Radio Free Hipster Ep. 120: Occupy Elm Street

Apparently my superpower is riffing on current events for show titles. Or not; I mean, I often seem to overestimate my own cleverness.

Still, this one made me chuckle.

This year I had a little trouble rekindling my (historically abundant) Halloween spirit, but with the day finally upon us I am all up ins. Putting together this show certainly helped me get my ghoulish groove back, and I hope it provides and adequate soundtrack for your All Hallows activities.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 120: Occupy Elm Street [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 70.3 MB Running Time: 51:23 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Beef's got a new release that will also fit in well with your Halloween party playlist. Dig it!

Track 1: mc chris - "Time Warp"
mc's Columbia is downright uncanny.

Z's 1st interlude: "Part 2 of this year's Halloween Crap-tacular"
And with this one in the bag I gotta say I'm sad I have to wait another year to do it again.

Track 2: The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets - "Ogdru Jahad"
It's strange to think that I've been listening to the Thickets for a decade and a half now.

Track 3: Backburner - "Phantom Ghost"
This one's for you, @HassanISahba.

Track 4: g4gorilla - "Bring Frankenstein Back to My Street"
Another great cut from this year's Texas Chainsaw Mashacre compilation.

Track 5: MC Frontalot - "Invasion of the Not Quite Dead"
Solved is a really eclectic album -- even from Frontalot, who tends to cast a wide sonic net. The harder edge of this joint is but a single example of its stylistic breadth.

Track 6: John Anealio - "Undead Love Song"
Just when I think I have John figured out he up and uses the word "cock" in a song!

Track 7: Saltlakrits - "Cupcakes in My Basement"
This one requires a bit of back-story, as helpfully supplied by @ChurchHTucker.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Backed up by a nice Castlevania-driven beat."
That soundtrack gets used and abused a lot, but Backburner sure as hell does right by it.

Track 8: Sticks Downey - "Night of the Demons"
I'm happy to see the Sticks Downey Halloween single is now an annual tradition.

Track 9: Buttery Lords - "Werewolf in a Waterpark"
Check out their Monster & Madness EP for more fun nor'western hippity-hop.

Track 10: The Efts - "Robot Destroy"
From the soundtrack of forthcoming social networking game Robot Destroy Club.

Track 11: The Doubleclicks - "Hollywood Raptor"
It's rather insulting to say that grown women are adorable, so I will instead specify that The Doubleclicks' music  -- particularly in the case of this song -- is adorable. And also awesome. Especially awesome!

Track 12: Humanoids - "Humanoid Eyes that Shine at Night"
Since I managed to incorporate a Darkest of the Hillside Thickets tune that wasn't strictly Lovecraftian, I thought this track filled that void nicely.

Z's final interlude: "Aren't they, y'know, infinitely more interesting?"
I mean who would you rather be: Blaster or Soundwave?!

Track 13: Jonathan Coulton - "Still Alive (feat. Sara Quin)"
Coulton's Artificial Heart is another recent release that's not to be missed.

It occurs to me that there are only four more shows left in 2011. How the fuck did that even happen?!

I'll not lie to you, folks; sometimes I consider retiring from the nerd grind, taking my leave content in the knowledge that there are a shit-ton of other geek culture rags out there to keep y'all satisfied. But when I look back at Hipster, please! and its related projects -- though admittedly they aren't exactly earth-shattering -- I feel a sense of pride in my accomplishments.

Moreover, no matter how big a pain in the ass things sometimes are, I still very much enjoy what I do. I hope this show and all its brothers and sisters are just as fun and entertaining to you as they are to me, and I always appreciate your requests, suggestions and input as I move my little industry forward.

Happy Halloween, all!

Feeling Scientific

When I first heard Weezer's nigh-ridiculously named third self-titled release I was struck by the staggering revelation that, while I had grown up a lot since the 1990s, Rivers Cuomo had not. This isn't to say I didn't dig the album, or even that a writer necessarily needs to ripen emotionally in order to craft enjoyable songs. Where, for example would Trent Reznor be without his angsty and eternally adolescent rancor? But it does drive home a point about the sometimes tenuous place of the mature storyteller in popular music.

