Tom Shillue's "Trust Your Heart"

Tom Shillue is back with “Trust Your Heart,” another “12 in 12” installment, and once again my review will be littered with words like “nostalgic,” “reminiscence,” and “storytelling.” Shillue has been releasing an album a month for the past seven months and I’ve really grown a fondness and appreciation for his style and approach to comedy.  Each month is like checking in with an old friend and I find myself eagerly looking forward to hearing what he has to say.

This time around is no different. Once again Shillue presents us with a few tales of his past, this time focusing on his college years. It’s a special time for him, as it is for most people that age, stepping out on one’s own and experiencing new adventures and I was with Shillue every step of the way.

One of the reasons I connect so well with Shillue is he often seems to be telling my own story. We’re the same age, having both grown up in the 70s, so I completely relate as he recalls what it was like living in a time when there was no way to contact a girl who left a note on your door (no cell phones) and the only time the word “gay” came up was when you were talking about the Bee Gees.

Shillue finds himself involved in the theater program at Emerson College and is exposed to a whole new world of fascinating people: Girls who wear the heck out of character shoes and guys who really like Judy Garland. He finds himself pining after an older girl in the drama department (Not for sex, but just because he likes being around her) and the following summer he gets a job at a theme park where he’s introduced to an entirely new cast of characters of whom he speaks of fondly. 

I can relate because all of those things happened to me. Trade Emerson in for Ball State and Canobie Lake Park for Busch Gardens and Shillue is telling my story (or at least parts of my story). Of course, my experience wasn’t exactly what Shillue experienced. I was never smart enough to think of running my own pizza delivery business in college and I didn’t befriend a magician who revealed the secret to his dove trick through tragically accidental circumstances. I wasn’t part of a Barbershop Quartet (I ran with knights and gunfighters) and although a few of my theme park friends loved to drink, none of them had cool names like “Squimbo Pie.”

There are three main characters Shillue focuses on: Monica, Nicole, and the magician Tab Halley. Each of them leaves an indelible impression on Shillue and there’s a real sense of heartfelt sentiment as they weave in and out of his life. And then, they all return once again in an epilogue of sorts. It’s a little heartbreaking to find out what happened with each of them (I almost called them “characters,” but these are real people) but Shillue wraps up each of their stories with admiration and grace.

The title of the CD (along with the names of the two tracks contained therein) all join together to echo the mantra of Shillue’s magician friend. It’s a special sentiment that rings true throughout all of the stories found here and perfectly describes the feeling one walks away with after listening. I’m glad I spent this time with Shillue and I think you will, too.

Lisa Landry's "Use This Against Me"

Lisa Landry is going through a divorce and she is not happy.

Granted, being in a foul mood is completely understandable given the circumstances. Divorce is never easy and dealing with everything it entails is never conducive to being the best person you can be. There are a lot of feelings, emotions, and just crap in general you have to cope with/avoid/figure out/figure out what you’ll figure out later. Kudos must be given to Landry who, in the midst of everything happening around her, decided to record “Use This Against Me.”

It was a brave decision and one I’m not sure I would have/could have made at the same point in my life. Because the CD was recorded while everything was hitting the fan, there’s no sense of hindsight here, just pure, raw anger. Landry hasn’t had time to step back and look at things. It’s as though she’s been slammed into by a bike messenger and knocked down - knocked down hard - and hasn’t been able to begin to stand up again. 

If you were to hear her telling the bike messenger story (read: metaphor I just made up) to someone later that night, it would sound very different than if you were standing beside her the moment it happened. Her friends around the dinner table would laugh and gasp as she talked about how she didn’t have time to react, how her coffee was spilled on a pigeon, and how her sunglasses spun in the air and landed perfectly on a homeless man nearby.

But we’re not getting that story. Things have just gone down and we’re getting the brunt of Landry’s initial rage. She’s still in the “He’s an asshole!!!” phase and she’s determined to tell anyone who will lend an ear as her anger is taken out on everyone around her. The Blame Game is in full swing as she explains that he’s the one who wanted to get married, he’s the one who wanted a kid, and he’s the one who told on her for getting high. I wanted to hold up my hands in surrender and say, “Hey, hey, I just came here to laugh.”

