczala really lets his imagination run wild on a sonic canvas and that includes the “perfect” country song, hyper specific, very personal commercials, and even a behind-the-scenes sound byte of the “best” actor of all time. With that said, please enjoy Funny Songs & Sketches on repeat wherever you get your comedy albums.

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3. Ava Pickett, writer on The Great, is moving from historical dark comedy in Russia to England in the 10th century. Sky Studios is indeed developing her medieval comedy series, Welcome to England (Deadline). To get in the mood, maybe binge through the first season of Blackadder.

4. Thanks to an interim strike waiver, a dark comedy starring the likes of Michael Shannon, Judy Greer, Eva Longoria, and Luis Guzman just wrapped under the helm and pen of Courtney J. Camerota (Deadline). Called Dead Guy, the movie will, of course, follow a dead guy, specifically one that just died, being passed around by neighbors who don’t want to be associated whatsoever with his death. An inverse on the premise of Weekend at Bernie’s? We’re game for that.

5. We’ll leave you with this: As anti-comedy actually still is comedy, does any other art form accept attempts at its antithesis?

TCB Debriefing 10/16/23: American Fiction, James Hamilton Album, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, The Daily Show, Dana Snow
October 16, 2023
News
American fiction, ast records, comedy album, cord jefferson, dana snow, james hamilton, jeffrey wright, netflix, scott pilgrim, stand up, the daily show

1. Jeffrey Wright has been doing amazing work in supporting roles from being James Bond’s American counterpart to a reliable scene stealer in Wes Anderson’s latest works. Wright is about to take center stage in what looks to be a formidable and hysterical satire called American Fiction from writer/director Cord Jefferson. Wright plays a down on his luck author that creates an “urban” nom de plume as a joke for a publishing industry that rewards stereotypes and ends up finding more success than he ever has. Maybe a 2023 comedy version of The Invisible Man? See for yourself in the first official trailer here. Then, watch closely for a December release in theaters.

2. NYC comedy darling James Hamilton has made one of THE observational comedy albums of 2023 with I Don’t Deserve These Deals. Oh, you thought that observational comedy was passé? Well, let the perfectly distilled minutia of Hamilton’s life delivered with such arresting cool assure you that comedically exploring “what’s the deal” with things is still alive and well in comedy and can be thorougly enjoyed by the most snobbish of comedy fans. Please get into I Don’t Deserve These Deals fresh off the presses at AST Records here.

3. Here’s the first, full length, full-anime/fighting game-effect look at Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (complete with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World voice cast). Mark up your calendars in neon and pastels for Fri. Nov. 17th when it drops exclusively on Netflix.

4. FYI, The Daily Show returns tonight at Comedy Central (yes, it’s still a channel whose content you will probably watch on YouTube the next day) with Michael Kosta leading off at the host desk.

5. We’ll leave you with this: R.I.P. Dana Snow, an LA comedy staple. who passed away this weekend. Service for Dana will be held at Tao Comedy Studio in Koreatown on Sun. 10/29. Details below.

Pick of the Day: Joe Kwaczala Album Release (in LA) 9/28
September 26, 2023
News
comedy album, dynasty typewriter, joe kwaczala, los angeles comedy

With his prolific output of sketches at a single given time (31 for 31 and 21 for 21) and Joe’s simultaneous balancing that with his ever-so-clever stand-up, you’d think that he’d have a few albums under his belt.

If that’s what you’re thinking, then you’d be genuinely surprised to know that his very first album, the aptly named, Funny Songs & Sketches, is just about to come out. Kwaczala is having a very special night this Thur. Sept. 28th at 7:30PM at Dynasty Typewriter to celebrate the release that will very likely be every bit as magical as when we first saw Joe do The Wheel Show at Nerdmelt Showroom, a sketch variety show whose fate was decided by the spin of a wheel.

Tickets for Joe’s album release are $20 a pop and you better get them here soon as Thurs. 9/28 is coming up real quick.

Pick of the Day: James Adomian Stand Up Comedy Special Taping (in LA) 9/14
August 17, 2023
News
800 pound gorilla, comedy album, james adomian, live taping, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, the elysian

It has been well over a decade since the release of the brilliant comedy album Low Hanging Fruit from the always astounding James Adomian. Though we’d like to have a new hour from Adomian to binge and listen on repeat much sooner, James has been, over the last 11 years, a little busy touring as Bernie Sanders opposite Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump, and playing several voices on your favorite adult animated series, doing one of the best hidden gem podcasts The Underculture, amongst several other things.

