Holy Drivel

Derek Sheen’s brain does not handle sentimental moments well. Holding a friend’s infant daughter, a sudden wave of genuine emotion hits him, triggering a cognitive panic response so severe his vocabulary takes the emergency exit to avoid showing vulnerability. What comes out of his mouth instead is a mangled nickname, which is a clear illustration of the self-deprecating anxiety that anchors his comedy.

Recorded at the Comedy Underground in Seattle, Holy Drivel was originally self-released in 2012 but found wider distribution with a vinyl and digital reissue by Stand Up! Records in 2017. Metal producer Matt Bayles handled the recording, capturing Sheen’s fast-paced delivery that feels like a caffeinated George Carlin. At this point in his career, Sheen was a regular touring opener for Patton Oswalt and Brian Posehn, carving out a niche with a cynical style.

Sheen spends the set toggling between cultural friction and personal embarrassment. He contrasts his home turf of Seattle against Portland’s self-conscious whimsy, looks at the biscuit-based economy of the American South, and celebrates the yard sales of gay men. Throughout, he turns his gaze inward to discuss his own mental health, finding comedy in the ways we overcompensate to hide our feelings. The set wraps up with a chaotic, multi-part story involving Disneyland and heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio.