nate patrin.

Why do I look forward to Tuesday nites? Well, reason #1 happens to correlate to the fact that I don’t work on Wednesdays, but reasons #s 2 and 3 are radio-related. Specifically, Internet-streamed, New Jersey radio-related:

-The Best Show on WFMU is a program I’ve dorked out over before, but I’m not really sure if my Pfork review did it justice; it takes an exceptionally talented man to get away with bashing Steely Dan and Death Proof without bumming me out and Tom Scharpling is that exceptionally talented man. His particular brand of put-upon, world-weary yet enthusiastic irritability is endlessly entertaining, and not only does he have a good ear for scuzz-rock (and ABBA), he knows the value of good, high-quality comedy, which is why guys like Patton Oswalt and Paul F. Tompkins and Zach Galifianakis make regular appearances. Also making regular appearances: Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, who plays the oblivious/pompous/arrogant/murderous antagonist foil to Scharpling in a pairing that’s been favorably compared to Bob & Ray. I haven’t actually heard much of any Bob & Ray so I’m assuming this comparison means they’re geniuses.

-Coincidentally enough, the show that immediately follows Best Show is Nickel and Dime Radio with $mall ¢hange, which hits each and every one of my beat-nerd buttons over the course of 180 minutes. An hour and a half into tonight’s show, he’s played Joe Bataan, Budos Band, O.V. Wright, Link Wray, Dynamix II, Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie, and the Rapture. Unbelievably enough, he’s had even more schizoid shows.