Thankfully, this Adomian drought will come to an end as James is set to tape his very first stand-up comedy special and brand new hour next month for 800 Pound Gorilla Media. At The Elysian on Thurs. Sept. 14th, James will give those in attendance the meticulously honed collection of hysterical, incisive socio-political coupled with the most spot-on impressions you’ve ever heard or seen.

Tickets are only $15 right now for either 7:30PM or 9:30PM tapings and you best go get tickets here now.

 

DeAnne Smith’s “Chiweenie In A Tank Top” Is a Perfect Spoonful of Sugar for Talking About Identity
August 15, 2023
News
800 pound gorilla, chiweenie in a tank top, comedy album, deanne smith, stand up comedy

Mary Poppins’ refrain of a “spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” is, unknowingly, a core function of comedy. The underlying philosophies and messages from a comedian are often dissolved into the sweetness of their well-crafted jokes. That said, many a comedian these days opt out of the sugar-quality of comedy and instead decide to serve their medicine/message with a generous portion of even more sour tasting medicine.

DeAnne Smith is and has long been a bright and shining example of the former as they employ their preternatural warmth and extremely keen joke writing chops to actually explore those “pesky” modern day identity politics of gender, sexuality, and what to do when running into Jon Hamm. Such nuanced depth is thankfully caught on digital wax on their latest release, the perfectly titled Chiweenie In A Tank Top.

Recorded live at the Curious Comedy Theater in Portland, OR, DeAnne gave an extensive tour of so many spectrums (and even joyfully ribbed what was a very open-minded crowd). Pronouns, feminism, hotness, the death penalty, writing a joke about the death penalty, and more highly debatable are dissected with aplomb. What’s intriguing is that Smith doesn’t necessarily present this an hour of comedy necessarily as an answer for every debate, but, instead gives a hysterical account of their life and how they’re faring in a world that’s (thankfully) continuing to evolve. That’s definitely a sweeter angle to play than joking about what one clearly thinks is explicitly capital G and B, good and bad.

Essentially, the message here is that spectrums don’t have to be frustrating and can be a beautiful thing if you feel lost, in between, or outside of the “norm”. Just think about that in regards to the title, Chiweenie In A Tank Top (a great line lifted from this very lovely, affirming hour of stand-up).

DeAnne Smith’s Chiweenie In A Tank Top is now streaming pretty much everywhere you get your comedy albums. Listen in here.

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After Everything We’ve All Been Through Since 2019, Ben Roy Delivers Yet Again with “Hyena”
August 1, 2023
News
800 pound gorilla, ben roy, comedy album, comedy special, stand up comedy

Nearly 20 years in, Denver comedy luminary Ben Roy has nearly perfected his euphoria-fueled-shot-in-the-arm style of comedy that combines the energy of a Battle of the Bands showdown with the vivid and expansive detail of an impressionist painting. Roy’s comedy is a true thing of raw hilarious beauty. That sentiment continues to be true with his latest hour, fresh off the presses from 800 Pound Gorilla, Hyena.

Many a comedian over the last year or two have released what will likely be their one and only special that will touch on the COVID-19 pandemic and, as such, there is more than plenty of well-trodden territory when it comes to dealing with COVID and post-pandemic life. Roy visits said territory, but he’s such a satisfying force of nature to watch and nails the specificity and details in his writing that Hyena isn’t going to make you go through another tiresome COVID chunk. If anything, Ben’s firebrand persona makes him even stand out here when talking why he’s pro-vaccine, but for reasons that are hilariously political and transparently self-serving. More so than most other “catch-up from 2019” specials, Ben’s take/observations on the last three years are what we hoped such a comedy special would be in 2023.

We’ve talked about the vast spectrum of color that Ben uses with his pen (probably one of those tactical ones that can break through a car window) before with his past hours. It’s so mesmerizing (e.g. his game show pitch for “It’s Asbestos”) that it’s worth noting once more. Roy conjures up imagery not unlike Patton Oswalt, but goes at it with his punk rock conviction giving some sort of feeling that you’re laughing at the color palate of a nuclear tinged horizon at sunset. That’s one of the big reasons Hyena as well as every other Ben Roy release before this are so compelling to watch/listen to.