I really want to see what Landry would do (or will do) with this material a year or so down the road when the cuts aren’t still so fresh. They say that Pain + Time = Humor and I think that’s true. Pain + No Time = The Innocent Bystander Who Witnessed The Bike Messenger Incident And Gets Screamed At For What The Hell Are You Looking At Asshole?!!!

I’d rather hear the story later, at dinner, when we can all laugh about it together.

Dave Fulton's "Based On A True Story"

Dave Fulton is a comedian who, similar to the likes of Bill Hicks, has an air about him that sounds constantly disgruntled and annoyed. It’s not part of his shtick, it’s just how he comes across (at least to me), even when he’s not disgruntled or annoyed, and it made it a little harder for me to get into the proceedings. That’s probably part of the reason why - comedy blasphemy, I know - I’ve never been much of a Hicks fan. Fulton, on the other hand, fares a little better (again, at least to me) and although I didn’t find myself laughing nearly as much as the live audience at the recording of “Based On A True Story” (they genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves and you can’t take that away from Fulton), there were some tracks that stood out to me as great bits.

Originally from the Midwest (which means he pronounces the president’s name “brocka-bamuh”), Fulton has lived in London for 10 years and has brought back with him reports of his adventures abroad. Life in the U.K. has taught him that folks overseas drive crazier, drink harder, and...well...drive crazier and drink harder. Residing abroad has also instilled in him a sincere and true hatred for Canadians (or, as he calls them, Mexicans with sweaters). 

There are a lot of things in life that have caused Fulton to become a bit jaded, and for good reason. After hearing how Medicaid screwed him over for life you can’t really blame him for being a bit bitter toward the program and being hit by a car while driving a motorcycle tends to make one wary of the London streets. Often times, though, the focus seemed to be more on the actual venting that comes with the relaying of events that unfolded rather than finding the humor therein. As a result, I spent the majority of the tracks listening without really laughing, feeling like I had been trapped by the guy at the party who’s had a few too many and needs to get some things off of his chest to whomever happens to be within earshot.

That being said, there are a couple of tracks I truly enjoyed, both of which appear in the second half of the CD. One of them is the tale of an Irish friend of Fulton who, as a child, was commanded by an elder to drown a bag of kittens. Yes, I know how horrible it sounds in black and white, but when Fulton explains how the Irish accent makes the story humorous, you can’t deny he has a point. The standout track recalls the time Fulton and his pals, coked up and ready for action, decided to install a peephole in the front door. It’s 12 minutes of great storytelling and really showcases Fulton at his best.

I’ll be the first to admit this album as a whole didn’t strike me like it did many others and it’s very likely I’m in the minority with my ho-hum reaction. I can recommend the “Ireland” and “Subsidizing My Career” tracks and encourage you to check them out. If you like them, go ahead and take the rest of the album for a spin. If not, that’s OK, too. 

Pete Holmes's "Nice Try, The Devil"

Even though we’ve never met, I feel like Pete Holmes is an old college buddy. Every time I hear he’s coming back into town (or, in this case, releasing a new CD), I get excited. I always have a good time hanging out with him, he makes me laugh, and his friendly good-guy vibe is nice to be around. Each time he visits he has a new weapon in his arsenal of “Pierce!!!” gags and even though Holmes himself admits they are stupid, they still crack me up. They’re so ridiculous, in fact, they crack Holmes up as well and it’s fun to watch him snicker at his own utter silliness.

“Nice Try, The Devil” is no different and another fun visit with the guy who likes to point out that we are indeed having fun (His declaration that something is “McDonald’s” is quite infectious and my friends and I have already begin throwing it at each other). Holmes has a wholesome quality about him that is inviting and welcoming. Perhaps it’s his “aw-shucks” approach to life or his overwhelming fear of The Rapture that has held over from his childhood. Because he is self-aware and realizes how comes across, he's able to squeeze some nice observations from it (most notably this being the only one of many alternate realities where he’s not a youth pastor).

