Nerd News in Brief

Hey Floridians, your rightful place as the nerd motherland of the east coast is dangerously close to being usurped. Apparently the dorks in Baltimore are armed.

I am serious, kids, you do not want to fuck around with Johns Hopkins chem majors. They will cut you. Consider yourselves warned.

• Home Away from Home: Let me start this week's NNIB with a shout-out to Eye-shuh. In response to a shout-out she gave me at her blog. Which was based on a message I sent her with the last of the Hipster, please! promo stickers. Which she earned by sending me a nice donation to the site. As you can see, shit gets complicated, but the important thing to remember is that Seattle is obviously home to my kind of people.
• Rancor vs. Sarlacc: At this stage in the game, another puff piece about "geek chic" is all but expected. What is not, however, is a sports blogger catching hell for botching a Star Wars reference. This spectacular piece of reverse-nerdery was brought to you by the one and only Church Hates Tucker.
• Antique Optical: The latest album from the Protomen, Act II: The Father of Death, is currently available for purchase. On CD no less! Keep that digital dinosaur alive by buying one from the band's merch store.
• Horny Devil: Speaking of new albums, mc chris has just unveiled the official title of the new iteration of his "part 6" project. Peep the hellfire.
• Chryme Doesn't Pay: Also on the new album front, my pal Antisoc has dropped his latest free EP. And it's early! Who even knew that was possible in the realm of nerdcore?
• All Samples (Un)Cleared: Probably my favorite new (and also free) release of the past few weeks is K.Flay's MASHed Potatoes. It combines two of my favorite things: K.Flay's own unique brand of lyricism and bootlegged beats. Check out what she does with tracks from Usher, Paramour, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and others right cheer.
• Reach for the Stars: Also free, though not exactly new, is funky49's hip-hop space opera Starblazer. I'm not sure how much longer Steve is gonna let this one sit out there in his freebie folder, so get on that shit now!
• Ackbar's Lament: Meanwhile, a new song has also been dropped by my homie The HT. Enjoy the chippy goodness of his "A Trap" over at 8-Bit Daily.
• Tuesday's Gone: The Painted Man has begun publishing an ongoing interview with Shael Riley. Okay, so maybe "interview" isn't the right word. But as anyone who's ever talked to Shael can attest, you just gotta let the man preach. Semantic nitpicking aside, be sure to check it out.
• Wizardry: Congrats to my friends at Nerd Invasion for scoring an amazing sponsor. Wizards of the Coast, makers of every single game you play, have generously donated a metric shit ton of +1 swag for the event.
• Must-See TV: Don't know what to watch this new fall television season? Why not let geek rock troubadour Jonathan Coulton steer you in the right direction?
• Your Time to Shine: Have you ever watched an MC Lars video and said to yourself, "I can totally do that shit?" Well prove it, asshole!
• Prove Yourself (Again): And while you're at it, Lars has also challenged all comers to remix his 2005 collab with mc chris. Winning entries will be featured on his site.
• Single and Ready to Mingle: And speaking of collaborations, be sure to check out Kupek's new mope-rock amthem "Heard About You" featuring Canadian MC supreme Jesse Dangerously. Wait, how have you not downloaded that yet?!
• Everything's Coming up Front: If you have yet to see the MC Frontalot documentary Nerdcore Rising, you are fast running out of excuses. The film is now available via Netflix and rental copies have even been sighted at Seattle's Hollywood Video. In related news, the film's official site has set up a nerdcore-specific Song Fight! that I'm sure many of you will want to participate in. Meanwhile, Front has toasted his continued success by both dropping another track into the Rock Band store and opening his own virtual storefront for downloadable albums.
• Bangor? I hardly Know Her!: The film will even be screened at this weekend's BangPop! comic and pop culture con in Maine. If you're headed that way, be sure to give my buddy Lance a how-do on my behalf.
• Mostly Ghostly: Closing us out this week is the first execution of this year's PAX prank from our friends at Epic Default. Does it match the might of last year's Bad-Horsing? Wil Wheaton certainly thinks so.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 73: Eat, Drink & Be Scary

And so we find ourselves once again in the very throes of Drunken Podcasting Month (better known as September). It is an occasion I can't help but be proud of, despite how reprehensible the entire affair truly is.

Just like last year, my pals Matt and Church join me for the festivities. Drinks in hand, we make our way through over an hour's worth of music, supplementing it with nearly half that time in intoxicated banter.

Notice, if you will, how we begin slightly sloppy and easily distracted, and devolve further into slurring, marble-mouthed buffoons. Why I actually call Church "Chuck" at one point.

Shameful!

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 73: Eat, Drink & Be Scary [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 82 MB Running Time: 1:29:38

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Beefy was totally trashed when he recorded the vocals for my theme song. It's a fact that I just made up.

Track 1: MC Lars & K.Flay – "It's A Party Y'all"
I reviewed Single and Famous last week. Check it out.

1st drunken interlude: "To celebrate this auspicious occasion."
How hard is it to convince Matt and Church to get drunk with me? Not particularly.

Track 2: Dr. Awkward – "F.U.F." / Scrubs dialog
As if you couldn't tell from our constant gushing, we all really dig Doc's Next Generation.

Track 3: Mr. B – "Sherry Monocle" / Scrubs dialog
Many thanks to La Bete for turning me on to the Gentleman Rhymer.

Track 4: Hidari – "ChocolaTommy"
Hidari's Wine and Chocolate is an amazing album, even for listeners unfamiliar with the language.

Track 5: Wilbert Roget II – "Chicken Tenders"
My favorite song about chicken tenders ever!

Track 6: The Bloodclan – "Vampire Party"
This track was a special request from Matt. It's from a collaborative project including MC Loki and MC Diabeats.

Track 7: Selfhelp – "Drunk Last Night"
No episode of Radio Free Hipster is complete without the inclusion of at least one Canadian.

2nd drunken interlude: "What are your respective poisons."
One of these years we really need coordinate our drinks. I'm just sayin'.

Track 8: Mattias Holmgren – "Legend of Zelda Zelda Heineken OC ReMix" / Scrubs dialog
This OC ReMix stills blows me away, despite the fact that I've been listening to it for months.

Track 9: mc chris – "Pizza Butt"
Confession: I totally chose this song so I could also include that "drunk on cheese" bit from Scrubs.

Track 10: English Pete – "Killing in a Gay Bar"
Because everyone loves a "Gay Bar" mash-up.

Track 11: Beefy – "Table Top (tanner4105 remix)"
RAWK!

Track 12: Uncle Monsterface – "Bring Back the Eggplant Wizard (Song for Gunpei Yokoi)"
I am currently playing through Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, and I gotta tell you those Eggplant Wizards are motherfuckers!

Track 13: People Within – "Lovesick"
People Within features Optimus Rhyme's Broken English.

3rd drunken interlude: : "The refined English version of our own beer goggles."
Brits are just fancier than us.

