Radio Free Hipster Ep. 84: Inspect the Unexpected

I am not particularly clever or preternaturally sneaky. It is rare, in fact, that I ever "get the drop" on anyone. But with this podcast I at least give it a try.

You see, I seek to leverage the element of musical surprise to delight and amaze.

And no reading the show notes before you listen! That's cheating.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 84: Inspect the Unexpected [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 45.1 MB Running Time: 49:15

Show Notes:

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

Okay, so not exactly the most surprising way to open a show.

Track 1: Glenn Case – "So Emotional"
I'm a big fan of Glenn's acoustic cover of the day project. And not just because he takes my unintentional requests.

Z's 1st interlude: "What wouldn't you expect to hear afterward?"
Now I'm thinking 45 minutes of silence, but that's no way to run a railroad!

Track 2: The White Panda – "Throw Some Tik on That Tok"
There are, by my estimation, 3000 Ke$ha mash-ups currently available. This is one of them

Track 3: "Dig Dug Theme" / Insane Ian – "DiG Dug"
I really don't play enough Demento-style music. That and filk are the progenitors of most modern incarnations of nerd music, so we owe both styles an immeasurable debt.

Track 4: Jonny Nero Action Hero – "Experimutations"
Jonny's got a great chiptune/guitar rock hybrid thing going on. I think you're really gonna dig his album.

Track 5: Kabuto the Python – "Those Minerals"
This track's garnered Kabuto some serious attention over the past couple of weeks. Good for him!

Track 6: Radames Ortiz & Jonathan Jindra – "GTA"
Poetry is another thing I seldom include in the show rotation, but Radames's stuff certainly fits in.

Track 7: Monty Python dialog / Action Adventure World vs. The Plasmas – "Contra 2010"
This unholy union was brought to my attention by my friends at Game Music 4 All.

Z's 2nd interlude: "This internal logic to the ebb and flow of my song selection."
Or at least that's the plan. Not sure how it actually translates.

Track 8: Spamtec Crew – "Life is an Inbox"
STC is the greatest!

Track 9: Divide and Kreate – "Kissie Minogue"
Because no one expects a KISS mash-up.

Track 10: Scrubs dialog / The Boobles – "Oh Won't You Show Your Cans"
This one also played into the fact that we just celebrated Fat Tuesday.

Track 11: Kevin Figueiredo – "Stand Up (Rock Remix)"
This episode contains 125% of your RDA of Luda!

Track 12: Deafinition – "The Abyss"
Peep the other cuts from this particular One Hour Compo here.

Z's final interlude: "He did so on a whim."
Speaking of The Clash, the background music for this episode is bithoven's chip cover of "Rock the Casbah."

Track 13: Navi – "Grayscale" / Voicemail
Much love to Glenn and Shael for the messages. I've always wanted to accept listener call-ins, and the magic of Google Voice has made it possible.

The short month has thrown my schedule off a bit, but I'm already prepping for March's episodes. Theme and song suggested are, as always, appreciated and encouraged.

I'm also slightly terrified to realize that, if my current output stays consistent, this year will see my 100th episode. Who woulda thunk?

Not me.

Certainly not me. :)

Hot Otaku-on-Otaku Action

Some things are, within the feeble confines of my mind, forever intertwined. Like peanut butter and chocolate or the classic white shirt and black tie. They are inseparable. Parts of an undeniably greater whole.

Another far more applicable example would be Karl "Ultraklystron" Olson and Rai Kamishiro. When Rai's unique blend of Japanese pop and bilingual hip-hop was first introduced to nerds at large via the original Rhyme Torrents compilations, it was done so at the behest of Ultraklystron. Since that time, Rai has stuck close to Karl, musically-speaking. As her de facto producer, his steady-handed production techniques have done almost as much to define the Rai style as the vocalist's own unique approach to songwriting.

Both Ultraklystron and Rai closed out 2009 with hot new albums. From Karl it was Romance Language 2, the direct successor to his 2007 concept album. From Rai, her long-awaited full-length. Both arrived in my mailbox from the wilds of Seattle at the same time, and I've been enjoying the two as sort of an Olson-produced matched set for months. Thus, it seemed only fitting that I present the pair to you in a similar manner.

Karl begins the second installment of the project that I still consider to be his greatest musical triumph with the chiptune-flavored "Past-Date Poetry," which pairs the drain of the daily grind with the heartache of distance. Lyrically, Karl starts things off a little pedestrian with rhymes about Starbucks and coding, but the beat is stark and haunting, which plays well into the delicate keys of "Shutter." This track shows that Ultraklystron's once again found his verbal footing with some rapid-fire braggadocio.

From there he switches gears with the Twilight-inspired "Perfect White Knight," but don't let the subject matter put you off; sure, it boasts what could be termed Karl's "default flow," but it's also a fairly astute dissection of a warped love story. "Scan Your Eyes" does it one better with an unforgettable beat, but the album doesn't hit its true lyrical stride until the wholly bizarre (and self-explanatory) "Polygonous Polygamy."

"Warmth" seemingly brings in Karl's own interpretation of the west coast funk breaks of old coupled with some clever ruminations on the pain of separation, while "Funhouse Mirror" is the audio equivalent of its titular subject matter that only disappoints when Ultraklystron is forced to stretch a syllable or goes for an easy rhyme. "Aim 4 the Top," however, sees the artist mixing his beat from a wholly different aural palette and rapping from his lower register, an unexpected combination that's sure to please.

"Distant Star" again pushes the envelope of Ultraklystron production with a harsh, glitchy hook that plays well against his sing-along chorus. "Congratulations" slows things down a bit as Karl reflects on his love... of music. It's a solid offering that scores points for clever lyricism (particularly the nod to Rai's Electric Sheep), but loses me a bit on the last verse. "On Your Six," on the other hand, is a modern love song that comes through as a real gem.

"Neverending" and "That One" show Karl's continued interest in pushing himself musically, and "Second Place" gets incredibly personal while maintaining its own unique musicality. "Sweetest" starts the album's final decent with a Tears for Fears croon and a frenetic beat – combining to make it another of Ultraklystron's best – but "The Dream Designed" sadly winds up the album-proper with a few recycled elements, both in lyrical content and melody. An interesting closer, but not an instant classic.