On the other hand, even since the earliest days of Optimus Rhyme, lyricist Wheelie Cyberman has had that rare ability to impart a musical narrative – no matter how fantastical – in clear-cut (if not always concrete) terms. With both emotion and restraint. With both whimsy and wisdom. In short, he tells a story like a storyteller, like a true seasoned wordsmith. His songs have heroes and villains, triumphs and fuck-ups, and he as narrator is just as likely to represent one side of that coin as the other. This means that even when a track takes place in some imaginary world populated by groove-hungry robots there still exists a level of honest realism.

The instrumentation of the Optimus lineup did a lot to play to this strength. Beneath the soul-funk rhythms and punk rock attitude there was a strong undercurrent of blues, the backbone of the American musical tradition: an unpretentious music that shares a universal message about life, love and loss with a distinctly timeless gather-'round-and-hear-my-tale aesthetic.

After that project dissolved Wheelie moved on to chip-hop collective Supercommuter, and their debut album still stands out as an amazing example of not only his unique rap style, but also as a kind of logical next step in his previous band's science fiction-y lean. The addition of chiptuner Stenobot (holding down the instrumentals) and his brother Tron Juan (whose ear for production pulled the whole thing together), assured that Supercommuter proved itself an exemplary effort. But that album, by the admission of the band itself, was a bit of a sonic experiment cobbled together from pieces of songs the guys created during hours lost in traffic going to and from their respective day jobs.

Their recent follow-up, Products of Science, builds on the data that our heroic bots collected from this preliminary study. While fans would've certainly been satisfied with more of the same, Supercommuter pushed themselves on all levels, and the release is all the better for it.

Opening with "The Commute Continueth," a clever reference to the original album's starter track, the guys ably employ the sharp and resonant blips of the classic Game Boy, but even from these early moments something is drastically different. Brighter and noticeably more cohesive as it transitions to "DMG We Trust in Thee," there is much more in the way of melody, both vocally and instrumentally, than the band has previously displayed. Amid rapid-fire verses and a gorgeously textured chorus, "DMG" explains the group itself; it smashes the sonic fourth wall somehow without ever losing its darkly futuristic edge.

The warbling, dissonant groove of "It is Splendid" quickly morphs into a genuine hip-hop banger with appropriately spacey singing and a quick drop-off that takes us back to earth for debut single "#1 Kyabajo." Thick and twisting, thanks in part to an enchanting counter-melody and a fierce breakdown, it drops the band's established sci-fi pretense.

This extends into "Wheelie's Lament," a song that sees the MC wrestling with inner insecurities via a very public forum. (And it's also a joint that boasts a truly clever allusion to Kurtis Blow!) Then an unceremonious shift takes us back to the world of Wheelie's space bound alter-ego in "Frozen," a heartbreaking tale of interstellar travel, loneliness and creeping madness.

The tone changes quickly with instrumental "Script Kitties," a four-minute marathon of erratic beats and churning LSDJ loops topped off with eerie samples. It's the perfect prelude to the ultra-violent "Robot Party," a stand-out cut that's only slightly diminished as a known property; it was previous released on the first Nerdcore Now compilation.

"Natural Immunity" pairs Wheelie's motor mouth and Stumblebee's drunken baritone for the first time since the demise of Optimus Rhyme. It's also likely the music world's most upbeat post-plague narrative. "FF45" sounds a bit like a throw-back to the previous album, with an odd layering of vocoded singing and straight-ahead rap that fails to gel early on, but later turns into the project's most vivid story-song. Touching on the recurring motifs of isolation, the marriage of man and machine and the potential horrors of technology, it's complex but easy to love.

"We're Watching You" breaks tradition by relying heavily on acoustic guitar (although the electronic elements are still readily apparent.) Another stand-out, it retells Clarke's Childhood's End in exquisite detail, capturing both hope and misery in sharp detail. From there Products of Science draws to a close with "Victory Song." As upbeat as the name implies, it marks the album's end in true 8-bit style and genuinely channels that rush of "beating the game."

As I've already mentioned, the title of Album of the Year is already hotly contested. It's a crowded playing field stocked with veteran songwriters pulling out all the proverbial stops to wow those of us in the listening public. Still, amid all of these Products of Science stands out among the best of the best.