Track 14: Superpowerless – "Jizz In My Pants (Remix)"
Superpowerless does some of the most amazing covers and remixes I've ever heard, and he is crazy prolific.

Track 15: YTCracker – "Over and Over"
This I consider one of YT's best, an often overlooked gem from Serious Business.

Track 16: Jonny Nero Action Hero – "Back Porch" Scrubs dialog
Check out a special message from Jonny at the end of this episode.

Track 17: Billy the Fridge – "Cadillac Rollin' Fat"
I've been waiting for months for just the right time to expose the listening audience to Billy the Fridge. At last, that time has come.

Track 18: Billy Mays – "Breakin' Your Back"
Is it in poor taste to include this track in a show about overindulgence? Probably.

Track 19: Dual Core – "Give Me Wings (Remix)"
Nobody does better Dual Core remixes than their own c64.

Final drunken interlude: "I am eternally in your debt."
Let it be known that Hipster, please! truly couldn't exist without the help and support of Church and Matt. Them's m'boys!

Track 20: Glenn Case – "Glutton"
I can not even begin to express how excited I am for Glenn's forthcoming album Throw Money!

Bonus: A Message from Jonny Nero
Be sure to express your thanks to Jonny by checking out his Epic Default podcast!

This is usually the space where I recap the episode or talk up the following show, but this time I'm not gonna do that. Instead I just wanna take a moment to remember Jim Carroll.

He passed away earlier this week at the age of 60, but it was greatly overshadowed by the death of Patrick Swayze. Not that I'm bitter; I mean, Jim's lot in life was to remain largely unnoticed.

For me, Carroll held personal significance. Not just because we battled similar demons, but because of what he symbolized to me. While Updike showed me that it was okay, even interesting, to write about the exploits of unremarkable people, Jim Carroll showed me that it was also perfectly acceptable for us unfortunate freaks to put pen to paper ourselves. To record our own histories.

And now he finds himself, however fittingly, among the people who died.

Jimmy, this drink's for you.

Maja League

While most of the attention being paid to Maja of late has centered on his turn as a voice actor in a series of Phoenix-area McDonald's spots, surely no one has forgotten that his primary focus is music. And thankfully, some 2 years after the release of his stellar debut, The Amalgam Project, he is back in the proverbial saddle.

Peep the recent communiqué from Maja's command center:

Hey,

This is a message from yours truly, MAJA.

I am sitting here ready to release my sophomore album, which I have named BLEACH’d OUT. Seriously, I am literally sitting in front of my PC in the middle of the night looking at the cover that was designed by Robert Kim, who has done some really good work. You can check out some of his other work here: http://artofroboto.blogspot.com/. I am really excited about what he’s put together. You should totally check him out.

Anywho, here’s why I’m e-mailing you fabulous fan : I want to give you the album first. And for FREE. Yes, this is not a lie. I am going to upload the album on my new Reverbnation page and allow all fans to download it for FREE. BLEACH’d OUT is my anime-inspired album that I hope speaks to all of you as much as The Amalgam Project did.

The more fans that download the album, the better. T-shirts coming soon, too!

The album is releasing THIS FALL so stay tuned!

Here is the vid that I just uploaded on YouTube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcaiB2ZSX00

You can add yourself now on Reverbnation by clicking the link below:
http://www.reverbnation.com/majatron?add_email=true

Thanks for the love and support!

-MAJA

To reiterate, there is good news - Maja's sophomore follow-up is ready to drop – and better news – it is gonna be made freely available. So keep a keen eye on Reverbnation for further rumblings concerning BLEACH’d OUT. The promise of more top-shelf otaku rhymes is not to be taken lightly.

Just Thought I’d Let You Know

I sometimes get the impression that MC Lars has a master list of potential top-shelf collaborators, perhaps laid out in some sort of Bingo card format. Weird Al – check. Jesse Dangerously – check. YTCracker – double-check.

If this is truly the case, then the central square, the space upon which the fate of the very game hinges, is K.Flay.

Stanford educated, indie rock bred and hip-hop hardened, K.Flay is Lars's perfect analog. Yet as stylistically similar as they at first appear, there is an enchanting differentness that exists between their styles. It is within this uncommon region that this particular partnership seemingly flourishes, and it is from this delightful gray area that their first full-on collaborative effort, the tellingly named Single and Famous, was birthed.

1. "Running Trains"
   Single and Famous kicks off with a song centered simply on the friendship that exists between Lars and K.Flay. Structurally, it's a little counterintuitive, with each MC rhyming (in the first person, no less) about the virtues of the other. Lyrically, it's a tad underwhelming, but it's not without a certain charm. It comes off as a bit of a throw-away track – an odd choice for an EP, where each inch of sonic real estate counts – but it still manages to be a fun project opener.
2. "It's a Party Y'all (feat. Damondrick 'Shoehorn' Jack)"
   Things really get underway with the second offering, a good-natured party jam that sees three rappers bat verses back-and-forth atop a minimalist, slightly silly backing. Lars starts strong and DJ's guest verse adds another great aural texture to the track, but the joint firmly belongs to K.Flay, who comes off as cool, confident, smart and sexy as ever. It's her party, and we're just the guests.
3. "Altered States"
   Part travelogue part carryover from 80s edutainment television, "Altered States" tells us where our lyrical protagonists have traveled and what they did along the way. Again, not exactly a groundbreaking narrative, but an enjoyable ride none the less. (I made a funny!) The song's beat seems to connect a bit more precisely with the native flows of both K.Flay and MC Lars than its direct predecessors', no doubt due to the skillful production of the former, and it's important to note that this is the first song on the EP that features a traditional verse-chorus-verse structure. Am I a little heartbroken about not being name-dropped on Lars's line about South Carolina? Sure, but in spite of that obvious flaw it's still a keeper. ;)
4. "The Game"
   Another K.Flay produced track, "The Game" is a street-level banger that doubles as a less-than explicit sex jam. Not only does it fit nicely as the EP's halftime show, but it also stands aptly on its own. With its plodding vocal delivery and slightly wavering beat, it could've easily bled into the shameful realm of lackadaisical rap, but instead it comes off as a slow and steady head-bobber that's sure to please.
5. "We Fresh"
   The EP's shortest track (and also it's only offering guest produced by Dust Collector), "We Fresh" sticks out like a sore thumb. But in a good way. It kicks the braggadocio displayed thus far up another glorious notch, and adds a distinct flavor to the proceedings. Though the chippy, heavily-compressed chorus may prove a turn-off to some, let me remind you that it also contains hip-hop's only reference to The Aggro Crag. Fuck yeah, it does!
6. "Somebody's Watching Me"
   This is not a cover of the 1984 Rockwell chart-topper of the same name. I just wanted to get that out of the way. It is, instead, a scathing critique of the modern electronic Panopticon. Referencing everything from Sister Souljah to Azkaban, it boasts exactly the sort of clever, hyper-intelligent, socially aware lyrics we've come to expect from both MCs but that have thus far remained absent on an EP centered firmly on the lighter side of songwriting. Casting K.Flay as our slightly paranoid narrator and MC Lars as the voice of Big Brother, it manages to stay both bleak and engaging. Above another urgent K.Flay beat, it comes through as a proper wake-up call to the idle masses.
7. "Single and Famous"
   If many of the other selections possess more of a "K.Flay sound," then the EP's title track is definitely textbook MC Lars, at least on the instrumental end. With a driving, tinny guitar that brings in just enough of a punk rock aesthetic, "Single and Famous" is the project's musical powerhouse, its lyrical haymaker, its emotional center. The ultimate break-up anthem, it's a song about finding the strength to move on… by delivering a surgically precise "fuck you" to your ex. Lars, whose performance thus far has been fairly laid back, proves he's still got plenty of juice left over from This Gigantic Robot Kills, and rather than sounding out of place amongst the aggro K.Flay comes through as pained, angered and wholly relatable. Plus, her vocal doubling has never sounded better! Harshly emotional and almost uncomfortably autobiographical, it intensely caps and eclectic listening experience.