In true Ultraklystron style, Romance Language 2 tacks on a number of interesting bonus tracks to flesh out the release. "Feature Creep," from the special Nerdcore Rising Song Fight!, is classic Karl redefined, while the Jazzstep remix of "Sweetest" takes the track to dizzying new heights. "Perfect White Night (Goldfish Mix)," adds a little more low-end to the joint, and "The Dream Designed (Jump Up Mix)" polishes the original closer nicely.

Electric Sheep's opener, "Mayanoka TV," sees both Ultraklystron and Rai playing with the classic formula. The beat is more brassy and poppy, while the vocal stylings lean far more toward the realm of straight J-pop than skewed hip-hop. "Kakumei No Hi" brings the rap back, atop a well-layered backing that proves a great lead-in for "Mechanical World," a track that surfaced long before the album's full completion.

The vocals on "#" seem a tad flat in places, but the beat stays tight and insistent. Despite the fact that "HollowWw" recycles the beat from Rai's classic "Big Lie," it's still a stellar track, and it pairs nicely with the slightly downbeat, English-heavy "Tsundere 2x4."

"Sky Lark" wears a little thin at over 5 minutes in length, but it has a somber quality that helps to break up the album. "Goldfish," which takes a while to build, comes through as a success on all fronts, and "Sleeping Forest," another pre-album release, is smooth, sultry and funky. "Denpa-K," on the other hand, is aggressive and feels slightly rushed, especially when contrasted with well-metered follow-up "Shinjuku Holocaust."

Unlike Romance Language 2, Electric Sheep closes on a high note: the contemplative and musically mournful "Pale Cocoon." Though its effect is lessened its immediate follow-up Momento Mori Mix, which only tweaks the original's formula. "Mayanoka TV (Wubstep Mix)," however, is a far cry from the album opener, and piles on the reverb with a vengeance.

The last trio of tracks, remixes of "Goldfish," "Kakumei No Hi" and "Shinjuku Holocaust," bring in Ultraklystron himself as guest vocalist, which adds a nice additional texture to each.

I'll transition from that comment to my proper summation because of the importance of that word: texture. Ultraklystron's musical stylings have always been defined by his keen ear for texturing audio. He has a fine grasp for when to muddy up a mix and when to keep it crisp. The fact that Karl's voice itself offers the proper bedrock upon which to construct an electronic banger certainly doesn't hurt matters. Though I've always nitpicked his word choice – and Romance Language 2 is no exception to this criticism – I've likewise admired the innate quality of his voice.

The same can be said for Rai; her frantic mash of Japanese, English and girlish squeals certainly doesn't appeal to everyone, but I have long counted myself among her most fervent of fans. Both Ultraklystron's Romance Language 2 and her Electric Sheep are quite enjoyable on their own, but, as I mentioned before, they also serve as a perfectly serviceable one-two punch of nerdy musical genius.

While I'd be hard-pressed to pick my favorite of the two, I'd ultimately have to give the nod to Electric Sheep. It's Rai's first proper full-length, and thus it possesses a charm not likely to be found in any other release. Still, Romance Language 2, while not as keenly focused as its predecessor, is a must-have for the otaku set and connoisseurs of the nontraditional love song.

Thankfully, with both albums available via Bandcamp, fans and curious passers-by alike should have no problem affording both or, failing that, cherry-picking their favorite selections from each. Hell, you can sample the whole of both online and even pick up a freebie track or two, so my ultimate recommendation would be to go forth, listen and enjoy.

While neither album is pure perfection, both artists show continued growth and innovation, and both albums possess a wealth of enjoyable musical moments. And that certainly shouldn't remain unrewarded.

"I wanna be the ichiban nerdcore beat rocker."

Nerd News in Brief

For readers wise enough to avoid the poison that is my Twitter feed, I will recap the events of my life over the past few weeks. It goes something like this:

Mass Effect 2.

Mass Effect 2.

Mass Affect.

Wait; I mean Mass Effect 2.

So, y'know, I've been busy!

And for any current or future game designers who might stumble across this missive, let me expressly state that any game that lets you headbutt a krogan is gold. Solid gold.

• The Hat Trick: We'll kick off this edition of Nerd News in Brief with another piece on geek chic mined from the deepest crags of the internet by our old pal Church Hates Tucker. This one's from New Zealand's Stuff and it includes talk about nerdy fashion, a reference to nerdcore and incites "geek is not nerd" bitching in the comments. All the bases are aptly covered.
  
• Geek Sheik?: Church likewise dredged up this jewel, also from the land of the Kiwis. It's a puff piece on eyewear worth a cursory glance if for nothing more than the pronunciation key.
• Only Their Hairdressers Know for Sure: On the other end of nerd culture hot button issues, Asylum takes on 4 mainstream nerd girls that might just be fronting. Oh geek chic, you are a double-edged sword!
• OMG PWNies: My hometown homey Brooks was the first of many to point me toward this amazing piece at Boing Boing. It concerns computer scientist Christine Alvarado, and how, as a child, she was introduced to recursion by playing with her My Little Pony. For the record, her nerd cred is now and forever cemented.
• Techdirt & Dragons: Earlier this month Mike Masnick posted an interesting piece about I Fight Dragons, the 1,000 true fans concept and middleclass musicians over at Techdirt. Though it's a bit of a moot point now with regard to IFD – and, to his credit, Mike updated the post after news of the band's signing to Atlantic surfaced – it's quite a good read, especially for the modern music maker.
• Mazes, Monsters & Malarkey: Dungeons & Dragons, always a lightning rod for odd controversy, recently popped back into the collective consciousness when it was revealed that University of Alabama shooter Amy Bishop Anderson was "heavily involved" in the tabletop classic. Peep last week's Escapist for more info.
• The Power of the Dark Side: As we gear up for next month's South By Southwest festival – another spectacular event that, sadly, I won't be attending – it would be wrong not to mention the event's positively geektastic film premiere: The People vs. George Lucas. This post from Sci Fi Wire is an ample intro to the project itself, and offers a look at both trailers (one of which features MC Frontalot.)
• Radio, Radio: Church also drummed up some news of particular note to Midwestern geeks; this month SE Missouri State's student radio station launched its very own dork-centered program. "Nerd Word" airs Fridays at 2:00 PM on RAGE 103.7, and focuses on gaming, technology and pop culture.
• Shades of Gray: Though I mentioned it was incoming a few weeks back, I neglected to announce the triumphant release of my boy Navi's new Grayscale LP. It's a free download that is as shit-hot as all that's come before from the-artist-formally-known-as-Myf. You can stay abreast of developments concerning his ongoing Beyond Grayscale mixtape when sign up for Navi's mailing list at BandCamp.
• Fit But He Knows It: From across the pond comes word from B-Type (the former MisterB) of a pair of new projects. The first is a YouTube channel through which B will ply his nerdy rap trade, while the second is an endeavor attached to the promising moniker "Keeping Fit with B-Type."
• Takin' it Back: With all the hubbub regarding the Goonies 25th anniversary celebration in Astoria, I thought it'd be a great time to point y'all toward Keith Doughty and Rob Dean's Goonies musical fan project. Check out the neuroticmonkey's YouTube channel to relive the childhood adventure. In verse, no less.
• Giant Squids and Robot Armies: This, of course, can only be followed with a plug for "Super Bowl Commercials: The Musical!" featuring Jonathan Coulton and Paul & Storm. There's even a little behind-the-scenes vid, if you're into that kind of thing.
• The Apple of Your Ear: Chiptune composers looking to put their old Apple II's to good use should take a gander at the newest product from 8 Bit Weapon. Their Digital Music Synthesizer is the only wavetable synth for the Apple //e, IIc and IIc+ computers suitable for performance use. (It doesn't require a monitor, so you've got one less piece of heavy tech to drag all the way to your gig!) The application on good ol' Apple II 5.25" disk is available for $19.95 via the 8BW store.
• How I Roll with Control: Closing out this NNIB is a new video from otaku MC extraordinaire MAJA. It's for gamer anthem "UUDDLRL" from his classic Amalgam Project, and was directed by Johnie Lewis Tidwell Jr. Give it a look-see, and watch out for that checkout girl. She's up to something.

