KVS’s Dwayne Johnson in Review

By now, astute music fans of the world have had the pleasure of immersing themselves in A Little Touch of Schleicher in the Night, the handsome new LP by the charmed singer and songwriter Katie Von Schleicher, released by the newly launched Sipsman label. What—have you not noticed attractive young people walking the city streets humming these songs?

These days, you’re lucky to get a dash of liner-notes to peruse with an album. The industrious KVS, however, walks an extra mile: Those fortunate enough to order her record are receiving an entire zine, published by the musician just for the occasion. Titled Dwayne Johnson in Review, the 52-page publication features Von Schleicher and a gang of miscreants—writers, label owners, fellow musicians—examining the filmography of Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, from 2001’s The Mummy Returns through last year’s Fast X. It’s a laudably insane effort that yields a breezy survey of the muscled actor’s oeuvre. Writers take different approaches: some serious, others ridiculous. Johnson “appears and disappears in 37 seconds, like a sand castle,” the musician and writer Jana Horn notes of his early effort, Longshot. Elsewhere, the Ba Da Bing Records honcho (and Lowbrow contributor) Ben Goldberg muses on the actor’s “first billed appearance with a sentient being’s name rather than that of hardened minerals.” All told, it’s a funny, cool read—several yards better than most of the work it’s discussing. And, gosh, what an album! Don’t hesitate! Buy A Little Touch of Schleicher in the Night, and with it Dwayne Johnson in Review, pronto!