Upon first listening to Single and Famous in its entirety, I think I was a tad underwhelmed. Part of me expected it to be a continuation of the superlative effort that was The Digital Gangster LP, MC Lars's first wholly collaborative hip-hop project and, for many nerdcore fans, the proper introduction to K.Flay. And yet it wasn't.

Neither was it, as one might also suspect, a balls-out punk/rap powerhouse on par with his most recent solo effort nor the stripped-down electro-funk of K.Flay's Suburban Rap Queen.
Instead it was something totally different: its own animal.

It was only after I realized that this was purely by design that I genuinely began to grok the EP. It is an artistic island, a free-standing structure that exists for its own creative edification.

It's not about Lars's rocked up chortles or K.Flay's slinky whispers, but about the intersection of the two and the all important area where their artistic overlap flounders. It is the sound of a pair of friends who are as comparable as they are dissimilar getting together to mix the proverbial chocolate and peanut butter. And while the resulting EP isn't without its flaws, it’s the sort of affair that seemingly makes you, the listener, a party to the friendship and creative cross-pollination of these two fascinating individuals. It's tuneful, good-natured and well worth the price of admission.

"Welcome to the MC Lars and K.Flay show. / We attack your ears like Vincent Van Gogh."

PAXtravaganza

There's nothing quite like PAX to remind you how positively unimportant you are in the grand scheme of nerd culture. At an event where Beefy shared the stage with MC Frontalot, Front was cleverly introed by none other than the great Wil Fucking Wheaton and that same Mr. Wheaton was serenaded by Jonathan Coulton, it's hard not to feel dwarfed by the sheer geekitude of the festival and its major players.

For my fellow unfortunates who were not in attendance (as well as those doubly cursed souls who missed much of the fantastic Twitter coverage), here's a clip of one of the aforementioned magical moments. Observe as Wil "opens" for Front. And then demand that an audio version of the "Penny Arcade Theme" vs. "Don't Stop Believing" mash-up be made immediately available.

Nerd News in Brief

This delayed edition of Nerd News in Brief was sponsored by nerdcore superfan Lance. Y'all remember Lance, right? He was the subject of an awesomely surreal piece of fan art a couple months back.

Well, Lance further demonstrated his nerd love by tossing me some money to help pay for a new router after my old one went tits-up last week. So essentially, Lance pulled Hipster, please! back from the brink by resurrecting my home network!

As I've said before, I pretty much have the bestest fans of all time.

• Battle of the Sexes: I make no effort to hide my affection for the Wizrocklopedia, so let me just say that their recent Question Tuesday segment "He Said/She Said" is nothing short of inspired. Read on as Snidget and Whompy tackle the subject of sexism in the Wrock community.
• So Many People on the Internet: And speaking of amazing things on the interwebz, Church sent me a link to this Brentalfloss music video about notable web celebs. My only complaint? The proximity of "Two Girls, One Cup" and "Will it Blend?" It conjures up unsettling images.
• Us vs. Them: Also from Church comes news of an iPhone app that took home the gold at the Microsoft-sponsored Startup Weekend. While some would see this as an inroad to Mac/PC understanding and a rare glimpse of good sportsmanship, it really just turned into another catalyst of cross-platform douche baggery. This is the internet, after all.
• Light Up the Night: This Tuesday marks the triumphant return of freedom fighting rock opera The Protomen. Yes, their Act II: The Father Of Death LP will at last be available, but you can put your money down on a copy early. Pre-ordering, I believe they call it. What will they think of next?
• Remember When?: This Wednesday also marks an auspicious occasion: the one-year anniversary of the Mega Ran message board! In celebration of this event, the community is giving away prizes for the best Ran-related stories. Get full details and enter here.
• As in Beer: Even if you don't win any fabulous prizes in the above contest, all members of the board can download the Random Mixtape Vol. 2 absolutely free. It's just another token of appreciation from the Blue Bomber.
• Armor Man: Speaking of Mega Man, from Topless Robot (by way of Matt) comes word of a Mega Man II tribute done in chain mail. What. The. Fuck?
• How High?: And another Topless Robot piece – which likewise arrived in my inbox thanks to Matt – concerns drugs and comic books. Which, not to get too confessional here, immediately made me start thinking of my high school days.
• Cold Fusion: Congrats to Static Grooves, an electronic outfit that includes nerdcore MC/producer Redvoid, for being profiled as artist of the day in the Tampa Bay Times. Read the piece and give the guys some love at the TBT blog.
• Changing of the Guard: I Fight Dragons had a big news week last week. First, a handful of fall tour dates supporting mc chris were made public, which is awesome. And second, we learned that drummer Dave Midell has elected to quite the band so as not to have to abandon his position as a special ed teacher. Somehow that one both sucks and is still awesome at the same time.
• Two Great Tastes: Being friends with Shael Riley means two things: I am usually among the lucky first few to hear his latest creations, and he likewise exposes me to various other musical oddities from outside his sphere. One such example of the latter is Advantage: proGrammar. It's essentially a collab that involves proGrammar singing/rapping over tracks from game rock superstars The Advantage. It sounds strange, but it's well worth a listen. Trust me.
• Dance, Motherfuckers!: Though I, sadly, didn’t get to attend PAX again this year, I've been keeping on top of shit via Twitter. Many of my favorite event tweets have come from Zen Albatross. He's been paying particular attention to a series of chiptune street performances going on outside the event. This week we'll close with a clip of Circles getting his chip on guerrilla-style. Enjoy.

Circles @ PAX 2009 Lo-Tek Resistance from Zen Albatross on Vimeo.

Game Music 4 Y'all

This week I have experienced illness, a shaky transition to a new job and a total failure of my home network. Thankfully, the other Z – known affectionately as Little Miss Gamer – has more than picked up the slack. You see, while I was busy cursing my router and coughing up Shoggoths, LMG was waxing poetic about personal playlists for iconic player characters.

First up: Lara Croft.

Get Yer T-shirts Here!