With a magical blend of innate talent and savvy construction, the album truly mines the breadth of the genius that is Supercommuter. Wheelie remains, as ever, one of my favorite voices from the hip-hop underground, and Stenobot makes a DMG sing like no one else I've heard. Add to this Tron – a guy who always seems to know how to pitch-shift a vocal run or strip down a beat for maximum impact – and you have what is likely the most commanding and unorthodox power trio in the entire spectrum of geeky, techy music. Products of Science not only sees the chrome of these three androids shine the brightest yet, but it also pulls in amazing support staff in the form of pitch-perfect vocalists like Rachel Haden and Jen Wood (the wife of the band's own Tron Juan) for added flair.

Dark, introspective and representing a more refined approach, it's an album that will likely move a lot of copies, but probably not as many as its level of quality genuinely warrants. So pick one up. Shit, pick up two! All the proceeds benefit the Child's Play charity. Which I reckon proves beyond all doubt that these robots, as cold and calculating as they are, still possess real human hearts.

"I remember the moment when / The machines stopped listening."

Gundam Wang

As many of you already know, rapper Adam WarRock is my baby's mother. (Okay, not literally.) Ergo I am honor bound to tell you that this very month he is conducting a rare donation drive.

Y'see, Adam doesn't ask for handouts. He doesn't do Kickstarter. He pays for all of his expenses, from travel to merch to production, out of his own pocket. However with this fall tour backing up mc chris, MC Lars and Random coming down the pipe, he needs to pad the wallet a bit to help keep his belly full as he traverses the Nerd Nation. You can help out by heading over to his virtual home base to buy said merch or, better yet, by sliding the guy a couple dollars via this handy donation link.

Unlike PBS, Adam doesn't reward you with some shitty tote bag for sharing your hard-earned duckets. All month he's gonna continue to provide you special free weekly singles. These are singles in the classical sense, by the way, with their own b-sides -- a concept which I heartily endorse.

He and Tribe One kicked shit off last week with "Study Hall," and this time around it's the anime-tinged nastiness of "Gundam Wings & Fries." Snag 'em both, and keep a keen eye out for more of the new hotness from your favorite comic shop MC.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 111: Goes the Weasel

I don't often say this, but I fuckin' love this episode! I think I've finally got my sound quality and bitrate issues settled, and (aside from some weird plosives in the third act) I think the mechanics of this show are on par with my best work.

And the song selection? Phenomenal! At least from where I'm sitting.

I think you're in for a treat, listening audience. A genuine treat.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 111: Goes the Weasel [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 67.8 MB Running Time: 51:28

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Contrary to popular belief, I receive props far less often than nonstop.

Track 1: Supercommuter - "10th Generation (Klopfenpop Mix)"
I love me some Klopfenpop. I also love me some Supercommuter.

Z's 1st interlude: "But I am back… in the proverbial house."
Which is likely where my proverbial ass belongs.

Track 2: Kirby Krackle - "Tony Stark (Live)"
Buy this EP and help a koala. No, I haven't' recently suffered a stroke or anything; this really is a fundraiser for a koala sanctuary.

Track 3: seal of quality - "Thor"
Okay, maybe not exactly about the Avenger of the same name, but a great track nonetheless.

Track 4: Adam WarRock - "Spider-Woman"
Adam makes mad mixtapes. This one, for example, was dedicated to the West Coast Avengers.

Track 5: Americans UK - "[Inappropriate] Word[s] To Your Mother"
I really dig Jef UK's vocals on this one. I dig 'em hard. 

Track 6: Danny Dementor - "Fight to the End (Pre-Adolescent Mix)"
I would go so far as to say Danny Dementor made some of the greatest Wizard Rock of the scene's latter era.

Track 7: The Factory Kids - "The City (killsaly remix)"
Much like Klopfenpop, killsaly is one of those cats I truly believe can remix anything.

Track 8: Mega Ran - "Metal Dance (feat. The Megas) (Acoustic Mix)"
Upon much reflection, I actually think I prefer this to the original "electric" version.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Props to Church for turning me on to that one."
And since I know you're gonna ask, here's a link to that King of Thrones theme song cover. 

Track 9: Marc with a C - "Motherfuckers Be Bullshittin'"
Though Marc sings the titular phrase with a bit less conviction than I would've hoped, the building repetitive vocal coda at the track's conclusion is true pop genius.

Track 10: Aperture Science Psychoacoustics Laboratory - "Turret Wife Serenade"
I can't imagine anyone missed this, but if so: linky.

Track 11: Insane Ian - "Super-Powers"
Again, not my favorite work from Ian on the verses, but the chorus more than makes up for it.