Weird Science

Making music in this brave new world of internet distribution is a bit of a crapshoot. Sometimes the ease of the digital download allows one to create a rabid enough fanbase to sustain continued artistic endeavors (a la Jonathan Coulton), and sometimes it easily enables the more adventurous of the major labels to pick up on a particular act's unique slant and undeniable potential (as in the case of I Fight Dragons).

While there's no surefire key to success, a good method for artists looking to cultivate a strong relationship with potential fans is what I like to call the here's-some-free-shit approach.

Allow me to explain: an artist makes new, quality content available for free from his site, and encourages listeners to root around in his catalog. Only then, after these casual observers have become full-fledged fans content in the knowledge that the artist truly has a product of interest, does our hero offer for-pay material.

Recently, John Anealio, one of my favorite purveyors of geeky guitar rock, has taken the plunge into phase 2 of this model. His venture into the world of the full album release is dubbed Sci Fi Songs after the music blog at which John does the bulk of his nerdy songwriting.

The album collects 11 of John's most popular and most polished tracks into one shiny, affordable package. Moreover, it does so in such a way as to highlight Anealio's folksy, rootsy style while summarily affording a satisfying arc relating a series of fairly disparate works.

The disc opens with "The Return of Titus Quinn," a brief alternate-tuned acoustic instrumental that centers on the protagonist from Kay Kenyon's Bright of the Sky. As this represents John's first serious attempt at the solo acoustic instrumental, it's an excellent jumping-off point and a charmingly atmospheric track to boot.

From there he gets all poppy and waxes poetic about the trials of robot hunter Rick Deckard in the Philip K. Dick inspired, "Rachel Rosen," easily my favorite tune from the collection, before kicking the vocal harmonies up another notch with "Leodora," based on Frost's Shadowbridge.

He briefly loses me with the ever-popular "Cylon #6," which, while both centered on the crown jewel of current sci-fi nerd series and possessing a fantastic rhythmic movement, puts me off a bit with some awkward wording. Still, it's a fine lead-in to the undeniable "Summer Glau," a filk track conceived by SF Signal's John DeNardo, but skillfully retooled with an original melody by Anealio himself.

John marks the half-way point with the Anne Rice-inspired "Angels & Vampires," a joint that showcases his smooth vocals on an unforgettable chorus. Thereafter he smooths things out with the masterful musical storytelling of "Lonesome October Night" – based on Roger Zelazny's satirical swansong A Night in the Lonesome October – which is another undeniable high point.

"Sarene," alternately, is a rocked-up love song from the mind of Brandon Sanderson, and plays nicely against the somber "Merithyn's Promise," another solo acoustic track based on Requiem for the Sun. From there he changes gears again with the autobiographical (and totally relatable) "The Millennium Falcon for Christmas," as the lead-up to his closer "Grasping for the Wind," a veritable love letter to the blog of the same name and all the other sites that make the online speculative fiction scene such a strong and vibrant community.

With the obvious exception of the odd rushed syllable, there's really nothing to not to love about Sc Fi Songs (even for my particular ass). I mean, sure, I would've love to have heard some of John's heavily electronic work included or possibly a remix of one of his more popular songs, but, by and large, it’s a well-hewn collection of geek folk favorites.

It's available from CD Baby for a mere 10 bones – 8 if your just looking for a digital version – and I'd say it would go a long way in adding some additional variety to your nerdy music collection. In fact, I dig the album so much that I'm gonna give a copy away to one lucky reader!

Just head over to John's blog or the CD Baby album page and do a little digging. Then come back here and post a comment naming your favorite John Anealio original, cover or fan remix. I'll pull a winner at random next week and send him/her a shiny new copy of the disc… and maybe some Hipster, please! goodies to boot!

So go give Anealio's stuff a listen. It will surely soothe your sci-fi soul.

"I book a hotel room, I hope she gets here soon/ I've got three androids to retire."

Nerd Love

Here at Hipster, please! I like to pause on occasion to recognize what I like to think of as "excellence in nerdery." It's a ritual I often tend to overlook, but, thankfully, today I find myself wholly unable to resist the call to arms.

Justin was one of many new friends I made at Nerdapalooza '08 – he also holds the hotly contested record for possessing the least attractive picture of yours truly, but that's neither here nor there – and he recently shared with me his own triumphant tale of matrimonial bliss.

Justin and his new bride Exxa tied the knot earlier this month, and my boy managed to insert some nerdy swagger into the proceedings. Not only did he sport purple Chucks with his tuxedo and spring for a custom-sculpted cake topper (procured, of course, via eBay), but he rocked a boutonnière made from a re-purposed ASUS GeForce Ti 4400 video card!