At the moment, you can rent Ben Roy: Hyena exclusively from 800 Pound Gorilla to see Roy murder at one of most comedians’ all time favorite comedy clubs, The Comedy Works in Downtown Denver for only $10. Come Thurs. Aug 10th, you’ll be able to stream Hyena for free, at your convenience, on 800 Pound Gorilla’s YouTube Channel.

Rachel Mac’s Debut Album “Teacher of the Year” Sends Up What Teaching is Really Like in 2023
June 9, 2023
News
ast records, comedy album, rachel mac, stand up comedy, teacher of the year

Though Abbot Elementary is celebrated for finding the comedy gold out of how underserved our current public school systems are in America, it’s still a network sitcom and limited to 22 minutes that are clean enough for primetime. Given what teachers have had to go through before the pandemic, during it, and right at this moment, their true thoughts on what’s going on in and around the classroom might not exactly be appropriate for the classroom.

Luckily, some teachers are stand-up comedians, unbound by network censors, and one of those teachers is the hysterical Rachel Mac. Mac gives a much more adult portrait of what life as a professional educator in 2023 is like on her debut comedy album, the aptly titled, Teacher of the Year. Mac doesn’t shy away from the realities of the class room that are much more akin to an R-rated comedy, but does so in such a matter-of-factly way that there’s a certain undeniable appeal (even though a parent might do a double take if they heard this material in the class room instead of a comedy club).

If you really want to have a hilarious warts-and-all picture of why teachers deserve better pay for teaching future generations and, overall, probably deserve more respect and admiration, on top of listening a self-assured hour of stand-up comedy that would likely get a “parental advisory” sticker if anyone bought CDs en masse anymore, then get Mac’s Teacher of the Year, available now from AST Records, and listen to it ASAP.

Please Listen to and Enjoy Mike Bridenstine’s “Hustle”, an Hour of Observational Comedy, Updated for Nowadays
December 19, 2022
News
ast records, comedy album, mike bridenstine, stand up comedy

Even in 2022, the label “observational comedy” still conjures up a high pitched, slightly nasal utterance of “What’s the deal with [insert any topic of minutia]?” However, this current modern era of comedians that focus their jokes and bits on the observations of the world around them and their life, the sound, feel, writing, delivery, and verisimilitude have evolved to something (thankfully) that’s disparate from living comedy legend Jerry Seinfeld.

Mike Bridenstine‘s sophomore release, Hustle, exemplifies this evolution wonderfully.

Bridenstine’s comedy is indeed very delineated in an observational style, but Bridenstine’s candor and genuine enthusiasm hide the seams of his material much better than comedy of yesteryear. Whether zooming in on the micro with Star Wars minutia or zooming out to trying to solve racism or getting personal with his own life-altering time playing baseball, here on Hustle, Mike maintains a chummy, grounded delivery that really make his punchlines and the comedic twists in his stories hit sweetly. There’s a traditional rise in volume when he ramps up to those elements, but none of it feels forced in a way that would take you out of the listening experience to think about every comedian who has raised their voice to punctuate their jokes.

Even though so many presidential candidates have strived to be the candidate you can have a beer with, Bridenstine really has mastered how to make such a connection with a crowd on a given night.

Mike Bridenstine’s Hustle is out now from AST Records and avaialble wherever you get your comedy albums. Give it a listen here.

Please Enjoy the Socio-Comedic Research of Kenice Mobley’s “Follow Up Question”
December 9, 2022
News
blonde medicine, comedy album, kenice mobley, stand up comedy

For the majority of the time during a stand-up performance, the goal of crowd work isn’t in-depth research and having an actual back-and-forth with the audience. That said, some of the magic of a live performance come in the unplanned moments of which the audience and their reactions are a critical part. Beloved NYC comedy staple Kenice Mobley leans as far as she can, with joyous success, on her new and very aptly titled album, Follow Up Question.

For an hour, Kenice thoroughly questions the audience led by her genuine curiosity of all things prurient.  Mobley takes a dive into actually getting to literally know her audience and all of their own relationship and sexual proclivities, almost as if she’s conducting A/B testing, to tease out that proverbial lightning in a bottle, as opposed to a more well-worn route of asking audience members where they’re from and what they do for a living. The result of her findings are delicious reveals in of themselves, but the field-research-like approach to getting there is also its own funny and endearing journey, especially since Mobley hones in on pretty intimate questions from the get go.

Kenice cleverly reveals herself too and how nerdy and horny she is whilst comedically “gathering data” from the crowd. That trick marvelously belies the quasi-clinical ticking off of every question for her supposed research for something that’s much spicier, tingly, and hilarious.

