Rock 'n' roll vines

Just when we thought manga cool was a tacky thing for academics and government agencies propagating the expansion of Japanese soft power as a subversive means towards hello kitty-faced world domination, a suburban sister and brother who draw for a living blend guitar amps, Freddie Mercury, and old dusty vinyl, a handsome hero, and le beau vin, reinvigorating the manga world through its courtship with the deep dank world of wines. To honor Yuko and Shin Kobayashi, creators of a comic, "Drops of the Gods," micropop has inaugurated the Micropop Taste Awards. First ever taste awards go to Yuko and Shin, purveyors of grapetastic taste.

See the nytimes for a more comprehensive review of their art in "Next Week, our Hero chooses a Médoc" by Onishi Norimitsu.

Cheers.

Pure Purr Genius

Frick the cat has muy bueno style, and he knows it.
Released in 2006 by the label 45 rpm, the undying popularity of this curious piece of artistry among cult followers evidenced by its entry into the annual top 100s at independent radio stations such as KALX (UC Berkeley) attests to its pure ingenuity. Frick, pictured in all his hazy glory on the sleeve above, seduces with his lulling purrs accompanied by flamenco guitar on "El Gato" (side A), and Frick rocks you with some nasty garage rock on "Fuzzy wuz She," side B.
A micropop recommendation for the friekyest record of the decade.