Also, the happy couple's last dance was to "With You"
by Chicago chip-rocker I Fight Dragons. Impressive, no?

I mean, it's easy to be a dork in your everyday, when you're in your cube or leveling up in W.O.W., but keeping shit nerdy on your wedding day requires a special kind of dedication. And deserves a special kind of commendation.

So please join me in wishing Justin and Exxa the heartiest of congratulations, and saluting their continued commitment to nerd life and nerd love.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 83: Love Hz

It's Valentine's Day, but I didn't get you a card.

I didn't score you chocolates or a teddy bear or jewelry or exciting underpants. All I got you was this podcast.

And, shit, I didn't even wrap it!

But I think you'll find it a suitable. I mean, it does come from the heart.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 83: Love Hz [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 44.2 MB Running Time: 48:21

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Beefy + Baddd Spellah 4ever!

Track 1: Elocnep – "I Believe it's Not Fair"
From the It's Not You, It's Us collection.

Z's 1st interlude: "We are gonna plumb the depths of romance and rejection."
As is tradition!

Track 2: Dre Skull – "I Want You Back" / Scrubs dialog
I have a positively staggering collection of Jackson 5 remixes. And I love them all.

Track 3: :( – "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly"
I have gotten some amazing mileage out of The 8-Bit Album.

Track 4: "We Are Douchbags" dialog / Jonathan Coulton – "Soft Rocked by Me"
"I use the passive voice to show how gentle I'll be."

Track 5: Ultraklystron – "Sweetest"
From Karl's Romance Language 2 album. Review forthcoming. ;)

Track 6: Pixelh8 – "Compatibility Love"
I'm beginning to think that, by law, I have to speed-shift a chiptune to make it bleed into another track at least once per episode.

Track 7: Harvey Dowd – "Telling You, 'I Love You'"
Big ups to Matt for turning me on to this one.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Today's wholly appropriate background music."
I'd highly suggest that you add this Doctor Octoroc joint to your collection.

Track 8: The Four Eyes – "I Think We're Alone Now"
The Four Eyes' free Secret Center Sessions albums are pretty much made of win.

Track 9: Pretty in Pink dialog / Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire – "The Other Side of Memphis"
What is your fascination with a girl named Andie Walsh?

Track 10: mc chris – "Potato Cakes"
Arby's has never sounded more heartbreaking.

Track 11: Cheap Trick – "I Want You to Want Me (live)"
Playing Cheap Trick is kind of like a special gift to myself.

Track 12: House of the Dead: Overkill soundtrack – "I Want You"
But this one is all for you, Dave!

Z's final interlude: "What Lester Bangs called 'the bubblegum apotheosis.'"
I want to be the Lester Bangs of nerd music. Only, y'know, without the porn star mustache or drug problem.

Track 13: Marc with a C – "You've Got This Curse"
Wait; is this song about menstruation?

Will I ever tire of these episodes centered on "complicated love songs?" Not likely.

Strong feelings fuel powerful art, and both romance and rejection rank pretty high on the emotional Richter scale. Plus, I think it spices up the Valentine's season a bit.

I mean, is any other podcast gonna hit you with music from House of the Dead: Overkill? Not bloody likely!

The Coldest Satellite

Marc with a C is fucking punk rock.

Not in the way that the Dead Boys or the Pistols were punk rock, mind you. More in the vein of Elvis Costello or, better yet, Jonathan Richman.

Marc Sirdoreus writes songs from the proper punk vantage point. Less a place of fashion and flash, and more from a simple, unpretentious, human perspective.

His recently released RetroLowFi: 10 Years Of Marc With a C chronicles a decade's breadth of his music and, though a handful of the songs show the unfortunate leanings of a fledgling songwriter, it proves itself to be a phenomenal collection.

At 54 tracks stretched across two discs, RetroLowFi is a tad unwieldy as a review subject. Its extreme duration makes it prohibitive with regard to my traditional track-by-track breakdown, but, truth be told, I have grown a bit weary of that structure anyway. Thus, I'll attempt to ruminate on the meat of this collection in a more concise, if less linear, fashion. But I can't talk about what the album is without first talking about what it isn't.

It isn't slickly produced or perfectly packaged; it is instead purposefully, ingeniously rough around the edges. Yet by the same token, it isn't simply a haphazard collection of solo acoustic numbers, as one might expect from Marc's loose and informal live sets. Spanning everything from bedroom ballads to live, full-band rockers, RetroLowFi is the sampler platter of career retrospectives. It has a lot to offer, but chooses to do so by delivering a number of small yet serviceable portions spread out over both discs, with little groupings of similarly themed or orchestrated tracks that inevitably give way to something strikingly different before the listener becomes overly complacent.

It all kicks off with the poppy and pleasantly juvenile "Song Song," before giving way to Marc's bread and butter, the awkward love song, in the form of the as-yet unreleased "As the Bombs Fell." From there he segues into a bevy of barroom pleasers in quick succession ("Classic Country Wasn't Multitracked in '61," "I Will Repossess Your Heart" and the Alro Guthrie-tinged "Nerdy Girls"), with only a few minor missteps. This also affords Marc the opportunity to ruminate on his second overarching theme, the joy of music itself ("Broken Record Player.")

A bit before the halfway point, volume 1 does suffer due to some poor song placement. The proximity of the emo and occasionally atonal "Every Single Friend" and the (intentionally?) cliché "Fighting For Love (Is Like Fucking For Virginity)" kills a little of the artistic inertia, but Marc quickly gathers it again with the cleverly introspective "I Tried To Die Young" and a brief foray into inspired musical comedy by way of a live version of his song "Liana."

This, in turn, leads the collection to its first true highpoint, Marc's beautifully realized cover of "Shock Treatment," the title track from 1981's spiritual successor to the beloved Rocky Horror Picture Show, which paints the song as a haunting acoustic ballad far removed from the electro-rock of the original. Marc then treats us to another string of highlights including the sometimes clumsy but always endearing "Music Geek," childhood anthem "Chicken Pox & Star Wars Guys" and the disturbing (but undeniably stirring) "Town In Flames."