Okay, so not here, per se, but you can get Hipster, please! t-shirts from our friends at NerdRockstar.

Yes, at long last you can proclaim your undying affection for the web's longest running (and least successful) nerd music and culture blog. And who wouldn't wanna do that?

But wait; there's more!

Not only does this t-shirt cover your naked chesticles and promote hipsterplease.com, it also boasts references to both Harry Potter and Dungeons & Dragons. That's right, kids, mix metaphors in a way that only a true nerd would by sporting this attractive tee with the Hipster, please! logo text presented in that undeniable Harry Potter typeface with the flavor text "and the plus one shirt of rocking."

"So," you're saying, "this is also an enchanted artifact that will also give me +1 to rock? But how can this be, Z?"

Short answer: magic. A double dose.

And how much would you expect to pay for such a fine piece of apparel? 10 dollars? 15 dollars? 20 dollars?

Fuck that noise; these bad boys are only $6.66, because my DarkLord demands it!

But be aware that this item will only be available for the duration of NerdRockstar's special T-shirt Sacrifice Sale. And once they're gone, they're gone.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 72: Where a Kid Can be a Kid

Themed episodes of Radio Free Hipster are becoming fewer and far between, but this one was a request, of sorts, so I took the plunge. Plus, it's always fun to have my son help put together the song lists. Even if now he is more interested in Phineas and Ferb than in recording with his old man.

Still, talking about youth and childhood is a double-edged sword, because it also opens the door to talking about aging and the long, rough road of maturity. I tried to hit on both this time around. I hope you're happy with the results.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 72: Where a Kid Can be a Kid [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 39 MB Running Time: 42:42

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
This theme song keeps me young.

Track 1: Go Home Productions – "GHP Goes Bananas"
Looking back, those Sid and Marty Krofft shows were genuinely fucked up.

Z's 1st interlude: "I decided that today's ep. should be kinda chill."
Yes, since the next show will be a drunken podcast, I figured this time around I should keep shit low key.

Track 2: Chiptots – "ABC"
The only person who loves this cover more than Li'l X. is his dear old dad!

Track 3: Math the Band – "Homework Sucks"
Math has a new album out. You should buy it.

Track 4: Dave Chappelle dialog / Uncle Monsterface – "Baby Blip"
I long for the day when my own kids will make me macaroni jewelry.

Track 5: Jonathan Coulton – "Rock and Roll Boy"
"When I was born I was a young boy. / Now I'm grown, I am a old boy."

Track 6: Beefy – "Ball Pit"
This song makes me wistful. There's just something about the quality of Beefy's voice in this one that always gets me.

Track 7: Tenacious D – "Baby"
Sometimes it just feels good to follow a Beef Thompson joint with the D.

Track 8: McVaffe - "Yoshi's Lullaby"
Can you imagine how difficult it must have been to raise a young Mario and Luigi?!

Z's 2nd interlude: "I am ceaselessly amazed by the power of music to take me back to the days of my youth."
It is purported that smell is the most important sense trigger for memory recollection, but for me it's always been sound. When I hear a song, I can often immediately recall the very moment when I first encountered it.

Track 9: Lynn Ahrens – "A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing"
Originally played back in episode 18.

Track 10: My Parents' Favorite Music – "Sticks and Stones"
I think "Sticks and Stones" was the first track an artist ever let me feature on the site.

Track 11: Southside – "War Games"
It's really hard not to love a song that cribs its beat from the Fat Albert theme.

Track 12: Xoc – "Doors/Warp Zone/Rescue Jingle" / Shael Riley voicemail
Feel free to send me messages via my Google Voice widget. I'll even try and work them into future podcasts!

Track 13: Uncanny Valley – "Ladybugs' Picnic"
DJBC's Muppet Mashup album is really an amazing project. For those of us who grew up in the golden age of edutainment, it's the perfect nostalgia trip.

Track 14: Metaforce – "Intermission (feat. Onni)"
The theme music from Taxi still makes me misty-eyed.

Z's final interlude: "Maturity is not a process so much as a battle."
Seriously; adulthood lurks around every corner awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike. Sometimes it beats you down, but never give up the fight!

Track 15: Funny or Die – "The Ballad of G.I. Joe"
Just watch the video. It is well worth the time.

This show turned out a good bit different than I originally expected. It's shorter than usual, obviously, and it also took on more of a somber tone, but with good reason.

I think we as adults tend to think of childhood as being simple, when really it's anything but. Kids feel things differently than grownups: more intensely. Therefore, their victories are twice as sweet and their failures wholly crushing. That's not to say that the life of maturity is effortless, of course. Both are fraught with difficulties, but in totally different ways.

Having kids of your own really drives this home.

But in the end, the magic of childhood is that it is uniquely your own. And the power of memory allows you to rewrite that fucker any way you wish. Maybe that's why it's better that we don't get the chance to revisit all of the cherished touchstones of youth. They often age far less gracefully in real life than in our recollections.

Nerd News in Brief

For those too busy with matters of genuine importance to hang on my every word via Twitter, this week I began transitioning to a new job. It's an interesting position that's much more tonic to my unique skill set, but the changeover itself has resulted in me actually having to work while at work. *gasp*

Hopefully, I'll be able to smooth things out quickly and get back up to my regular level of output here at the blog, but, in the meantime, blame any temporary disruption of service on the heartless American nine-to-five.

What a way to make a living!

• My GF is…: Props to Church for turning me on to Dale Chase's ode to lady programmers "Coder Girls." Peep the video on YouTube and score the lyrics from Dale' site. You'll be glad you did.
• Just Like You and Me: Also, just in time for Drunken Podcasting Month, Church ran across this veritable jewel of the internet. Brothers and sisters, I present to you Geeks Who Drink. Essentially, it's a traveling pub quiz that kicks traditional bar trivia right in the nuts. If you find yourself in the appropriate geographic area, definitely check out their shit.
• (Bad) Horsing Around: PAX attendees are encouraged to seek out those wild lads from Epic Default Productions at this year's gathering. They'll be hawking sweet merch, conducting live interviews and, of course, pranking the hell out of the greater Seattle area. It's what they do.
• Life is Grand: If you've already bought a copy of the self-titled debut from Sea-town's own Supercommuter, prepare to buy another. Wheelie and company have recently announced that they plan to donate all profits from sales of the project to the Child’s Play charity.
• Wrock This Town: Also from the great state of Washington comes news that Jarod (of AlienBobz) has made available three more outstanding live sets. You can hear The Parselmouths, The Whomping Willows and The Remus Lupins' performances from this summer's Wizard Rock spectacular at Bellevue's Lake Hill Clubhouse for the low, low price of free at Archive.org.
• Riddle Me This: And on the Wrock front, the delightful ladies from Riddle™ have recently unveiled a brand new site. And not to discount the musical talent of Georgia and Victoria, but it has the most adorable flash intro ever. Ever!
• Powered Up: RapReviews' Hip-Hop Shop podcast recently featured an interview with none other than Random. It includes a half-hour Q&A plus 3 songs from Mega Ran 9. What's not to love?
• I'm V-Pain. You Know Me.: I guess this hardly rates as news anymore – much in the same way that the sun rising in the east isn't wholly unexpected – but Phoenix loves Maja! Seriously, y'all, dude is all over the place. Check out his most recent profile in the New Times. At this rate, he will be governor of Arizona by year's end. Mark my words.
• Join the Swarm: Arguably this week's biggest piece of nerd news concerns Pensacola's imminent Nerd Invasion. NerdRockstar and Scrub Club have engineered an event so massive it will take four theaters of the Silver Screen Entertainment Complex just to contain it. Music, magic, mirth and… booze are the orders of the day this November 6th and 7th. Details are available at the official event site, and proceeds from NerdRockstar's current wicked t-shirt sale benefit the event. So go read up and then buy some shit!
• Trock Out with Your Sonic Screwdriver Out: Taking us home this week comes a metal remix of the Doctor Who theme that my boy funky49 hipped me to. It's by Daniel Cripps, and an MP3 of the track (and lots of other cool stuff) is available at his site.