Follow Up Question just came out today via Blonde Medicine. Please give it a listen and enjoy it here.

Pick of the Day: Nore Davis Album Release Party + Comedy Show (in NYC) 6/1
May 12, 2022
News
brooklyn, comedy album, nore davis, nyc comedy, release party

June will be a grand time of year as a brand new Nore Davis album is coming to us all. Nore has been one of the best voices in comedy for many years running now and one of the few comedians to actually pull off recording an hour of comedy to release off of Zoom. Davis’ heart, sincerity, and unabashed playfulness are just a few of the reasons why June 1st, the release date of Nore: ノリー should be a big to do on your calendar.

Nore will be doing this fifth album in such a special way with “a limited edition, 14-page comic book that tells the legendary, action packed story of one comic’s transformation from Nore Davis to NORI (ノリー translated)”.

This whole release will be celebrated at a very secret Brooklyn location on Wed. Jun. 1st at 8PM ET that will have both a stellar stand-up show and after party. Admission is free, but you’re going to have to RSVP starting on May 16th 8AM PT/11AM ET. We have no doubt that tickets will get snatched up real quick, so set a reminder for this as well.

Get and Enjoy Amy Miller’s Sophomore Album “California King”
April 22, 2022
News
amy miller, california king, comedy album, stand up comedy

So much of the last few years has been defined by disruption. Nothing is as it was and everything violently changed in just a handful of days over two years ago. Now, there is so much dust still settling (and, not to mention, droplets) as we’re rolling through 2022 with dread, apathy, and a yearning for some sort of relief or peace.

Amy Miller who was already on the way to having a banner year from 2019 leading into 2020 picked up right where she left off with both half hour Comedy Central special and, especially, her debut album, California King. Ever clever and going-the-extra-mile to be inclusive, Amy delivers an hour of comedy that’s a calming breeze of joy and a fun cocktail that has a stiff pour of your spirit of choice. California King captures not only a return of live, in-person comedy as we all are forced to navigate the most unprecedented times in all of our lives (we didn’t even know that Russia was going to invade Ukraine at the time of the recording), but such a exuberant reminder that we’re not alone, no matter how alone we all felt in the last two years (or 6 or 12 if you’ve been carrying stress from the housing market crash or Trump becoming POTUS).

Please get and enjoy a splendid sophomore hour, California King, from the funniest people that you should really get to know more on these days, Amy Miller, now available on streaming platforms and CD and vinyl.

Pick of the Day: Kristal Adams Does 39ish Minutes Album Recording (in LA) 5/5
April 8, 2022
News
album taping, comedy album, glendale room, kristal adams, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

Though sheer hard work and also being funnier and funnier every time we see her, Kristal Adams has worked her way up through the LA comedy scene. Kristal’s poise and intelligence on stage are a special charm on top of her very well-observed observations and personal comedic truths whether they be about race, jazz, or anything else in between.

Kristal will be doing a taping for her very first album, a 39ish minute performance in honor of her 39th birthday, at The Glendale Room on Thurs. May 5th. While much of LA will be hustling from Netflix Is a Joke Fest show to Netflix Is a Joke Fest show around then, you can watch this celebratory stand-up performance (that will also be a taping) from one of LA comedy’s rising stars.

There are two tapings, one at 8PM PT & the other at 10PM PT and admission is pay what you can. Go ahead and reserve a ticket anyway while you’re getting more details here.

Jen Kirkman Says Goodbye to Comedy with What Will Be One of the Best Comedy Albums of 2022 “OK, Gen-X”
March 25, 2022
News
comedy album, jen kirkman, stand up comedy

One of our least favorite beginnings to a comedic premise is “Back in my day…” An overwhelming majority of the time, the sentiment is followed by older generations reminiscing in the glory of their hardships or the simplicity of their younger years. Jeff Foxworthy’s latest special The Good Old Days functions almost entirely on that singular well-worn, dull theme to the point where “…in the good ol’ days…” becomes the latest crutch of a catchphrase, a follow-up to “You might be a redneck if…”

Jen Kirkman embarks down a somewhat parallel path in her latest and last(?) album OK, Gen-X, but then veers off to explore the transition between generations with less focus on value judgments and more on how there are always people trying their very best no matter what time they’re born into. There is so much truly beautiful vulnerability on this album, which may be in part as it’s supposed to be Jen’s valediction from comedy. Examining the finer points of how different of a world she lives in now than when she grew up and, often times, being pro-millennial or Gen-Z is refreshing take, both for its affirmation and how rare it is in comedy.