Disc 1 winds down with the broken-dreams narrative of "Drunk Classic Rock Fans" and the plodding, contemplative "Chasing the Bug," which, in turn, play off the pair of unreleased studio versions of Marc's "Blowjob Queen" and "Stairway To Rudolph" that kick off disc 2.

While this volume struggles a bit early on, with tracks like the They Might Be Giants-style romp entitled "Ammonia," it also sees some of Marc's most charming material (particularly in the form of the kid-friendly "Bounce Bounce Bounce.") Overall, the second installment somehow feels a bit more substantial, with cuts about real women ("Anything But Plain"), perfectly-layered pop ditties ("No London in Brazil") and wonderfully surreal lyricism ("I’m In Love with Everyone I Know"), which more than makes up for its few shortcomings (specifically "God Save The Queen from Navy Seals," which, though almost certainly unintentionally, apes the vocal melody from Green Day's "Basket Case" almost note-for-note).

And though it arrives slightly later in the album arch than disc 1, it also has a definite high point. In this case, Marc's four-part opus on the power of music and the unique magic of the true music lover – "Jessica, I Heard You like the Who," "She Loves the B-Sides," "RetroLowFi" and "Born Vintage" – is, perhaps, the most inspired track arrangement you'll find this side of a genuine concept album.

If RetroLowFi's second disc suffers at all, it's simply because it doesn't end on that triumphant quatrain. Still, in its waning moments the album manages to come through with the requisite fire and skill to remind you that Marc with a C has songwriting chops to spare. "You've Got That Curse" is an unlikely but insistent toe-tapper, "Happy to Be Alive" is a perfectly balanced meditation on the simple life and "Laura, I Need Medicine," while not a complete lyrical triumph, is a catchy little joint about stalking Laura Prepon.

The album's ultimate closer, "Satellite," is a delicate six-minute acoustic jam that's thick with vocal overdubs and positively packed with that special brand of angst that somehow manages to sound genuinely poignant. It's an efficient wrap-up to an album that often wanders wide between the humorous and the tender. Like any good song, it occupies the conscious mind while summarily appealing to those raw emotions simmering beneath the surface.

That said, I can think of no better way to sum up a career retrospective like RetroLowFi.

It succeeds as an album much in the same way that Marc's style has kept his music relevant for the past decade; it ebbs and flows, sometimes slowing to a trickle, but always moving forward. As a relatively new but also fairly discriminating devotee of Marc with a C, it's easy to recognize this project for what it truly is: a comprehensive list of fan favorites wrapped up in a single tidy package. While there were a handful of tracks that I didn't completely feel, RetroLowFi is an amazing effort that surely spotlights a fair measure of your old favorites and sweetens the deal with new tracks, unreleased material and alternate takes. At 10 bucks, it’s a steal for seasoned fans and a perfect jumping-off point for newbs.

Grab a copy now, and discover a new favorite.

"I've asked for your number, but please let me explain…"

Frontspin

With a performance on-tap for the South by Southwest festival and a headlining slot secured at PAX East, MC Frontalot is ably positioned to continue to front the most. To that end, his new album Zero Day is set to drop in 8 short weeks. Meaning that shit is positively imminent!

Thankfully, Front has partnered with 18-year-old Z's favorite music magazine, SPIN, to give us all a taste of the tunes yet to come. "Your Friend Wil," the album's de facto debut single, is a nerdcore theme song to geek hero Wil Fucking Wheaton, and (coincidentally?) also features one of 18-year-old Z's favorite vocalists, Mike Doughty* of Soul Coughing fame, on the hook.

SPIN also spills some juiciness Re: Zero Day's other guests, specifically highlighting the role of John "I'm a PC" Hodgeman. So head over there, read the article, snag the free MP3 and wile away your arctic isolation with some new nerdiness.

*Fun Fact: Mike "M." Doughty was the inspiration for my seemingly uninspired pen name! The more you know!

Nerd News in Brief

Last night I finally got around to watching the complete 47-hour Lost premiere. Thankfully, I'm still as clueless as to the island's skewed mythology as the show's own writers.

Which is good. We wouldn't wanna go ruining a good ride with clearly discernible subtext.

I'm actually kind of wondering if, even at the series' end, I'll know what the fuck is going on. If not, I'll just have to follow up with the videogame adaptation.

• Helping Hands: Congratulations are in order to the Harry Potter Alliance for their amazing "Helping Haiti Heal" multi-fandom Livestream event. With the help of the WRock community, actors from The Wire and Heroes and geeks worldwide, more than $97k was raised to help those affected by the earthquake that ravaged Haiti last month. This is me. Astounded! (UPDATE VIA SNIDGET: The HHH charity auction is still going on until midnight on Feb 6.)
• The Big Time: Easily the biggest musical news in recent history comes from I Fight Dragons, those amazing Chicago chip-rocker who were just signed to Photo Finish/Atlantic Records! Photo Finish, also the home of street-level acts like 3OH!3, seems like a great fit for IFD, so please join me in wishing them the best of luck in this exciting new endeavor.
• The More Things Change…: And while Atlantic was embracing vibrant new artists, EMI was totally shitting the proverbial bed. Despite being the home of viral video darlings OK Go, EMI has taken steps to prevent fans from sharing exactly the kinds of YouTube vids that made the band in the first place. How delightfully droll.
• The More You Know: For those in the market for some nice, nerdy interviews, be sure and peep the MC Frontalot piece over at Remixed Magazine. And learn more about the Burg via his new FirmMag interview. Both will be covered on next week's chapter quiz.
• Space, Man: Game Music 4 All Records has favored us with their second release, also, as it turns out, from a Chicagoan. Doug Leinen's chilled out space rocker Songs to Sing in Space is presently available for free download.
• Bring a Towel: Are you an interstellar traveler that's lost his bearings? Then why not consult this handy map, brought to you by the fine folks at the Milky Way Transit Authority.
• Nerdysomething: MSN recently posted an article from Marie Claire's Maura Kelly entitled "10 Ways to Flirt with a Nerd." And we lose the word "nerd" just like we lost "geek" in 3… 2… 1.
• Tabletop: Need help identifying which geek archetypes are present in your gaming group? Check out this guide from The Argonaut. If you don't know who's "The Unimaginative One" is, chances are you’re him!
• Double D&Ds: And I'd be remiss if, while on the subject of RPGs, I didn't share this little jewel unearthed by my boy Church H. Tucker. It's a blog entitled Playing D&D with Porn Stars. In addition to being a really interesting play journal, this site also gets bonus points for the wholly appropriate title.
• Nerd Ink – Special Shout-out Edition: Let me pause here to give it up for nerd girl extraordinaire Lo Tech. LT has joined me in the Cult of the Indelible D20. Roll on, little sister!
• Bigger on the Inside: In other geeky tattoo news: This. Is. Awesome.
• Get Those Hearts Pumping: And while we're talking 'bout The Doctor, Church recently found a blogger with a novel weight loss routine. This blogger postulates that it's impossible not to lose weight if one exercises while attempting to watch every episode of the Doctor Who series. Seems sound enough to me.
• You Like Lists, Right?: 'Course you do! So how about the Phoenix New Times' list of the "Top 5 Geeky Fashion Trends of the Decade?" Still not enough? Bam! Here's Pop Ten's "Top Ten Geek Anthems" at no extra charge!
• An Honor Just to be Nominated: Church, always one to keep me on my toes, points out that Hipster, please! is not the only place that honors a "Nerd of the Year." The University of Missouri similarly recognizes excellence in dorkitude.
• And My Bow: As this edition of NNIB has been especially Dungeons & Dragons-centered, it seems only appropriate to wrap it up with a little fantasy-flavored sing-along by AND MY AXE. On a school night.