Track 12: The Amazing BrandO - "ZELDA 3 [Episode2]: Hyrule Castle"
BrandO really channels Link's borderline psychopathy in this one.

Track 13: Parks and Recreation dialog / Dethonator - "Rock of the Dress"
I really didn't understand how big My Little Pony fandom had gotten until folks started requesting remixes from the show's soundtrack.

Z's final interlude: "From the cartoon series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magical."
Okay, the actual subtitle is Friendship is Magic. I'm pretty sure that one mistake alienated all my bronie listeners.

Track 14: Robin Skouteris - "One Hell or Another [Avril Lavigne vs. Katy Perry vs. Blondie vs. A-ha vs. Toni Basil vs. The Knack vs. Offspring vs. Ting Tings]"
This track is a bit long, but I felt it made a perfect closer for this episode.

In addition to my regularly scheduled episodes, next month I will also be preparing my Parsec Awards nomination sampler. I will, in keeping with tradition, share it with y'all. The only question is when.

A lot of that depends on how I choose to do things during July, as that is Nerdapalooza month. If I can still swing two shows then that mini-sode will simply be an added bonus. If that proves too problematic it may instead have to replace a regular episode.

Still, I have to submit the thing to the judging panel by June 15th, so if anyone has some sort of compulsive need to hear it early, just give me a yell and I'll link you straight to it.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 109: Shut Up, Have Fun

Lately I have been letting stuff get me down. Music and politics and the culture in general have become increasingly infuriating. Except they haven’t.

The problem doesn't seem to be the world at large. I mean, it's pretty much the same as it ever was. I'm the reason I'm getting so stressed. It's me. It's always me.

I allow myself to become emotionally invested in some fairly trifling matters, which isn't wrong in and of itself, but then I sometimes let those same things tear me up. I overthink. I overindulge. I overinflate the importance of my own input or become infuriated by the differing opinions of others, and that shit's just not healthy. Worst of all, it's wasteful.

That's what this show is about. Rather than stewing and ranting and giving in to my baser nature, I for once decided to take a step back and just… enjoy things. I resisted my urge to bitch, and instead tried to leverage that energy constructively.

Okay, I mostly resisted my urge to bitch. But, y'know, baby steps.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 109: Shut Up, Have Fun [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 43.3 MB Running Time: 47:21

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Geeky hip-hop? Check. Mash-ups? Check. Whatnot? Oh, I got your what-not right here!

Track 1: Glenn Case and Rachael Layne – "Blackbird"
This is a live cut from Glenn's YouTube channel.

Z's 1st interlude: "Willing to that bet that you suffer from a similar affliction."
Because who doesn't take silly shit too seriously sometime?

Track 2: Illbotz – "Stank Ass Rappas (Feat. Sarah G)"
Really hoping I get a chance to catch Illbotz live at some point in the not-too-distant future. Kind of a longshot, but hope springs eternal.

Track 3: Devo Spice – "Earworm (feat. MC Lars)"
From Devo Spice's new album Gnome Sane.

Track 4: oki – "Love Will Crush us Apart"
oki is working on a project that combines Joy Division instrumentals with female vocalists' a cappellas. It's fairly epic.

Track 5: The Garthim-Master & DJ Extend – "Mynocks & Jawas"
Mynocks! Those fuckers are always chewing on the power cables!

Track 6: Toolshed – "Round Table (feat. More Or Les, Wordburglar and Savilion)"
Just got my proper copy of The Lost. I am nine different kinds of excited!

Track 7: John Anealio – "Angry Robot (dalechase remix)"
I henceforth propose that a guest verse from Robot Dale Chase appear on every song. Every. Song.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Neat little factoids about the bands included."
Although sometimes I do just make that hit up. ;)

Track 8: Sci-Fried – "Tech Support" / A Little Dead Podcast bumper
One of my favorite joints from the new Sci-Fried album. It's rock solid across the board, but Jim's percussion is my favorite part.

Track 9: DJ Morgoth – "Viva la Vida Mr. Nice Guy"
This one stands as a nice callback to the Death*Star track I played during the podswap, but mostly I just couldn't resist the opportunity to rock out to some Alice Cooper.

Track 10: The Efts – "Lyon Among Wolves"
The Efts combine lo-fi anti-folk with chirpy electronica. I find this to be an intoxicating blend.

Track 11: Mike Bauer – "Friday (as performed by Bob Dylan)"
Because yesterday was Thursday. 