If we’re to go by generational stereotypes, Gen-X often gets pegged for being endless cynical and sarcastic and this hour is almost a love letter from Gen-X to young people all while weaving a charmingly loose Jen still at the height of her comedy powers. It’s only March and this is undeniably one of the best hours of comedy that’ll come out this year.

Also, Jen sticks it so well to Louis CK by telling her story in full as an amazing parting salvo and gives a stiff reminder (full of great punchlines) how far we still have to go for parity between women and men in comedy (and the world in general). We can only hope that Jen is pulling a Hannah Gadsby and just saying that’s she quitting only to change her mind in a few months or a year or two.

In the meantime, have a really swell time listening to one of the best of our time, Jen Kirkman, and what will be her final comedy record for now, OK, Gen-X, available now wherever you get your comedy albums.

Please Enjoy Sean Patton’s Saucy Latest Album, “King Scorpio”
January 25, 2022
News
comedy album, helium comedy, king scorpio, sean patton, stand up comedy

Due to the way that stand-up comedy behaves as an industry, especially in the U.S., there is a tendency of comedians to not fully flesh out ideas or see them through all the way into completion (even from the comedians’ own perspective). Stage time is at a such premium that most comedians that have an hour to present to you that is a hastily stitched together quilt of their best bits from various 10 minute sets that they’ve done over the last few years. This unfortunate dynamic disincentivizes exploration of material and finding hidden gold in what might feel like a well-worn premise or topic.

Thankfully, there’s Sean Patton to remedy that.

His painterly attention to detail and endless curiosity makes for marvelously full-bodied bits, dare we say, passages (for their breadth and girth) in his stand-up that offer up so much to savor upon several listens. His latest album, King Scorpio, does a bang up job exploring every single crevice and corner of very broad premises, getting hilariously specific to a point where you might not even be able to tell whether he’s riffing or deftly delivering well rehearsed jokes.

Also, Patton is no stranger to the bluer side of comedy, but it always comes from a genuine place as opposed to being blue or edgy for being blue or edgy’s sake and that’s thoroughly evident through this hour. Sean revels in the drunk or horny possibilities of a near future, per his colorful imagination here. Any comedic dissection of sex and drugs might seem tired these days, but, again, Sean’s specificity and very playful sense of wonder makes it fresh. Arguably, pulling that sort of feat off, going where there seems to be no surprises left and then still uncovering those hidden comedy truffles, is the mark of great comedy for us.

King Scorpio is both a raunchy dive into the unfettered desire-driven imagination of an artist of the night and a joyous, hopeful hour of stand-up comedy from Sean Patton. With that in mind, you should enjoy it and give it a listen as soon as you can.

Andy Haynes’ “The Coward of Gramercy” Shows What a Great Pandemic Era Stand Up Comedy Album Can Be
January 18, 2022
News
andy haynes, comedy album, coward of gramercy, stand up comedy

In the years that the pandemic has persisted, there have been those of us have decried any sort talk in comedy about COVID-19 or any of its devastating effects, no matter how funny, in theory, comedians could make it. Of course, so much of comedy of any kind is derived from personal experience and why wouldn’t comedians talk about the they’re through with the rest of the 7 and change billion people on the planet?

Andy Haynes, already a great all around stand-up comedian that can play nearly anywhere, put together an hour with The Coward of Gramercy that, we believe, even the most COVID-anxious people can enjoy. After all, comedy can be a force of coping with tragedy as much as it is being the final touches on closure over the very same tragedy.

Haynes’ personal journey through the pandemic is the backbone of the hour as Andy draws sharply funny personal observations about quarantining with his now wife, comedian Rosebud Baker, and offers up the sort of humor that makes the listener feel less alone through this perpetually terrifying reality we’ve been in since 2020. In fact, Andy says “my wife” almost as much as one Borat Sagdiyev used to. As a result, there’s a grounding, comforting perspective from which Haynes works his way through his bits.

Intriguingly, this hour is an artful blend of material from the pandemic and some of Haynes’ hits from pre-pandemic (apologies to Andy if we’re tipping your hand here). However, you wouldn’t likely know that from how well arranged and ordered The Coward of Gramercy really is.

Again, in this fractured normalcy that isn’t normal at all, comedy can certainly help when you actually talk about what you’re going through and Haynes’ Coward of Gramercy is a stellar example of it.