Playing Catch-up

It is apparently kick-ass new album season, and I'm having a little trouble keeping up. Thankfully, I have friends who care enough to keep me from slipping too far behind. My boy Anthony, for example, was kind enough to point out a few fine new projects from the realms of chiptunes and VGM that I may have missed.

The first, of course, is the epic 8-bit Miles Davis tribute Kind of Bloop. Sure, I mentioned it in passing, but the album is deserving of far more direct praise. To that end, I not only recommend that you snag it (for a mere 5 bones), but I'd also highly suggest you check out the GM4A interview with project coordinator Andy Baio and chip musician DisasterPEACE written by everyone's homie Zen Albatross.

A similarly epic undertaking that I've discussed with various friends and scenesters but somehow neglected to pimp here at the blog is Bad Dudes/OneUp Studios' Chronotorious compilation. Headed up by the mysterious Mustin, Chronotorious boasts 15 rearranged tracks from epic Square RPG Chrono Trigger. For $12 you get the full boat on a limited edition CD, with the forthcoming Amazon MP3/iTunes release trimmed down to a scant 10 tracks. There are only 1000 of these bad boys, so snag one now while they are still easily… snaggable?

Lastly but not leastly is a release that has somehow managed to stay totally under my musical radar – I blame old age and my current preoccupation with work (yuk!) – Armcannon 2: The Return of the Attack of the Legend of Pizzor. To know Armcannon is to love Armcannon, and to love Armcannon is to give them $12 plus shipping for their first official full-length. If you love videogame covers, buy it for their ambitious reinterpretations of NES classics like the Rygar and Kid Icarus medleys. If TV or movie themes are more your thing, then snag it to hear their takes on the music rom Ghostbusters or Power Rangers. And if neither of those concepts tickle your fancy, then why the fuck are you reading this blog anyway?

An Exercise in Excess

Last year I created my own fake holiday. Why? Because this is the internet, a place where you are perfectly at liberty to do ridiculous shit like that. For those who don't remember (or chose to forget), I called my baby Drunken Podcasting Month. A fairly self-explanatory moniker, it simply challenged podcasters to get drunk before/during one or more of their recording sessions in the month of September. A handful of shows took the Drunken Podcasting Month challenge, including my own Radio Free Hipster, and much mirth was made.

This year, I'm bringing it back, like sexy, but I need your help. If it's just me and my special DPM co-hosts Church and Matt getting drunk on the virtual air it's a concept, but if other podcasters participate it's a movement. Last year's Grand Champion Drunkcaster, Meg of Brilliant Gameologists, will be unable to participate in this year's event, so it's up to the rest of us to drink more, talk louder and vomit extra violently. It is surely a daunting task, but I think we can do it if we all keep our bleary eyes on the prize.

Via to the magic of Twitter, I've been able to connect with lots of other great podcasters - @jonnynero of Epic Default, @mutantpop of Radio Clash, @jayslacks of the 10 o'clock Podcast, etc. – and I'm hoping I can sweet talk them into getting crunk for the cause, but, much like the Blues Brothers, I need you, you, you.

If you are a podcaster, why not get drunk? If you are a drunk, why not try podcasting? If you are a graphic designer, why not pitch me a snazzy Drunken Podcasting Month logo that participants can use to promote the event? September comes but once a year, but the shame and embarrassment you'll feel from having all of the wired world hear your intoxicated ramblings will surely last a lifetime.

Nerd News in Brief

It's always great when a independent, intrinsically geeky musical community gets some major media attention. Yet it's all the more crushing when that spotlight, rather than shine on the true face of the scene, instead chooses to highlight only what it wants to see.

Such is the case with TIME's recent piece on the Kind of Bloop chiptune tribute album. Therein, the interviewing journalist misquotes (the ever-living fuck out of) artist Shnabubula.

Check out the whole story, and help spread the word.

• Hold the Beef: Beefy has just launched a new BBS at his site beefyness.com. Mr. Thompson states that these forums will be a well-mannered and low-key hangout for fans of nerdcore, JALP and other flavors of geekery. Join up and feel the love.
• Twice Removed: Superpowerless has been mad prolific this week. His YouTube channel has been ablaze with new solo content and the triumphant return of Scared of Dinosaurs, but most impressive is his remix of The Grammar Club cover of Jonathan Coulton's classic "Code Monkey." Can you say meta?
• Truth Hits Everybody: New info from the Centers for Disease Control suggests that most gamers are old, fat and miserable. This, however, does not explain the wealth of 12-year-olds calling me a fag on Xbox Live.
• Know the Name: MC Lars and K.Flay have dropped a new video for the debut single from their Single and Famous EP. It's the title track, and it will likely make you call your ex and demand all your shit back.
• Sock It!: This week, a cat got over a million Twitter followers. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, MC Frontalot wrote a new song. I could get all emo over this, but Front wrote a song about me ages ago!
• Ultra-Mega OK: Megaran has pitched a panel idea for SXSW 2010 entitled "Video Games and Hip-Hop: Making the Connection." Go vote it up at PanelPicker and help drag the gaming industry further away from shitty soundtracks!
• It's a Party: mc chris will be celebrating his birthday this year at Atlanta's Dragon*Con. RSVP to let him know how many Yoda cupcakes to bring – the party is Star Wars-themed – and to volunteer for the decorating committee.
• Nerds, Gender and Introversion: Church points you in the direction of this Washington City Paper post concerning why nerds can be so damn sexist, then Matt counters with this Bitch Magazine article about gender in the (heavily female-slanted) communities of Wrock and Twi-rock. Lastly, Jason completes the cultural hat-trick with this Comics 212 piece about the new "post-otaku" movement.
• My Hero: Also from Matt comes fantastic news for all of my brothers and sisters who are, like me, shit-scared of the undead. When the zombie apocalypse ultimately arrives, math may be on our side!
• Kick Back: For those who have been sitting on their hands with regard to Dual Core's newest masterpiece, please be aware that Next Level is now available from the Amazon MP3 store. You're really running out of reasons not to buy it.
• Maja League: Once again our boy Maja finds himself on the receiving end of some good press. This time southwestern MC made an appearance on his local FOX affiliate. Check out this vlog of the event on his YouTube channel.
• RAWK!: And while you're getting your YouTube on, be sure to check out P4KO's rocked up cover of the Street Fighter II credits song ("Ready to Fight"). You can also score an MP3 version of the track if you like. And you will like.
• Gonna Make You Sweat: One final piece of necessary YouTubery comes from our sock puppet pals Uncle Monsterface. They are gonna whip that ass into shape with some "Sweat Sexxxy." And you can rock out with the guys themselves this Sunday at the Coney Island Museum. It's their last show of the summer, so be sure to come out!
• Legendary: Closing us out this week is another great piano piece from Kento. This time around he's playing a lengthy Zelda medley with the help of randomly drawn title and mood cards. It's a very cool concept that I don't think has received the proper attention as of yet. Give it a look-see.