Nerdcore: The Music: The Videogame

Nerdcore hip-hop and videogames go together like… like… two things that are… intrinsically... related…

Aw hell, y'all know what I mean!

Aside from drawing a sizable portion of its thematic inspiration from digital entertainment, nerdcore has even made a number of notable appearances in videogames and game-related projects. The music of MC Frontalot has popped up in not one, but two different titles: Roxor's In the Groove and, more recently, EA/Harmonix's Rock Band. Random's wildly successful Mega Ran (not to mention its follow-up Mega Ran 9) was fully embraced by Capcom itself. And let's not forget The Grammar Club's excellent contribution to the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix soundtrack.

Still, nerdcore as a style has remained relatively untapped by game makers and largely unknown by gamers. Scottish iPhone publisher and developer Tag Games, however, appears to be taking strides to reverse this trend.

Late last month, Tag revealed details concerning a new rhythm game entitled B-Boy Beats. Set in New York in the 1980s, players use the iPhone touch screen and their own nimble fingers to execute break dance-inspired moves to an underground hip-hop soundtrack. And that's where shit get really geeky. The game features 17 tracks from an interesting (if era-inappropriate) array of independent rappers including Front, the late Optimus Rhyme, id obelus, Ultraklystron, Rai and Magitek.

While this is a move that will surely piss off hardcore heads, it's really a great opportunity for the nerdcore community. The concept certainly has legs – no pun intended – and hopefully the gameplay will live up to this potential.

B-Boy Beats is slated for a February 14th release at the incredibly competitive price of $2.99. So this one might well prove a wise purchase for the all-important nerdcore aficionado/iPhone owner crossover bracket.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 82: The Voight-Pop Test

Why is it that even my free-form podcasts seem to find their own thematic cohesion?! Is it me? Am I so OCD that I simply can't live in a world where my music isn't connected by gossamer strings of context?

Yeah, probably.

But I hope you'll excuse this predilection and simply dig the show. It is proper diggable.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 82: The Voight-Pop Test [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 45.2 MB Running Time: 49:18

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Pop goes the Spellah, 'cause the Spellh goes pop.

Track 1: Kevin Figueiredo – "Heartless (Rock Remix)"
You've seen this guy, right?!

Z's 1st interlude: "Unlike the last edition, this one is more of a free-form show."
This year the plan is alternate themed and non-themed shows. We'll see how that works out.

Track 2: Rai Kamishiro – "HollowWw"
I'm working on a review of Electric Sheep and Ultraklystron's Romance Language 2. Expect both in February.

Track 3: Maja – "Hollow"
I sometimes wonder how much shit I miss by not watching anime.

Track 4: Chiptots – "Take on Lover"
Right now I'm trying to figure out whether I should do a very late "my favorite songs of 2009" post, or simply try and get permission to include those songs on a downloadable mixtape.

Track 5: Sci-Fried – "Level UP!"
If there is any justice in the world, Sci-Fried will be at Nerdapalooza 2010!

Track 6: Southside – "Wake Up"
I'm still giving this one available for free.

Track 7: Marc with a C – "Drunk Classic Rock Fans"
Speaking of reviews, I should have a write-up of Marc's Retro Lo Fi by month's end.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Ain't it perdy?!"
Shael Riley is the shit.

Track 8: Party Ben – "Poker Face (Just What I Needed)"
My kids love Lady Gaga. How weird is that?

Track 9: My Parents' Favorite Music – "Robit"
R.I.P. MPFM. :(

Track 10: Supercommuter – "Death Math"
Seems like I unwittingly lapsed into a robot-themed mini-set here.

Track 11: nYgel – "World @ Large"
nYgel remains one of my favorite remixers.

Track 12: Blade Runner dialog / John Anealio – "Rachel Rosen"
"My name is Rick Deckard, I'm in my hover car / I'm a bounty hunter for the city".

Z's 3rd interlude: "My collection of mint-in-box Gummi Bears figures."
Sadly, this is a lie.

Track 13: Benjamin Bear – "Bad Romance"
Big ups to MadHatter for turning me on to this one!

This was one of those shows that came together almost effortlessly. So effortlessly, in fact, that it's being released nearly a week ahead of schedule!

Please let me know what you think, and please continue to share the show with your friends. Even without iTunes support, I seem to be gathering a respectable following, and it's completely because of word of mouth.

Thanks so much, y'all!

Awakenings

There was a time when I had to ask for shit.

Let me explain; when Hipster, please! first came into being as a proper project, I spent a lot of my time begging for things. Interview opportunities, podcast submissions, promo tracks and the like. It was a simpler time.

That's not to say that, in this modern age, I no longer find myself slyly requesting fun stuff to pass on to y'all, but now it's not uncommon for artists to straight-up offer things to me. All unexpected-like.

It's a perk that I relish.

From Shael and STD to The HT and Marc with a C, sometimes exceptionally dorky people send me especially fantabulous tracks without the slightest of prompting on my part. It's a nice change of pace and an always unexpected treat, even if, like The Temptations before me, I still ain't too proud to beg.