You can stream The Coward of Gramercy wherever you stream your favorite comedy albums. Give it a listen here.

Please Enjoy Jackie Kashian’s New Special “Stay-Kashian”, Finally Arrived on This Side of the Pandemic
November 17, 2021
News
800 pound gorilla, comedy album, comedy special, jackie kashian, stand up comedy, stay kashian

For all the comedians that didn’t take a break during this historic global pandemic, Jackie Kashian managed to perform more than almost anyone and, more importantly do so safely. A large part of that had to do with her actual affinity towards virtual comedy (truly, Jackie’s joke can transcend the emotional distance of Zoom) and her tireless work ethic to the art form of stand-up comedy.

The result of countless hundreds of hours of Zoom, drive-in shows, outdoor shows, etc. etc. as well as numerous attempts to record her latest hour only to be thwarted by a new wave of COVID protocols brought on by the COVID-19 variants is this latest hour Stay-Kashian. The special seems to pick right up where Jackie left off in March 2020 when live in-person stand up went away for an extremely long “sabbatical”.

Quite simply, Stay-Kashian is a very good hour of stand-up as Jackie is particularly good at crafting them (arguably one of the very best these days). Kashian has always hit a dream comedic balance of personal, observational, satirical, clever, and aspirational with the rapid fire delivery of a multi-cam sitcom and this latest special is a further testament to that. Most comics end up doing just OK with aiming for two of those adjectives.

Kashian goes to the well of a lot of her best material, her family, specifically her father full of oblique, yet keen wisdom. That said, it’s more clear in this hour than ever before that Jackie could dissect any topic with her colorful twists of description and sharp moral observations that we could really listen to her joke about anything (as we often do during Jackie & Laurie).

Clearly, the pandemic couldn’t stop the comedy of Jackie Kashian and Stay-Kashian is proof positive of that.

Please enjoy it as a special that you can stream on YouTube here and stream it as an album here thanks to 800 Pound Gorilla.

Please Enjoy and Listen to Andrés du Bouchet Hysterical Studio Album “Poseidon’s Retreat”
September 28, 2021
News
andres dubouchet, comedy album

You are very likely more than aware of how hard it was to pull off comedy during this pandemic. The severe limitations of not having a live crowd or having to perform outside to cars or having to perform to people wearing face masks or, of course, doing live comedy over the video conferencing platform that was not designed for live performance whatsoever, Zoom, exponentially made comedy more challenging than it infamously already is.

That said, a handful of comedians did figure out how to make something that was so damn funny, pandemic be damned. One of those comedians was Andrés du Bouchet (one of the absolute funniest Conan alums). Du Bouchet has carved out an elegant niche of playing various characters on stage and twisting the knob on absurdity to 11 while oscillating between the sublime and the explicit.

His newly minted 3rd album Poseidon’s Retreat has du Bouchet lean in on the strength of his dadaist notions in extended bits and pieces recorded in a studio with no live audience. The result is so satisfyingly silly and, perhaps, the absence of a live audience allowed Andrés to go even further heights of ridiculousness. It’s definitely worth listening to 20-Sided Guy and Naked Trampoline Hamlet to have a really good ascent into beautiful daftness and see what we’re talking about in comparison to Poseidon’s Retreat. Whether you’re looking for something escapist these days for some odd reason or you want something to bust up laughing over because it’s just so damn hysterical and unexpected, du Bouchet delivers what, we think, we all need with Poseidon’s Retreat.

Poseidon’s Retreat is out now on all streaming services and we highly suggest making your day better by giving it a listen.

Please Get and Enjoy Ben Roy’s Latest “Take That Sandwich”
July 8, 2021
News
800 pound gorilla records, ben roy, comedy album, stand up comedy

Unquestionably, the time we have went through in the last year and a half (and are still very much going through) is fraught with trauma and darkness. Whether to dive into and process these experiences into comedy and, if so, how far do we go right now are questions that are very much up in the air and will be for awhile longer.

Leave it to one Ben Roy to bull rush into the darkness and come out with some, per his style and process, damn funny bits on the other side.

His latest album Take The Sandwich does not cower away from COVID-19 and all of its damaging systemic effects and, instead, dives in immediately and truly offers that healing power and perspective that comedy is supposed to have at its very core. Roy is one of the best at taking an audience through his own personal journey and weaving his own wildly colorful, punk rock, firebrand style of comedy and he certainly delivers in this latest hour (along with truly important messages about living life and the crucial importance of mental health).

