Mid-Week Awesome

Next week, most of us Yanks get some time off to celebrate our independence, wherein we will grill things, get real drunk and play with explosives. The following weekend is Nerdapalooza, wherein we will… well, do pretty much the same things. But this week? Well, this week we are stuck in the dreaded doldrums.

But rather than look at this as dead space or down time, I prefer to see it as the calm before the storm. As a veritable prelude to awesomeness.

Yet even in that frame of mind I can't help but be antsy. So I have done what I always do when I find myself need of spontaneous mood-elevation; I've turned to my friends.

If you, like me, are trying to make this week into something a bit more enjoyable than simply biding time, I humbly suggest the following delightful distractions:

Kicking Back:
Remember that Next Level leak I got to hear from int eighty a couple of weekends back? Well, Dual Core has now favored the entire Interwebz with a sneak peak at the new album. More specifically, eighty talks some about the project and previews "Kick Back," which is shaping up to my new favorite song.

Who You Gonna Call?:
After another brief hiatus, Beefy and Jones are back with a new episode of Just Another Lazy Podcast. I found this one is particularly amusing, and not just because there's a lengthy segment about me. The boys talk Ghostbusters, new phones and part-time models. I dare you not to be amused.

Band on the Run:
For those of us who missed Schaffer the Darklord's debut with his new backing band The Darklords, take heart! STD has got your YouTube hook-up. I have recently fallen in love with their reinterpretation of old school Schaffer classic "Your Band." Oldsters like me will notice that the song's lead-in is actually a cover of Twisted Sister's "Burn in Hell," as made famous in Pee-wee's Big Adventure. But it's equally important to note that lovely bassist Dr. Darklord is actually Scaff's wife. (Yes, she is a real doctor!)

Punch-drunk:
And lastly, Seattle hip-hop institution Southside will shortly be releasing the follow-up to Radio Free Hipster staple Please Southside, Don't Hurt 'Em. I've been fortunate enough to spend the last week listening to a pre-release version of the new album, but everyone gets a chance to score the Southside Liquors promo EP. I can't seem to get it to unzip, but perhaps you'll have better luck. (EDIT: It wasn't just me; the zip was corrupt. Thankfully, Southside is re-uploading as I type this. A new link is forthcoming.) New link is here!