Free Fallin'

Earlier this week I watched an Austrian fall to Earth. And it wasn't even part of another horrible Schwarzenegger vehicle!

I'm not sure what I expected from a feat of derring-do sponsored by a company that slings toxic sugar-water, but when I realized I had easy access to real-time coverage I sort of had to tune in. Okay, I'll admit that I initially though Colonel Joe Kittinger was the wacky uncle of daredevil Felix Baumgartner and I was actually watching a cleverly disguised parody of the real jump, but–damn, y'all–when he took that step out into nothingness? It was pretty epic.

Sure, it wasn't exactly "from the edge of space," but it was no less an impressive moment in applied science and soft drink capitalism. It even inspired my buddy John Anealio to pen a song commemorating this most stirring spectacle.

Live From… The Place They Live

It's been a big week already. We Yanks celebrated our founders' lofty ideals of independence for all people all men white men via the traditional means of hot dogs and gunpowder, and the LHC found what appears to be evidence of the Higgs boson. Add to this the announcement of Kirby Krackle's Live in Seattle, and, y'know, even bigger week.

Recorded at Seattle's The Hard Rock Cafe during this year's Emerald City Comic Con, the album drops July 10th, but you can pre-order now. It features 10 of your favorite KK classics (klassics?) -- by which I mean 10 of my favorites -- as well as a very special cover of A-Ha's "Take on Me." Peep that one below, and I dare you not to sing the chorus.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 133: The Jurassic Spark Mixtape

Apparently you guys really dig dinosaurs. I mean, when I floated the idea of this mixtape 'cast on Twitter the response was immediate.

But that's cool. 'Cause I like 'em too.

In fact I've recently noticed that a lot of my favorite tracks are about the great thunder lizards. Which likely explains why a number of these cuts are repeats.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 133: The Jurassic Spark Mixtape [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 59.2 MB Running Time: 40:03 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Beware the Beefasaurus.

Track 1: Scared Of Dinosaurs - "We Are Scared Of Dinosaurs (Intro)"
From the old Superpowerless side project of the same name.

Track 2: DrumUltimA - "JESUS CHRIST IT'S A DINOSAUR GET IN THE EPOCH" / Jurassic Park dialog
This percussion-heavy Chrono Trigger OC ReMix is exquisite!

Track 3: Tribe One - "Devil Rhymeosaur"
This is a great track to listening to at any time, excepting on your way to a job interview.

Track 4: Go Home Productions - "2000 Light Years from Bolan"
How could I not have a T.Rex mash-up in this one?

Track 5: Former Fat Boys - "SPACEDINOSAUR" / DR. SMOOV - "SOS Wheeljack"
Yes, I've used that "SOS Wheeljack" bit before. No, I'm not ashamed of it.

Track 6: Jurassic Park: Legacy - "Derezzed Daft Punk MUSIC Mash Up"
I just randomly ran across this on YouTube, and was struck by how well it fit the show.

Track 7: Math the Band - "Dinosaurs Were Made Up By the CIA to Discourage Time Travel"
Probably one of the greatest Math titles ever.

Track 8: Illbotz - "Dinosaur, Dinosaur"
This here is one of my go-to jams.

Track 9: Monster Magnet - "Dinosaur Vacume" / More Jurassic Park dialog
There're a lotta Jurassic Park clips in this thing!

Track 10: BC - "Raptor Song"
This song was likely the impetus of this particular mix.

Track 11: HORSE the Band - "Sex Raptor" / Still more Jurassic Park dialog
Okay, that title is just fucking terrifying.

Track 12: The Doubleclicks - "Hollywood Raptor"
A pretty recent repeat, but y'all know I have a real affinity for The Doubleclicks.

Track 13: The Late Cretaceous - "Carnivores & Herbivores Can Get Along" / The Land Before Time dialog
From their Demosaurus EP. The recording quality is kinda bad, but I dig this song so much.

Between the Parsec Awards nomination special and a dinosaur mixtape, it almost seems like I cheated you fine folks. It feels like I didn't actually do a proper podcast all month, and I am wracked with guilt.

Forgive me, internet, and I promise to make June's podcasts even more awesome. Okay?

I mean, we're still cool, right?

Dropping Science

There are few things in the realm of geeky hip-hop that surprise me anymore. Concept album about a rural police department? Sure. West Coast Avengers mixtape? Why the fuck not?!

Still, when I received a recent message from The Ranger urging me to check out the first track from his new project The Saganites I was astonished. Ranger himself has been known to rhyme about everything from D&D to genetically modified crops and the Far East skin trade, so hearing him wax poetic about Sagan's Cosmos doesn't exactly seem out of character. The same can be said for Pelicaine Einhander, a Texas-based beatsmith whose eclecticism is only overshadowed by his own inexhaustible productivity.

It wasn't the players themselves that took me by surprise, nor was it the care they obviously took in crafting such a sweeping piece about the award-winning series. Instead it was the simple fact that a track had at last supplanted "A Glorious Dawn" as my new favorite piece of science-centered music.

The Saganites have plans to expand the idea into a 13-song album, one for each episode of the original series. If we're lucky, a proper Bandcamp release won't be far behind.