So, please go get/listen to/enjoy Roy’s latest hysterical sermon from his pulpit that is the stand-up comedy stage, Take The Sandwich, available now via 800 Pound Gorilla Records.

Please Get and Enjoy the Dark-Comedy-Fueled Pop of Scout Durwood’s Comedy Electronica Vol. 2
June 29, 2021
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comedy album, comedy electronica vol 2, musical comedy, scout durwood

Blending dark, existential or vulnerable, honset comedy with any sort of music is no easy feat. When it comes to doing it with pop music or even electronica, the delicate balance becomes even more precarious and one really risks it being too over the top or forced.

Scout Durwood manages to pinpoint a balance that speaks to the absurdity of the universe especially as it relates to an individual life counterbalancing upbeat, uptempo pop songs. Comedy Electronica Vol. 2 showcases Durwood’s musical comedy prowess in spades. The release of two volumes (as opposed to just Comedy Electronica) was due to the pandemic, but, honestly, both are worth a listen and feature the sort of anthems that really nail the disillusionment of our times (in a catchy, very cheeky way with a lesbian lens).

See for yourself with this on-point Sims parody of a music video for Scout It Out.

Then, go get/listen to Scout Durwood’s Comedy Electronica Vol. 2 here.

 

Please Get and Enjoy Barbara Gray’s Fantastic Debut Album “If I Did It”
June 25, 2021
News
ast records, barbara gray, comedy album, stand up

Barbara Gray has been a favorite of ours for so long here in LA seeing her play almost every spot we can possibly imagine in town. Gray’s unapologetic love for the absurd and also her very own, very personal truth makes for sets that had us howling with laughter for years. This debut album, If I Did It, most certainly captures Barbara’s wild playfulness on stage and her candor in such a pitch perfect way.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Barbara takes everyone on a rollicking ride through this hour and is so present that it almost feels like you’re there to witness her marvelous blend of vulnerability and silliness (ex. there’s a great bit of narration that’s not unlike one for a nature documentary for a very specific ‘humping the stool’ bit).

With live comedy seeming to coming back around the country and being on the precipice of summer, Barbara’s If I Did It might be the perfect album for this very moment with how it jolts us to the wonder of just how damn fun live comedy can be.

So, please go get/listen to If I Did It now, fresh off the presses from AST Records.

Richard Pryor’s First Two Albums Set to Get Extended Cuts Released
January 5, 2021
News
comedy album, craps after hours, extended cut, omnivore recordings, reissues, rerelease, richard pryor, stand up comedy

Just yesterday, it was announced that Chris Rock’s last special Tamborine from a few years ago was going to get an extended/remixed cut released via Netflix and how that was perhaps a sign of things to come.

Perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, Omnivore Recordings announced earlier today that they will rerelease the first two albums of the most legendary comedian of all time, Richard Pryor. The new extended versions of Richard Pryor and Craps (After Hours) will 25 tracks worth of extra bits, sketches, and outtakes by Pryor (many of which are from the out-of-print compilation album, Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years: 1966-1974) as approved by Richard Pryor’s estate.

Whether there is a lack of new comedy albums/specials to release due to a historically devastating pandemic or not, more Pryor that you’ve probably never heard would most certainly be worth a listen, if not several. Yet, COVID-19 keeps the great majority of the world indoors and isolated and unheard bits of the one and only Richard Pryor are definitely more than a nice surprise for all comedy fans alike.

As to whether 2021 will bring about a big trend of extended/remixed/etc. releases for comedy is something that only time will tell (but we’re betting with ourselves that it’ll happen).

These new editions of Richard Pryor and Craps are set to be released on Feb. 26th and you can (and should) go get them here, fresh from Omnivore Recordings.

Please Get Kyle Ayers’ Great New Album “Happiness” That Was Recorded Outdoors Before Comedy Was Only Allowed Outdoors
October 14, 2020
News
blonde medicine, comedy album, kyle ayers, stand up

Few comedians tempt and tango with chaos quite like Kyle Ayers. Whether it’s having comedians write what they think a scene from a particular movie is without ever having seen it or subjecting himself to the elements and chaos of the world by taping an entire comedy album in the back patio of one of LA’s most hip and lively neighborhoods, Kyle thrives in rolling with whatever’s happening in the moment. That’s the true magic of watching comedy live and getting to share that one-time-only experience as someone shifts flawless between their material and a random skateboarder showing up, then making a dramatic exit.