Live to Fight

There are many places where I expect to encounter The Grammar Club. Strip bars. Red-light districts. Prison. But one place I never anticipated running across them, or at least their music, is in a promo video for Australian mixed martial arts. I stand corrected.

NerdRockstar Wants to Give You a PS3

Typically, when one is vying for a handsome prize in a random drawing, one keeps his fucking trap shut so as not to further decrease his chances of winning. But you know what? I'm not gonna do that. In fact, I am gonna spread the word and encourage all of you to toss your names in the proverbial hat as well. 'Cause I am cool like that.

Many of you no doubt caught my mention of geeky clothier NerdRockstar last week. Well, today I again invoke the name for a trio of wonderful reasons. Which I will now innumerate:

First, NerdRockstar has just rolled out a brand new t-shirt design for my Janglish-slangin' brother Maja. It's a take on the classic Sega logo, and uses the same font as the famed "Nerdcore is Not Dead" design. Exciting shit, no?

Even better is that the fact that NR's Jason has challenged himself to offer a new shirt design every day for the next month! His Thing-a-Day program thumbs its nose as Coulton by kicking out brand new products at breakneck speed. Already available are designs for Portal aficionados and those clever Steampunks.

And there was one other thing too.

What was it?

Oh yeah, NerdRockstar is giving away a goddamn PS3! One of the new slim ones! For free!

As the crew continues its mission to spread the word about the shop, they are turning to the community and rewarding their efforts. Simply buying any piece of merch from the virtual storefront or proclaiming your love for the site via your social network of choice nets you an entry into the drawing, and multiple entries are encouraged. Peep the blog for full details, and then do your best to win Sony's newest multimedia monster.

While I Was Out

I am back! And I have returned with yet another pebble of personal truth. (In addition to a metric ton of sand in my ass crack.)

The nature of this revelation? I am not particularly good at vacationing.

You see, my regular day-to-day life is pretty chill. I have a great wife, two wonderful kids, a job that's annoying far less than half the time and a pair of blogs/podcasts that are more enjoyable to me than they have any right to be. In short, things are typically kinda low key. Stuff is fairly relaxed. Shit is pretty sweet.

Now contrast this with vacation, an unsavory event during which I am beholden to attempt packing an entire year's worth of relaxation – relaxation in this case meaning non-stop movement from dusk to dawn – into a scant week.

Surely you see my point.

The strange thing is that while I was away "relaxing," the nerdy world went right along spinning. Indeed, no sooner had I set out than things commenced a-poppin'. Particularly on the new release front, there have been a number of interesting developments.

The rock opera rebellion that is The Protomen's Act II is so close that you can almost taste it. But should you prefer to experience music via a more traditional sense, perhaps you should turn your attention to the recent leak of "Light up the Night." The commander himself describes it as "the first glimpse of the second half of Act II," but I'd simply say it's another exemplary effort from our heroes.

Meanwhile, from the soggy streets of Seattle comes word of the long-awaited debut album by People Within. Fronted by Optimus Rhyme alumnus Broken English, People Within meld hip-hop, jazz-funk and punk into an unbelievable musical menagerie. Though the official release date is set for September 12th, I was lucky enough to score a preview copy. I'll be sure to toss some tracks into forthcoming podcasts so as to acclimate the uninitiated to the new sound of the Pacific Northwest.

But certainly the timeliest of news concerns today's release of the 7-song MC Lars and K.Flay EP Single and Famous. Due to my out-of-townedness I only downloaded my review copy last night, but it's already managed to insinuate itself into a perpetually packed song rotation. It's very much the spiritual successor to the Lars and YTCracker collab The Digital Gangster LP as it's another musical expression of friendship and fun, but don't feel like you have to take my word for it. The EP is available at a sliding price point – another similarity to the DGLP – so go ahead and pick it up in any of its varied forms.

Savvy fans will also notice talk of a Lars/K.Flay/YT tour, information regarding which I will try to secure before my review of Single and Famous hits the interwebz.

Gone Fishin'

As I mentioned earlier, the family and I are about to head out on our annual vacation to the Carolina coast. As is tradition. Of course, this year it's pulling double duty, also serving as a clever ruse to prevent me from squandering any more Microsoft Points on clothing for my Avatar.

It occurs to me that I have, essentially, been playing virtual paper dolls. My shame is palpable.

Now, I am nothing if not self-aware, so I realize that Hipster, please! exists primarily to act as an at-work time-waster for the bulk of its readership. Therefore, I've elected to provide a handful of pointers toward interesting digital destinations that you might peruse during my absence. I believe you'll find them worthy diversions.

1. Songs from the Pit
   As long as you’re here, why not check out my review of Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire's Songs from the Pit. It's a fine album, and I genuinely enjoyed musing about it. I'd also urge you to track down a copy of your own. It's analog-tastic.
   
2. Next Level
   Of course, I can't talk about new albums without mentioning Dual Core's most recent offering. c64 and int eighty have reached a very dangerous point where I expect perfection in their output, and, interestingly enough, Next Level delivers in spades. Further, let me say that it's slated to be my primary road trip soundtrack for a very long drive. In summation: pick it up.
3. The 8th Day
   And speaking of albums, did you know Random's The 8th Day is currently on sale for half price? That's, like, under $5 for one of the bestest hip-hop albums ever. That's what we call a deal, friends and neighbors, but it's a limited time offer. Get on that shit.
4. "He Doesn't Love You"
   If your interests skew a bit more toward the Potter side, then be sure to peep "He Doesn't Love You," the newest track from Riddle™. It's an acoustic rocker (Wrocker?) centered on Amortentia, and the "relationship" between Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle, the elder. As a fan of tragic love songs, I am beholden to recommend it heartily.
5. Social Knitworking
   Andrea, Jenn and Joanna have recently taken their geektastic knitting circle into the virtual realm for all to enjoy. Social Knitworking is both a podcast relating to the fine art of yarn-craft and another great online hub for nerd culture. Head over there and see what marvelous madness these fine ladies have cooked up.
6. NerdRockstar
   If you dig that "Nerdcore is Not Dead" t-shirt that Andrea is rocking in the recent Social Knitworking vlog, then definitely check out NerdRockstar. It's an independent merch site that does much more than just shirts. Although the shirts are pretty goddamn awesome.
7. Geek Amigo
   Equally awesome is the new Geek Amigo community from our friends at Scrub Club. Focused on music, media and culture, it's an ideal chill spot. Give it a look. Hell, you might even make a new friend.
8. Fermilab Rap
   After his turn as MOSI's Rapbassador, my pal funky49's was approached by Illinois's Fermilab about crafting a rap theme for their National Accelerator Laboratory. Not only has the news of this collaboration began to pop up in various news outlets around Chicago, but funk has been blogging his trip. For science!
   
