Smile - Smile

Smile – Smile
Starfyre, 1991
Acquired: Love Garden Blowout Location, Used, 2009
Price: $3

John Porcellino is one of my heroes. I read his comics and they make me want to be a better person and to try harder at that because I usually have a terribly hard time being a good person. Anyway, I found this record and he plays guitar on it! It's one of his bands! I can't remember if this band is featured in King Cat Classix, but I remember there being a lot of him playing in bands. Anyway, I picked it up randomly when I was going through the used alt-rock LPs because this one looked really neat. Handmade, the back cover was glued on, the front cover was hand drawn/painted. I looked through the stuff inside and there it was! John P on Fenders! And an article from some publication, and a little note from them making me think this got sent to radio stations or something. I got really giddy and started talking about how cool this was to Edmond really fast and he just kind of looked at me funny before taking my money. “His comix are right over there!” I said, pointing to the magazine rack. It was “trippy,” for lack of a better word. Anyway, I'd been treating this like a novelty until I actually put it on and it's actually REALLY FUCKING GOOD. I don't know why I'm so surprised, but this is really good! Exactly the kind of thing I like, which in this case is early 90s college rock. The Husker Du influence is palpable, but they still have something of their own. The songs are just really good, and I'm wondering how this record managed to be in this town for years and years until today when I finally found it. And on accident, no less. On a whim! I have been avoiding that place like the plague given that I know I will spend $20 if I even step foot in the place, but I needed to find the Ace Frehley solo record! Instead, I found this and I think that makes this day a success. There's a song called Galaxie 500! How cool is that?!