All of that spirit is captured on Ayers’ new album Happiness, which was wonderfully recorded on what would normally be an evening of Good Heroin, Stories Books & Cafe’s surefire Saturday night stand-up show that happens on their outdoor back patio. We’ll note again that this was recorded outside, well before lockdown and most live stand-up wouldn’t dare attempt to be done outside. Again, Kyle thrives in it.

Ayers has plenty of silly, self-deprecating, clever, and whip-smart material that is derived from the more absurd parts of his life. Of course, there’s plenty of it that he invites into his life especially when it comes to the nearly 20 minute epic tale about the stingiest home decor seller on Craigslist. The beauty of the performance here is that nearly everything that was recorded is seemingly left in and you get that fly-on-the-wall feel that is so rare in comedy albums and specials. There is even a pretty fun exchange with his producer about what to do about a clock tower ringing at the top of the hour that would likely get cut from most other albums. Then again, it’s the keeping of that sort of thing that makes you feel like you’re there.

Ayers’ Happiness is coming out this Friday, Oct. 16th, fresh off the presses from Blonde Medicine. Please, please, please go pre-order/get and enjoy Happiness here.

View this post on Instagram

Someone skateboarded through my album recording. Here’s that clip. The album is mostly jokes that aren’t this skateboarder. You can preorder the album on iTunes / Vinyl and more. The vinyl comes with an incredible 12-page, full color nsert like you’ve never seen before. Link in my bio! http://www.kyleayers.com Album out October 16 wherever you listen to stuff, on Blonde Medicine record.

A post shared by Kyle Ayers (@kyleayers) on Oct 8, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

Please Get Katie Hughes’ Debut Album “Queen of the Castle”
September 14, 2020
News
800 pound gorilla, comedy album, debut album, katie hughes, queen of the castle, stand up comedy

Because of the restrictions of the pandemic, we don’t get surprised like we used to with comedians that we’ve never seen live before that just happen to be on one of the many shows that we used to watch on a nightly basis. Also, there is still only a certain percentage of comedians that are even doing live-streamed comedy right now and the sliver of live, outdoor shows that are happening around the country (not really in LA still) can only be seen locally. Coming across something new, like all things right now, is harder than it used to be.

That’s all to say that it was very nice surprise to hear Katie Hughes‘ debut album Queen of the Castle as Hughes is based out of Atlanta nixing any chances to see her live on stage over the last several months. For a debut album, Hughes as charmingly self-assured and confident in her blend of personal revelations and wildly colorful set of assorted characters throughout her own life, especially for her very first record. Hughes’ specificity in her voices and writing about her journey from her growing up poor in North Carolina to dishing out her brand of artisanal, vulnerable silliness is so rich and really makes Queen of the Castle a satisfying listen. Again, it was such a joyful surprise to listen to Hughes for the first time and we’re excited to what she whips up in the years to come (you know, when stand-up comedy can happen like it used to).

Katie Hughes: Queen of the Castle comes out Tues. Sept. 15th from 800 Pound Gorilla Records. You can (and very much should) pre-order/buy/stream it here.

Please Get and Enjoy Eliza Skinner’s Debut Album “Regarding My Lovers”
September 4, 2020
News
aspecialthing, ast records, comedy album, eliza skinner, musical comedy, regarding my lovers, stand up

Many folks in comedy say they are multi-talented or they’d describe themselves as a multi-hyphenate. Yet, few comedians are truly as multi-talented as Eliza Skinner. There isn’t a facet of comedy we can think of that we haven’t seen Eliza excel at in the decade that we’ve seen her go up all over the country. Her comedic expertise stretches through stand-up, improv, sketch, musical comedy, writing, podcasting, puppets, and more and always features her candor and vulnerability in a hilarious way.

Skinner’s debut album, Regarding My Lovers, carefully highlights Eliza’s wide range with very personal stand-up and a handful of original songs recorded in studio that are an epic journey in their own regard. The album title, which is usually a reference to one line in a comedy album or special, is actually quite spot on as Skinner dissects so many of her past relationships and plays specific vignettes of them in hilarious bits. We’ve enjoyed Skinner’s comedy for so long that we are thrilled that she has a full length album out now to really show off everything we’ve said here.

Eliza Skinner: Regarding My Lovers is out today, fresh from AST Records here. You can stream it too on your favorite streaming platform here.

 

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