9. Glenn and Rachel
   I'd also highly suggest you check out the performance videos by Glenn Case and Rachael Lane from last month's Song Fight! Live event in their native Spokane. Their setlist featured "Pencil Me In," "Georgia's Hands" and "Need Stilts:" three of my favorite tracks!
10. Twitter
    Lastly, if, for whatever bizarre reason, you really want to know what I'm up to while I am AFK, feel free to follow me on Twitter. I'll be tweeting intermittently from my cell throughout the trip, and, while I can't promise it'll be an incredibly compelling read, I'll do my best to include the requisite level of snark. I do what I can.
    

Twenty-Side Identity Crisis

Shael Riley is the geek rock Woody Allen.

Think about it; his music, and indeed his very artistic voice, speaks volumes about love, sex, the folly of the human experience and one man's life in Gotham. But, just like Allen, this isn't the true source of his unique brand of genius. In both cases that has more to do with a knack for properly quantifying relatable elements as part of a greater whole: rationing out tiny bits of truth amid a grander scheme of the unbelievable and genuinely entertaining fictional narrative.

Just as Allen's early work is often characterized by zany comedies, Shael's back catalog is heavily slanted toward what I have personally referred to as "all-purpose absurdist nerd rock." Yet beneath these outlandish stories, there exists an almost uncomfortable sliver of universal truth. Because whether it's Annie Hall or "Heart Tits," everyone has found themselves in a relationship that just isn't going to work.

Shael's newest album with his band The Double Ice Backfire takes this songwriting style in an exciting new direction. It plays with the aural palette of the instrumental backing by combining driving guitars and chippy percussion in a way not unlike fellow hybrid poppers I Fight Dragons. But lyrically, it sees Shael's traditional slant on relatable absurdity climb to amazing heights.

1. "Publishing Rights"
   Like a lot of Shael's work, "Publishing Rights" is rowdy, sex-obsessed and a little misogynistic. Oddly enough, these are the characteristics of many of his best offerings, and this is no exception. Part rock 'n' roll fantasy, part MTV nightmare, it's a chip-rock masterpiece that's solidly about control and who has it. Schaffer the Darklord makes an unexpected appearance as the shadiest of shady dealers, and comes strapped with his trademark verbal sneer. For those who haven't heard a Shael Riley track since Toybox, this one likely displays a notable leap forward in both songwriting style and vocal delivery, but those of us who've been paying attention will likely find it more an incremental tweak on his Grammar Club-era output.
2. "How to Fire a Gun"
   Heartfelt and interestingly layered, "How to Fire a Gun" is an unassuming joint with a great big chorus. It contains a grocery list of idle wants that seem to belie the song's underlying sense of lost opportunity. To fire a gun it to be safe. To be a doctor or a lawyer is to be respected. To understand technology is to be in control of one's future. And yet our narrator has none of these skills, feels none of these strengths. It's a soul-crushingly beautiful ditty that, oddly enough, can "make you re-assess your life."
3. "The Other Side of Memphis"
   I can't help but think that "The Other Side of Memphis" was, at some point, this album's opener. It has a sweet lead-in and a perfectly interlocking guitar and percussion line that makes for instant pop perfection. (Taken to even further by the flawless bridge-to-solo movement.) Sadly, we never truly learn the nature of our protagonist's – Shael? Blane? Duckie? – true fascination with Andie Walsh. As such, this one seems to come off as a love song about the idea of romance, as opposed to its (im)practical application. EDIT: It's just been brought to my attention that The Double Ice Backfire's Ricky Henry wrote the lyrics and chord progression for this track. Ricky speaks his piece about the song (and the recent passing of John Hughes) in this blog post.
   
4. "Asian Kids Have All the Best Moves"
   Shael marks the album's mid-point by emerging from a stylistic cocoon as some hybrid of Jason Mraz and Frank Zappa, speak-singing a song that sounds both uniquely personal and wholly surreal. Lyrically impeccable, neurotically uncomfortable and musically thrilling, Shael, Ty and Ricky manage to craft that rare piece that's hard to describe but a joy to experience. The standout track among an offering of surgically precise thrillers, "Asian Kids" may well be Shael's best song to date. Both the functional and artistic center of Songs from the Pit, this one proves an amazing focal point that affords a further relevance to the album as a whole.
5. "Hipster Hoax"
   Some songs hit painfully close to home for the same reason that some stories make us reflect on our own experiences: because they shout our personal truths from the mountaintop. They tell our secrets. "Hipster Hoax" will likely strike a similar chord with anyone reading these words. Anyone who's a natural outsider. Anyone who's suddenly found themselves confronted by some twisted mirror image compliments of the present "geek chic." Anyone who understands irony as a literary device as opposed to a way of life. The music skillfully plays peek-a-boo with its lyrical weight, which only serves to add an additional layer of thematic exasperation. Well played, boys. Sure, maybe I don't feel the coda, but that doesn't diminish the rest of this song's considerable power.
6. "Chinese Ninja Warrior"
   If Songs from the Pit has a weak point, it's "Chinese Ninja Warrior." That's not to say that the song is in any way bad; it simply pales a bit next to the project's other offerings. A lighthearted, movie soundtrack-style introduction to Mortal Kombat's Sub-Zero – and a cover, at that – is exactly the kind of musical madness upon which Shael has built his church, but in context it comes off a little thin. Still, it's an enjoyable romp resplendent with churning guitars, high-register vibrato and a delicate chippy fade-out. It's an interesting diversion.
7. "tip eht fo mottob"
   An unexpected bit of electro-funk permeates what could laughably be called the title track. It boasts a groove the likes of which we have yet to hear on the album, and one that is not expressly indicative of the work of frontman Shael Riley in the slightest. This combined with some tightly compressed instrumentation and understated vocals makes for yet another amazing song. With lyrics that read like the plot of some sadistic videogame and a warbling rhythm that can't help but make your head bob, "tip eht fo mottob" has an almost ska-core upbeat and sea-shanty delivery that makes it play like a twisted offspring of The Specials' "Ghost Town."
8. "Asian Kids Have All the Best Moves (solo piano)"
   Somehow this song sounds even more earnest when cast against a stripped-down piano. With its beautifully rendered suburban malaise, it's an ample restatement of purpose for Songs from the Pit. The resonance of its terse last note is both consciously and emotionally staggering.