Z's final interlude: "Really isn't any worse than double-platinum single 'My Humps.'"
Seriously, kids, as bad as that Rebecca Black song is, is it really any worse than most other modern pop hits?

Track 12: Adam WarRock – "Meantime"
I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for a rapper to sample Space Hog.

This week I'm in the process of changing recording machines. I'm moving from my current laptop to a (hopefully) more stable desktop. This means I'll be tweaking my recording setup as a result, and while I'm at it I might try upping the bitrate of the podcast. I'm noticing some growl on my spoken interludes, and I'm hoping that boosting the fidelity and using a bit less compression can remedy that.

So I guess the only question is would you guys be willing to trade a slightly larger file size for a better quality sound. It's sort of your call.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 107: Ballyhoo

It's funny the things you notice after a podcast has been completed. For example, the songs in this particular episode contain lots of derogatory terms. I mean lots.

I'm sort of famed – well, as famed as one can be with such a small but loyal listener base – for playing rather ribald content, but I actually considered scrapping this show when I realized how much potentially offensive language was used in the selected tracks. In the end, though, I realized both that most of these songs and artists aren't likely new to you and that you folks tend to have an incredibly thick skin when it comes to musical debauchery.

I mean, how many complaints did I get about mc chris's freaky Japanese maid fetish? Zero.

So I guess what I'm saying is enjoy this episode. In spite of yourself.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 107: Ballyhoo [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 43.6 MB Running Time: 47:40

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
The RFH theme song is 100% free of ethnic slurs and hate speech. Just so you know.

Track 1: Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire – "Skyway"
I decided to start the show with Shael's tuneful take on the Apples in Stereo. 

Z's 1st interlude: "Some of the featured tracks are really tight and, moreover, really mellow. While others harsh and loose."
As a result, this one won't likely be judged my best mix. 

Track 2: Fishy – "Game On (~Opening~ Demo)"
I am currently playing Pokemon Black. Obviously, it doesn't fuck with the age old formula, but I gotta admit the first game of the 5th Pokemon generation has some nice new bells and whistles.

Track 3: Mashup-Germany – "Sexy Bitch in Memphis"
The lyrics to "Sexy Bitch" boast some of the most unintentionally hilarious phrases uttered by modern man.

Track 4: The Grammar Club – "No Homo"
There's something about the ham-fisted way in which Beefy's narrator tries to reconnect with his old friend that makes this song more than the simple joke track it could easily be interpreted to be.

Track 5: Untested Methods – "Just Dance"
Untested Methods actually gave you a present for his birthday.

Track 6: The ThoughtCriminals – "Liquid Happy"
Damn – I shoulda saved this one for Drunken Podcasting Month!

Track 7: Voltaire – "The USS Make Shit Up"
Church sent this one my way, and I simply had to share it.

Track 8: A-1 – "Doug (Funnie Bitch)"
Another fine selection from A-1's After School Special.

Z's 2nd interlude: "It's a chiptune interpretation of 'Blood of Cuchulainn.'"
I humbly suggest that you celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a little Shamroctoroc.

Track 9: MagiTek – "Dynamite Kid"
The new Magitek is a lot of fun, but this instrumental in particular hit me just the right way. 

Track 10: mc chris – "IG-88 (killsaly remix)" / Star Wars dialog
killsaly recently followed up his Warrior Class mixtape with the cleverly titled Class Warrior.

Track 11: John Anealio – "Mr. Roboto"
Check out John's new freebie The Robot EP.

Track 12: Benjamin Bear – "Bloodclot"
I know by this time everyone else has already moved onto Ben's new album Tuesday, but there's something to be said for the rough and imprecise nature of Everything Left.

Track 13: Adam WarRock – "Hopeless Savages"
I am also still loving WarRocks' Oni Press Mixtape. My only complaint – needs more Blue Monday and Barry Ween!

Z's final interlude: "I think genres are, as a rule, often more for fans and the media than for the artists themselves."
I have been making a concerted effort not to sermonize of late, but little rants like this sometimes creep out before I can beat them back into submission. 

Track 14: Childish Gambino – "New Prince (Crown on the Ground)"
"Yeah, I stay fly like a pelican / Get new kicks everyday like an ottoman."

I also notice that this episode has some weird audio artifacts – some popping and crackling that I somehow missed in post-production. My voice sounds a tad rough too, although whether that's a legitimate sound issue or the lingering effects of flu is anyone's guess.