My most recent musical endowment arrived from the nerd mecca of Seattle. It came from my foul-mouthed homies Southside, a group that, in only the slightest of exaggerations, is comprised of nearly every adult male human in Rain City.

It's an alternate, rocked-up version of the song "Wake Up," originally included on 2007's Please Southside Don't Hurt 'Em, that was revisited during the Liquors sessions, but, for reasons unbeknownst to me, excluded from the final release.

I was offered it as a Hipster, please! exclusive to do with as I wish. And I wish to give it to you. Because that is how I roll.

Download: Southside – "Wake Up"

Nerd News in Brief

Today is, of course, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a time to reflect on the life and accomplishments of a true champion of civil rights and nonviolent activism. I'll save my snark and smartassery for the post itself, and instead use this intro to plug Random's track "306." Ran's stated many times what a hero and motivating force Dr. King has been throughout his life, and this is certainly a fitting tribute. Give it a listen.

And now, on to my regularly scheduled foolishness.

• The Bestestest: MC Lars was among those who shared their picks of 2009 with the MTV Music Blog. K.Flay made his list, as did STD and Bowling for Soup. Not exactly surprising choices, but solid props across the board.
• You're the Tops: Also making appearances in Best of '09 lists were The Protomen's Act II: Father of Death album and Rivercrest Yacht Club's single "The Tuck." Robots and transsexuals, that about sums up the past 12 months.
• The Brown Recluse: Looking forward to this year's releases, none have me quite as excited as Navi's GRAYSCALE. Set to drop digitally tomorrow (January 19th) and physically in the near future, it's the triumphant return of a cat I've been following since the earliest days of Rhyme Torrents. The former Myf was nice enough to hook me up with an early leak, and I think it'll easily please both nerdcore fans and hardcore heads alike. Check out the RT announcement thread for a taste.
• Skins: For the first time in the history of the band, Uncle Monsterface will perform with a live drummer on Thursday, January 21st at The Church in Boston. Come out and welcome Spooky Old Eric to the Monsterfamily!
• C-O-N-spiracy: Is there a link between the Harry Potter series and franchise movie director Christopher Columbus's Young Sherlock Holmes? This blog post from 2005, drudged up by our own Church H Tucker (by way of Irish Independent News) claims just that. The game is afoot!
• Fangirl and Chum Chum: Speaking of Potter, Total Film's 2010 Blog Award for Best Sci-fi/Fantasy Blog has seen a lot of WRocker and Twi-fan love/hate. Thankfully, at present at least, that bastion of all-around geekiness Io9 seems to have pulled ahead in the polls.
• Never-Ending Story: And also on the WRock front, Matt lets us know that The Whomping Willows is putting together a street team to help him transition from library-based touring to straight-up DIY house party gigging. Also looking towards the future, it was also announced that, upon graduation, Lauren Myrtle will be joining him on a never-ending tour.
• Wooly Bully: This is turning out to be the year of the gamer sweater. Witness the glory of the 8-bit Mario sweater-vest. Only to be rivaled by this collection of wearable hand-made arcade classics.
• Love by the Numbers: Did you know you can apply the Drake equation to discover why you don't currently have a girlfriend? Peter Backus does, and he even shared his findings.
• Dream Job: In case you somehow missed it, Penny Arcade is hiring an associate designer. If you have the relevant skills and live in/would be willing to relocate to WA, get on that shit. Oh, and Tycho, if you want to start a music netlabel and need an A&R guy, holler atcha boy!
• Keep on Keepin' On: Back in the reality, the Rhyme Torrents community has just dropped the 9th iteration of its ongoing compilation series. Two discs strong, this one continues in the proud tradition of including the guys you know as well as the cats you'll be talking about tomorrow.
• Kombat Kore: Somewhere, Shael Riley is writing a stirring ballad about this cat's tattoo.
• Bigger on the Inside: Next month, the 21st incarnation of Gallifrey One, North America's native Doctor Who convention is all set to rip up LA. And, among guests like Bob Baker and Nyssa, homegrown VG Rockers Tanuki Suit Riot will also be on hand.
• Basic Pleasure Model: While most of us assume that all the real tech news of this month came from CES, ABC Australia reveals that the weirdest development came from the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo. Ladies and gents, a true futuristic sex robot.
• I'll Hold Out for 16: Meanwhile, Kotaku reports that a new Toyota concept hybrid was shown at Detroit's International Auto show that was designed specifically for "the 8-bit generation." I find this new marketing moniker charming, confusing.
• Pixelated: Chip music fans and artists would do well to turn their attention to the forums at ChipMusic.org. This new community, built on a bedrock of inspiration and encouragement, should prove a welcoming home for seasoned vets and newbs alike.
• Mum Mum Mum Mah: Closing out this first NNIB of 2010 is none other than my pal (and recent collaborator) Superpowerless. It's the video for Supe's Lady Gaga cover. It was directed by FL artist Jaylyn Coffin, and features Oliver and B-Type lightsaber dueling and rocking the fuck out in public places. If only you could read their poker face!
  

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 81: The Undamentals

I understand that Hipster, please! is not typically the place you come for heartfelt meditations on the nature of hip-hop. Of course, you no doubt understand that I am a slave to my whims.

Thus, this edition of Radio Free Hipster is all about the hip-hop. More specifically, it's about what nerds do with hip-hop. Some of it will be universally appealing. Some of it will shock and offend.

That's how you know it's art.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 81: The Undamentals [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 47.3 MB Running Time: 51:40

Show Notes:

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

Not to be confused with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.

Track 1: mc chris – "White Kids Love Hip-Hop"
Not exactly favorite mc track, but a good place to start for this ep.

Z's 1st interlude: "The rest of you in the gray area."
I'm a little unsure of who this episode is for. If you don't feel rap, you'll likely get bored quickly. Of course, hardcore heads certainly aren't coming to me for their thoughtful musings. So that leaves… those in-betweeners.

Track 2: Dual Core – "Kick Back" / Friday dialog
Not sure if I'd said this publicly, but I love the Beefy sample on the hook!

Track 3: Dr. Awkward – "Geekquilibrium"
I made a lot of allusions to this Dr. Awkward track throughout 2009, but this is the first time I actually played it.

Track 4: Optimus Rhyme – "Precognito (live)"
The interplay between grimROCK and Stumblebee on this one is superb.

