Backalicious

The Great White North is about to get a whole lot hotter thanks to the Backburner crew. Thomas from Hand'Solo was nice enough to hit me with a pre-release promo of their latest Heatwave earlier this week, and it's nothing short of epic!

Featuring top-shelf Canadian hip-hoppers like Jesse Dangerously, Thesis Sahib, SJ the Wordburglar, Wayne Gretzky, Chokeules, More Or Les, Ghettosocks and Psybo, it's 14 tracks of flawless flows and razor-sharp cuts expertly mixed by Timbuktu and Dexter Doolittle. Stand-out joints include the one-two punch of starters "Straight Out the Vault" and "Lifers," "Show of Hands" (with its unexpectedly tight xylophone-powered instrumental hook), Castlevania-driven "Phantom Ghost" and the spacey "Freak Show Physics." Though, truthfully, there ain't a bad song in the bunch.

Check out the phenomenal title track below, and then proceed immediately to Bandcamp to pre-order your copy. Both the digital version ($5) and the physical release ($8.99) will be available on August 30th, and I can think of no better soundtrack as you while away the waning days of summer.

It Gets Better

Not actual photo of rapper

Those of us who attended Nerdapalooza got a special treat during the Adam WarRock set. His partner in crime Tribe One – a cat who'll be joining Adam on the latter half of the Race Wars tour – busted out a phenomenal solo joint wherein he rapped over the soundtrack for the Scott Pilgrim video game. Though he used that opportunity to tease us with the concept of his forthcoming Anamanagangsta mixtape, Tribe's debut single actually comes from a different work.

From the Papercutters & Dangling Headphones EP, slated to be released August 22nd, "Different" is odd in that it represents that rare piece of LGBT-friendly hip-hop. But even beyond that it's a beautiful piece of positive, supportive lyricism that reminds us that rap culture is American culture, and that American culture is exquisitely broad. It's a spoonful of hope to help cut that nasty taste that is our current climate of name-calling and finger-pointing.

Since this is another entry from WarRock's month-long parade of sweet new singles, it also comes backed up with b-side "Countdown to Armageddon." It's a story-track from Adam that starts off simple enough but takes an unexpected turn at the end.

Both are well worth your time, but the lead track is what I'd call required listening. Enjoy.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 115: Urban Arcade

It’s the first day of school down here in my burg. I'm not sure if that's relevant save to say that the summer season is fast coming to a close.

Consider this another dose of warm-weather music for that ass.

As I assume your ass still requires warm-weather music.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 115: Urban Arcade [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 63.4 MB Running Time: 47:41

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
My theme song could beat up your theme song.

Track 1: Kirby Krackle - "Booty Do Math (feat. Adam WarRock)"
I really can't overstate the fact that this is my jam.

Z's 1st interlude: "So many definite articles."
I guess you could say I was talking the shit. #clever

Track 2: Adam WarRock - "Andrew Garfield at SDCC"
I had my qualms with a Spidey movie re-launch, but it's really hard not to love this guy.

Track 3: USK - "Cheap Jungle"
This may well be the first time I've featured a solo Japanese chiptune artist.

Track 4: Parks & Recreation dialog / DJ Dain - "Black POWER 2000 (Dan Forden, Brian Schmidt & Steve Ritchie vs. Kanye West) [Clean]"
Confession time: I still haven't listened to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in its entirety.

Track 5: R_Garcia - "SMB2 (Underworld Theme)"
Big ups to Larry for hipping my to the Eightest Bits comp from Nophi. Also, did I pronounce it as "no-fee?" Fuck!

Track 6: Chokeules - "Fumes (hotbox remix)"
Toolshed. Backburner. Represent.

Z's 2nd interlude: "It might just renew your faith in the internet."
I'm serious. Watch it.

Track 7: Kabuto the Python and B.C. - "Tali (Em Version)"
The N7 EP was originally slated to be a full-length, but catastrophic hard drive failure is a motherfucker.

Track 8: Supercommuter - "#1 Kyabajo (feat. Rachel Haden)"
I have a review written of the new Supercommuter. I hope to have it polished up later this week or early next.

Track 9: MC Frontalot - "Critical Hit"
If you pre-order the new Frontalot you can download the digital version now. What's not to love?

Track 10: Heath McNease - "Turtle Van Damme"
Because you can never have too many TMNT tracks.

Track 11: SJ Tucker - "D&D"
This one is yet another great find by my boy Church Hates Tucker.

Z's final interlude: "My 3-year-old daughter's favorite new song."
If I had a nickel for every time she ran through the den screaming "ponies, ponies ponies, swag…"

Track 12: Swagberg - "Pony Swag (feat. Maros)"
It saddens me to realize that Mitch Hedberg isn't alive to hear what really happens when you remix a remix.

Drunken Podcasting Month draws nigh, and I honestly don't know if my liver can take it. But I'll do it for you, internet!

I'm actually hoping to do something a bit different with this year's drunkcast, but only time will tell if it shakes out as planned.

Expect at least one other (reasonably) sober podcast before then, though. And I'll likely pair September's aforementioned drunkcast with another specialty show.