Still, if anybody wants to donate to the buy-me-a-new-computer-before-this-one's-totally-fucked fund, feel free.

The late March edition of Radio Free Hipster will likely not come until... well, April. Moreover, it will (hopefully) be my annual Podswap episode. I'm currently trying to convince one of my many talented podcasting peers to helm the show on April 1st, as is tradition.

I have no doubt that you'll be pleased with the outcome, whatever it is.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 99: Bad Manners

Special episodes are gonna be the death of me. Between last month's Halloween Crap-tacular and next month's holiday edition (not to mention my big 100th episode right around the corner) I've got more special editions than regular ones these days.

This leaves me very little time to spotlight some of the new hotness, but I've done my best to pack this episode with brand new tracks that are ripe for the picking and a few older joints that you may have missed.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 99: Bad Manners [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 46 MB Running Time: 50:20 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
There are few things more rewarding than having a custom-made podcast theme by two of your favorite artists.

Track 1: Supercommuter – "Robot Party"
Believe it or not, this is from Supercommuter's very first gig.

Z's 1st interlude: "We are gonna move from chip-hop to geek rock."
Which won't likely surprise you. 

Track 2: Nuclear Bubble Rap – "Inyourendo"
Once again just let me pause to give it up for the FuMP community.

Track 3: Marc with a C – "Bed Intruder Song"
For anyone who may have somehow missed this whole thing, here's a breakdown.

Track 4: Billy the Fridge – "Armstrong"
If we all join hands and wish really hard will Billy put out a follow-up album already?

Track 5: DJ Lobsterdust – "Knock Out Eileen"
The juxtaposition of Kevin Rowland begging for sex and LL making idle threats is… creepy.

Track 6: Dr. Octoroc – "Bad Horse Chorus"
I remain convinced that Dr. Oct is incapable of creating a bad track.

Track 7: Mr. B, The Gentleman Rhymer – "Beats, Rhymes & Manners"
Because we Yanks can never get enough chap-hop.

Track 8: Tom Milsom – "Bad Wolf Bay"
From Tom's free Trockstuff EP.

Track 9: SJ the Wordburglar – "Wordburglar"
This collab with Beatmason led to the eventual adoption of "The Wordburglar" as SJ's official moniker. 

Z's 2nd interlude: "The 2003 Hand'Solo compilation from whence it originated."
Pick up Bassments of Badmen 2. Seriously.

Track 10: Kirby Krackle – "Marvelous Girls"
From the band's self-titled debut.

Track 11: Urizen – "A New Revelation"
For fans of heavy metal, robots and cardboard boxes.

Track 12: C3PO – "C3PO Rap"
Blame Church.

Track 13: Desert Planet – "Return of the Ninja Droids"
Big ups to DataVortex for turning me on to this one.

Track 14: Adam WarRock – "Up and Adam"
An amazing cut from his phenomenal The War for Infinity.

Z's final interlude: "And that actually plays into our closer."
Inverse Phase's cover of "Fuck You" is a thing of beauty.

Track 15: The Kleptones – "Jump You Fucker"
This is the second mash-up featuring elements of Van Halen's "Jump" that I've played in recent months.

I only have one new order of business, and it is as follows.

I already have my preliminary list of song requests and voicemails to be included in episode 100 – would you like me to share it with you (so that you can make some last-minute requests if your faves have not yet been represented), or would you rather be surprised?

Totally your call.

Nerd News in Brief

Today is October 1st, or as I like to call it The First Day of Halloween. In addition to my regularly scheduled nerdy musings, I will no doubt be favoring you with tons of ghoulish distractions over the coming weeks.

I mean, it's what I do!

But for now, dear friends, please enjoy this non-Halloween-themed edition of Nerd News in Brief.