When Shael Riley mentioned to me – via Xbox Live, his preferred method of communication – that he was releasing a grunge album, I was stunned. I mean, expressing oneself in this modern era through a flavor of alternative rock as dated as grunge is as ill-advised as releasing an album on cassette an odd choice, to say the least. Still, I figured if anyone could execute such a feat, it'd be Shael.

And while I was on-point with my assumption that Songs from the Pit would be an intriguing and well-crafted musical experience, I can't help but feel as though Shael mislead me a bit. What he and the inexplicably named Double Ice Backfire produced is much more tonic to post-grunge; it's more Weezer than Pearl Jam.

Still, even if it lacks grunge earmarks like sloppy, trudging guitars and ill-timed transitions, it certainly hits close to its established themes. In fact, one could even view Songs from the Pit as a veritable concept album steeped in the idea of angst, alienation and the lower middle-class identity crisis.

It's that sense of desperately grappling for identity and success that energizes songs from "Publishing Rights" to "Asian Kids Have all the Best Moves." It's the anxiety that plagues the narrator of "Hipster Hoax." It could even be said that it's what drives the blissful escapism of "Chinese Ninja Warrior." But perhaps that's just me insinuating my own life experience into Shael's skillful narrative.

You see, while Songs from the Pit is first and foremost an undeniably pleasing musical journey, it also leaves itself open for subjective interpretation. If that's your thing. If not, then simply enjoy the album for its myriad of musical merits.

Either way, I feel confident you'll be amused (and intrigued) by what you hear.

"You can pretend that you're something you like. When you're poor and white."

Nerd News in Brief

Looks like the family and I will be taking a bit of a vacation next week. So if things get a little quiet on this end, there's no need to send a search party. I hope.

But since I'll be away from the keyboard for a few days, I'll try and crank out a couple posts' worth of geeky goodness before I leave. Y'know, to see you through the lean times. I've got an album review lined up that I think you'll find interesting, and of course there's this week's NNIB.

Why, here it comes now!

• I Claim Full Responsibility: Those of you who catch mc chris on his fall tour may be in for an additional surprise: I Fight Dragons! Yes, IFD has signed on to support mc this time out. Specific dates and venues are still forthcoming, but my excitement regarding this matchup is already here.
• A Single Bound: Speaking of I Fight Dragons, Shael Riley recently released a cover of their track "No One Likes Superman Anymore." You can procure this rare jewel here.
• The Progenitor: In other epic cover song news, Ketan did a rendition of YTCracker's "Meganerd" at an open mic night earlier this week. It occurs about 12 minutes before the end of this footage.
• Getting Caught in the Rain of Fire: Also this week, Glenn Case laid bare the simple truth that "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" and "Hotel California" are virtually identical. Peep game.
• Made Sweet Love to a Manatee: Weird Al's new track parodies the style of the White Stripes, has a video from political pranksters JibJab and is about Charles Nelson Riley. Odds are you know what at least one of those three things are.
• I Tilt on My Axis: funky49 is a champion of education. When he's not writing songs about museums, he's sending me links to other folks' songs about the Earth. A prime example is this cut from Flocabulary.
• None of Your Business: This week my boy Beefy gave us a little taste of his forthcoming release With Sprinkles. It's kind of a different sound for Beef, but I like it!
• Less Cliché Than Advertised: This week also saw a new drop from Ultraklystron. The Cliché Remix LP is, not surprisingly, a collection of remixes from The Fourth Estate and Opensource Lyricist. It is also, as Karl so eloquently put it, "super free."
• They Keep You Safe: With the release of The Protomen's Act II looming – it'll drop September 8th – those freedom fighters would like to remind you that the official release show will occur on Friday, September 25th at Mercy Lounge in Nashville. In the more immediate future, catch them at Knoxville's The Midtown on August 20th, Richmond's Plaza Bowl on the 21st and Baltimore's Ottobar on the 22nd for 64Bit Genocide.
• Having an Emo Day: UK geek rocker Dan Plus Add sent me some previews from his newest (unfinished) album earlier this week. The as-yet unnamed project seems far more focused on personal storytelling than his previous efforts, but fans of his folksy style will no doubt be pleased.
• Tourmates: Also from across the pond comes word of an "ad-hoc tour" featuring Superpowerless, BType, and Jaylyn Coffin. UK readers who might be able to pull together some last minute gigs for the trio over the coming 3 weeks are encouraged to holler at Oliver and company (LOLs)!
• Some Enchanted Evening: Harry and the Potters' semi-annual t-shirt sale is currently on like the proverbial neck bone. Now through August 15th, you can score a Potters shirt from the comfort of your own internetz. Also available is the band's career retrospective Priori Incantatem. Have you bought shit from a boy wizard today?
• They Own the Publishing Rights: Church (by way of his new love TechDirt) passes on news of Harvard's recent bought of trademark trolling. Shit! Looks like Harvard now owns the phrase "trademark trolling," and I think that means I owe them 20 bucks.
• The Tabletop Goes Digital: Also from Church comes this link to Pen, Paper & Pixel's "Tabletop Projection" project. It explains how to use a mounted digital projector to create amazingly adaptive maps for your gaming sessions.
• Make it Stop: Apparently everyone has fallen into the "geeks vs. nerds" trap. Even AllGov. They have a new piece about the recent Medicare row that references this imaginary battle. Via a Venn diagram. Ugh.
• You Say Tomato, I Also Say Tomato: And on the subject of everyone's new favorite buzzword, Church also directs your attention to new a "geek" article at Esquire. Then he quickly counters with a "nerd" piece from Ypulse. I think that fucker's playing both sides!
• And Now You Know: Dear Internet, Please buy me this t-shirt. It is graph-tastic.
• He's a Dick: Having trouble remembering the plot of the Star Trek remake? Jason of Geek Studies found this appropriate summation.
• Legendary: I'm obviously not stalking Felicia Day closely enough, as I'm only now getting into Atom's The Legend of Neil. It stars The Guild's Sandeep Parikh and features Day as a naughty fairy. Season 2 has just launched, so it's a good time for fellow noobs to come aboard.
• Not Tired of Them Yet: In yet another piece of post-Comic-Con coverage, MCs Lars and Frontalot talked to G4's The Feed about web comics. What? No love for Scary Go Round?
• A Thousand Words: I know I promised no more waxing philosophical about Nerdapalooza, but int eighty posted a pic that I think really captures the heart of the event. Boo-yah.
• For Your Perusal: I recently asked Shael Riley what the Uruk-hai read in waiting rooms. He was kind enough to break shit down for me.
• Lords on Acid: Closing out this week is a video for Shael and his band the Double Ice Backfire: a cover called "Chinese Ninja Warrior." It's from their new release Songs From the Pit. Enjoy the cryomancy. Also the rock.