Holmes has given us a thoroughly enjoyable CD that is packed with 57 minutes of solid laughter. The first time he mentions the show is coming to an end (I say “the first time” because after he makes this statement, there are still three more tracks to come), my inner comedy lover screamed “Noooo!” I wanted more. And I got it. The second time he hints that we’re almost done, I got sad again. And greedy. Yes, I wanted more and I got it but now that I got it, I wanted more more. And there is. Holmes generously continues serving up one hilarious anecdote (or group butt-clench) after another. 

You never know what Holmes is going to throw at you, so it’s best to expect anything. And everything. Breast milk? Check. The most off-key greeting at the pearly gates you'll ever hear? Got it. An amazing cake-baking/safe sex metaphor? Yup. Even when I didn’t get the reference, I got the joke. For example, although I had no idea which character from Street Fighter Haggar is (At first I kept picturing the viking from the Sunday comics), I was still able to keep up with and follow Holmes’s hilarious “what if video game characters went to the doctor” bit. 

When Holmes actually does wrap things up, he does so with the amazing story of his encounter with a telemarketer. It’s a great capper to an already-great set and yes...it made me want more (Don’t worry. If you spring for the CD/DVD combo package of this release, you’ll get it). The man in the audience during an awkward pause summed it all up best. This album is McDonald’s.

Dylan Brody's "Writ Large"

Dylan Brody is a humorist, not a stand-up comic. There is a difference between the two, as Brody explains on his new project, “Writ Large.” Mostly cuff links.

Brody doesn’t stand in front of a brick wall (well, maybe sometimes he does) spouting one-liners about his outrageous wife, his can-you-believe-this-guy boss, the female gender as a collective, or hurling good-humored racial insults at the crowd before him. Instead, he tells stories about life. Insightful, well-written (and well-spoken aloud), and reflective, Brody uses humor to enhance his tales like a chef uses a spice to season a dish and take it to the next level. 

If you’ve followed my writings for long, you know I’ve loved Brody’s work since the first time I had the pleasure to listen and review. Everything he’s done has struck a chord with me and this time around did not disappoint. He is someone with whom I’d like to sit down and share a pourover, mostly because I want to hear him tell more stories. (To be completely transparent, I also wouldn’t want to sit down with him and chat. He is so eloquent and well-spoken, even when he’s speaking off-the-cuff, I fear he would walk away from our conversation muttering, “Does that guy know about anything besides Muppets and Weird Al Yankovic?”)

Brody has a kind heart and, like myself, shares a romantic view of the world. When he is touched by something, he doesn’t want to merely tell you it touched him. He wants you to be touched by it as well. To say he succeeds is an understatement. 

When I listen to music, there are usually two different ways I take it in. The first is just to be used as noise, something to fill the silence in the background as I go about my daily routine. The second, though, is when I’m going for a specific mood or tone. When I’m sitting down to read or enjoy some coffee I’ll usually go for something like Miles Davis or Regina Spektor. On Friday afternoons when I want to just sing along and celebrate the weekend’s arrival, I’ll throw on the Billboard 1991 collection or my wife’s latest Pitbull-filled Zumba compilation.

Brody is my Miles Davis of spoken word. 

His comedy sets a specific tone and it’s perfect for those times you want to just kick back and hear a good story. On a recent road trip to Nashville I put on this album and my wife and I found it to be a perfect third companion. Together we smiled, laughed, chuckled, listened, savored, and “awww”-ed. We allowed Brody to transport us to the street outside of his Tae Kwan Do studio as he - and some local street “toughs” - learned a life lesson. We eavesdropped on Brody’s conversation with a sweet and kindly octogenarian at the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of his wife’s parents and we were both equally enraged at a couple of idiots in the crowd at the CD recording who laughed at a moment that was clearly not designed to be funny, but sentimental and sweet (I could go on about this if I let myself. It was a reaction so uncalled for, Brody was forced to pause and register it was actually happening. I’m glad he left it in though, if for no other reason than our visceral reaction showed me how much we connected with Brody and his process).

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I fell in love with this project. I have a man-crush on a CD and I’m not ashamed to say it. Brody makes me want to be a better writer. His humor makes me actively seek out the higher road of reacting to things in my own world and his way of savoring life’s little details makes me want to seek them out in my own.