• Pretty and Witty and Bright: Though I am probably not their target audience, I have to kick off this month's NNIB recap by giving a nod to the crew over at Pretty Gamer. It's a site with a firm focus on all things she-nerd related. From game reviews to no-food-in-the-house cooking tips to dating advice, these ladies have you covered. They even recorded their own drunkcast, which pretty much assures their hardcore status.
• The Wooden Anniversary: Five years ago our friends Harry and the Potters helped launch the Harry Potter Alliance with an Amnesty International charity show in their native Massachusetts. To commemorate this anniversary (not to mention the rousing success of the HPA), the guys are doing it again. Catch the Potters, The Whomping Willows, Lauren Fairweather and Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills this Sunday, October 10th at The Center for Arts at the Armory. Be there.
• For the Shorties: On the subject of worthy charities, I'd also like to remind you that October 16th is the date of the 3rd annual Extra Life video game marathon. My good friend Jonny Nero (of Epic Default fame) is taking part to raise money for his local Children's Miracle Network hospital, and the brother needs sponsors. A simple $1.00/hour sponsorship goes a long way, so peep Jonny's personal Extra Life page and please consider donating.
• To the Nines: Nerd rapper extraordinaire Conyeezy is presently working on 9 different albums! In anticipation of this marathon of future releases, 'Yeez just dropped a free 9-track mixtape called Appetizers. It contains one track representative of each larger work, and I suggest you cop it immediately.
• Blowing in the Wind: Also on the new release front, Rappy McRapperson and EPP's MC Wreckshin have just released their impressively titled The 2nd Best Mixtape Ever. Ten songs deep and boasting just a bit more than a half-hour of playtime, 2BME covers all the hip-hop bases – from double rainbows to blowin' dudes. Experience the weirdness.
• They're Undeniable: Are you tired of "California Gurls" parodies? Understandable, but please take a look at one final selection. It's my boy Insane Ian's most recent FuMP – a fun freebie entitled "CosPlaying FanGurls."
• Take a Knee: Recently, nerdcore king and famed hacker YTCracker dropped his iPhone from the 27th floor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. The phone survived the fall, once and for all demonstrating the true power of science.
• My Closing Argument: Thanks go out to Church for pointing me toward this CNN piece on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock that features some great quotes from Brendon Small. Not the least of which is the astute observation that all musicians are nerds.
• Across the Pond: For those who missed it last week, the BBC profiled MC Frontalot, Scrub Club's MadHatter, Nursehella and Adam WarRock. An accompanying nerdcore-centered edition of the Outriders podcast was also released.
• Say it Bold: Star Trek is often the go-to property when nerds discuss the important progressive sociological underpinnings of science fiction. However, in an interesting (and hilarious) piece at Autostraddle, writer Boylio enumerates the ways in which Trek has failed to stand up for the LGBT community.
• Bubblegum Tate: This edition of Geek vs. Nerd is brought to you by the (voice) cast of Futurama. In early September, the guys sat down with CNN Entertainment's Geek Out to discuss, among other things, cool nerds and the gerds of our future.
• Local Color: The San Francisco Bay Guardian also chimes in on the subject of geeks, nerds and what lies beneath – even going so far as to mine the wisdom of resident "super nerd" Doctor Popular.
• LOL Money: As our esteemed Nerd Chieftain of Fiscal Responsible, Church was happy to hip us to this epistle concerning financial nerds. He also uncovered Merle Hazard, "the first and only country singer to write about mortgage-backed securities, derivatives, and physics." Thank him kindly. 
• Labored Day: And in what I promise is this edition's final rumination concerning nerd identity, author Ethan Gilsdorf recently dropped some knowledge at Psychology Today concerning both Dragon*Con and PAX. And apparently he was really excited to give away a copy of his book!
• Indivisible: Thanks to MaryBeth (AKA: Nagini), I am now completely enamored by the new song/video from Grace "Snidget" Kendall. It's entitled "Soren Lorenson (My Invisible Friend)," and it is a special kind of all-ages awesome!
• Lost Like Locke: And I'd be remiss if I didn't also point y'all toward the latest street-level sermon from the White Shinobi himself T.y.T. Check out the new video single "Life is What You Make of It (2010)" featuring Togo.
• Code Monkey: In other YouTubery, my brother DataVortex turned me onto this coder-centric take on "Alors on Danse" called "And So You Code."
• Hangin' with Your Atari: And though I can't imagine you haven't seen it yet, the new Inverse Phase joint "F___ed 6502 (8-bit Cee Lo - F**k You parody)" is total fucking brilliance.
• Dance. Kill. Laugh. Kill.: Closing us out today is a special treat from AlienBoBZ. September saw the debut gig of Seattle's Supercommuter, and Jarod was there to record the show for posterity! You can cop the live audio from Archive.org and check out full video on the AlienBoBZ YouTube channel. Make sure to give Jarod some love for all the hard work.