Lucky for us and Cherry Red Books, Dave Thompson is a HUGE Sparks fan. Matthew Moyer calls Sparks: No. 1 Songs in Heaven his strongest piece of writing yet.

Carl F Gauze reviews this extremely thorough biography of an obscure but groundbreaking musician from the glory days of Sunset Strip.

The Fallen resembles Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, trying to get at the story of The Fall by letting everyone tell their conflicting versions of the band’s true story. And by everyone, Matthew Moyer means EVERYONE.

Writer John Arcudi fleshes out deeply tragic imperfections while telling the tale of Eric Forster’s transformation from regular Joe to superhero, to monster in Wildstorm’s new graphic novel. Keith Marks finds humanity reflected in its mirror.

A hardback history of Super Heroes on television, from the Man of Steel to the recent Aquaman series.

Shelton Hull grooves on Nat Hentoff’s most recent jazz writing, collected here in one short, sweet volume.

A synopsis of Van Morrison’s performance on stage and on vinyl, as described by the master of reading too much into too little, Greil Marcus.

An Iranian refugee becomes the biggest band slut in England and North America.

Acolytes David Bowie and Jarvis Cocker may have a vested interest in maintaining the Walker mythos, but No Regrets is under no such obligation.

Do you remember sifting through the 45 bin back in the day and that one cover caught your eye and you just had to have it? That feeling is what 500 45s is about. Tim Wardyn is pointedly interested in at least one cover in particular.

Tim Footman’s biography describes the sexual, intellectual, depressing romantic that is Leonard Cohen, leaving Jessica Whittington no choice but to put a little whipped cream on it and eat every word with a spoon.

Jeffrey Brown draws his life in very small panels.

James Kochalka’s Superf*ckers is a raunchy, dark, proudly toilet-humored takedown of every superhero team going. Matthew Moyer recommends you keep this one out of kids’ reach.

Carl F Gauze digs TwoMorrows’ Modern Masters interview with cartoonist Guy Davis, despite the artist’s nipple defect.

It wasn’t all Bach and hypochondria in the life of mercurial pianist Glenn Gould. Shelton Hull finds this new biography awash in details of the great musician’s love life and other psychological insights.

Another inside Tell All about the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, and the deadly Altamont Concert told by road manager Sam Cutler.

Author Jimmy McDonough is no stranger to tortured artists, difficult personalities, and musicians in hopeless thrall to their muses. Tammy Wynette was long dead by the time McDonough pondered this book, but Matthew Moyer thinks the distance makes it even more special and sacred.

Jeff Schweers buries this morbid, creepy, gag-inducing yet glossy coffee table tome about dead rock stars, where they died, and their final resting places.

Author, critic, and self-confessed “drooling fanatic” Steve Almond’s latest rock and roll offering has a little something for fans and “fanatics” everywhere. Christopher Long shares the adoration.

Glenn Povey brings more facts about Pink Floyd than Carl F Gauze thinks you can shake a brick at.