Track 5: Billy the Fridge – "The Wrestler"
If you haven't scored Billy's latest, I fear you are missing out.

Track 6: Wordburglar – "Rhymes with I'm"
"I'm the eBay auction for a mint-in-box Moss Man."

Track 7: Jesse Dangerously – "Celebrity Nudes (Timskin Moon Mix)" / Friday dialog
Possibly Jesse's nerdiest cut. Less for the allusions to superheroes than the use of the phrase "capricious muses."

Z's 2nd interlude: "That's a helluva beat."
Check out Pelicaine's MySpace for a metric shit-ton of fine beats.

Track 8: K.Flay – "paper planes & SPITBALLS (feat. MC Lars)"
Given his "nerdcore is dead" diatribe, it's a tad odd to hear Lars play the part of the noble geek in this one.

Track 9: ZeaLouS1 – "Headshot (feat. BenjaminBear)"
Why aren't there a million YouTube fan vids for this song? I suggest you go make one now.

Track 10: Frenchbloke & Son – "Sound Of Da S Club"
I'm a big fan of KRS, but this one is even a little hard for me to listen to at times. For, y'know, obvious reasons.

Track 11: T.Y.T. – "Boys in the Country"
T.Y.T.'s Puzzle Pieces (and the rest of his discography) is currently freely available. Stock up.

Track 12: Epic-1 – "Black Friday"
Epic's 2009 release 1 is an album that I just keep going back to. I have no idea what he's got coming down the pipe this year, but I expect great things.

Track 13: YTCracker – "G4 Commercial"
YT's G4 commercial was easily my favorite of the "It's a Nerd's World" series.

Z's 3rd interlude: "Because hip-hop is resilient."
The only thing more amazing to me than hip-hop's rise to cultural dominance is how well it has weathered the storm of critical acclaim/contempt.

Track 14: Hathbanger – "Party & Bullshit (In the USA) (Notorious B.I.G. vs. Miley Cyrus)"
By the same token, the mash-up community's willingness to skew even the most cherished artists' work for the sake of musical expression is a perfect modern analog to the crate-digging DJs of old.

Hip-hop is important. Rap, as a musical expression of the culture, is equally so. But, just as bad things happen to good people, bad music often muddies the waters of wholly legitimate art forms. The sticking point is the word bad.

There is a human tendency to assume that things that appeal to us have greater value than those that do not. Fuck knows I am as guilty of that as anyone. But my approval is not the indelible mark of quality. Neither is yours.

Lately, I have made it a point to remind myself that not everyone agrees with my views on the important things in life – things like religion and politics and music – and that it is okay if we disagree. Even passionately.

Because all anyone can really do is speak his piece. And hope those in agreement feel vindicated, while those who disagree are only slightly annoyed.

The Sweet Science

YTCracker has, of late, drawn musical inspiration from a trio of notable sources: science, space and weed. More recently he has fused these three passions into a single dazzling creation, "Take a Knee," which he released on December 31st via YouTube.

While the video is simple enough, just a performance piece staged in YT's own in-house studio, the song itself is truly something special. Another finely hewn illustration of nerdy swagger coupled with shit-hot production from Digital Gangster's own hijinks, it's equally notable for being the first true glimpse of YTCracker's forthcoming project.

Due out next month, the so-called Science & Space album promises to be another weird and wonderful affair complete with tech-heavy allusions, party-worthy beats and obscure references totally lost on those not hip to the ways of the DGs.

Who live like this?

Witchy Woman

Did yesterday's video from nYgel slake your thirst for all things MC Lars? No?

Well, fuck! I guess I'll just have to treat you to a second helping of that patented Post-Punk Laptop Rap™. Because that is, indeed, how I roll.

This one was originally conceived at last year's Comic-Con by Lars, Random and Beefy, and it concerns recent Hideki Kamiya/SEGA masterpiece Bayonetta. So how does a track about a third-person action videogame centered on a gun-toting witch end up relating the protagonist to Tina Fey?

Consider the source.

High-born goths and mellower rivetheads will no doubt note the voice of Switchblade Symphony's Tina Root on the hook, and discriminating musos will be interested to learn that production was handled by Jason Bazinet (of Sounds of Mass Production fame). Peep the heavily annotated video for more info:

Will this turn into our next Mega Ran, so adored by the game's producers that it's officially endorsed? Or merely result in another hasty YouTube C&D? Only time will tell, but, for now, snag your own copy of the vid and MP3 from MC Lars's site.

The Gruesome Twosome

Next on our whirlwind tour of the notable YouTubery of uber-late '09 is a brand new video from MC Lars. It's his "O.G. Original Gamer" from the phenomenal This Gigantic Robot Kills LP. This one was directed by my homey Nigel Wallace, who many of you know as producer par excellence nYgel.

It was shot after last year's Nerdapalooza in scenic Orlando, and, in addition to co-vocals by our own MC Frontalot, it features another all-star cast of extras including int eighty, YTCracker, Emergency Pizza Party, ZeaLouS1, KABUTO THE PYTHON and Steffo from My Parents' Favorite Music. And there are more. Oh-so many more! This shit is like nerdcore Where's Waldo.

Rounding out the production end are Camera Operator Al Krakosky and Director of Photography Dan Reinecke. I think the trio did a helluva job, and I can't wait to see what else they have up their collective sleeve.

The only question remaining: who's gonna shoot a video at this year's 'Palooza?

Forever-ever

One thing I hope to do in 2010 is introduce more of a visual element to Hipster, please! I've been making a concerted effort of late to regularly include images and videos in posts - due, in part, to the horribly skewed picture/word exchange rate - and I want to continue this trend. Therefore, on my first full week back at the keyboard, I am going to focus directly on the task at hand.

Over the next few days I will be spotlighting a number of amazing videos that you may have sadly missed in the waning hours of 2009. (Consider it a YouTube theme week if you must!)

Leading the pack is a brand new vid from my pals Dual Core. It is for the song "Forever" from their stellar 2009 release Next Level, and it was directed by John S. La Valle. John shot all the footage for the project at last year's Nerd Invasion, and it boasts a positively staggering array of cameos, many from some of my very favorite people.

So give it a look-see, a nice comment, hell, maybe even a 5-star rating, should you feel so inclined. And keep a keen eye out for a little shout-out to yours truly right before the one-minute mark!