The Return of the Swami

Gather 'round, kids, because Uncle Zed is gonna tell you a story. It probably won't seem relevant at first, but bear with me.

I grew up in a poor neighborhood, and by "poor" I mean blue collar and wholly unglamorous. Those of us who still had dads around noted early on that there was a definite pattern to their vocations. Most were mechanics or truckers or welders – they did dirty work, and that was reflected in our surroundings.

It was a neighborhood positively littered with scrapped cars, discarded tires and, most importantly to this tale, rusty, bone dry 55 gallon drums. I don't remember who the first kid was to decide to climb inside such a drum and roll it down the severe and muddy hill that separated the trailer parks, but it quickly became our preferred pastime.

The problem with kids, however, is that they are easily bored, and at some point this game became too simple on its own. At that time some industrious ragamuffin took it upon himself to add another wrinkle. You see, every once in a while, as you were building up speed and banging around inside that great metal cylinder, some asshole would toss a little surprise into the rolling drum. Sometimes it was a half-empty Coke can. Other times it was a rock. Hell, one poor fucker ended up making the trip down with a claw hammer riding shotgun. I think you get the idea.

I share with you this oddly protracted story from my white trash youth because I recently felt that same sense of exhilaration, adventure and dread for the first time in twenty-some-odd years. Thankfully, it wasn't because I was riding a rock-filled tetanus trap down a steep incline!

Instead I was listening to Lo Fi Muey Thai by DC rapper/producer Navi. He's a cat that I always make it a point to keep up with. Firstly, he's an old friend – we go all the way back to the early days of the online nerdcore community (when he was known as Myf). But most importantly it's because his work always manages to make me feel… well, cultured. I'm used to music that appeals to intelligence or humor, but his shit always feels wild, exotic and adventurous.

I've heard a lot of stuff from Navi – from OverClocked ReMixes to the heavily aggro nerdcore from his Metamystiks days – and I've always come away from his work feeling as though I'd experienced something just outside the bounds of accepted hip-hop. Fusing jazz, funk, punk, electro and the irregularly recurring motif of the distinctly Asian melody, Navi always manages to insulate his rhymes within this densely packed musical bubble.

On the subject of his rhymes, I must note that over the years I've come to think of him as less a rapper in the traditional sense and more a very distinct poet, albeit one with a distinctly urban feel. Nowhere is this more apparent than in his new release. Navi calls it a mixtape, but Lo Fi Muey Thai is as much an album as any other I've been asked to review in recent memory.

As he spits about everything from mad chefs ("Cookin' with Fire") to complicated women ("Bad Juju," "Bass Girl") to weed ("Lemme Know"), he sounds like equal parts Kurt Vonnegut, ee cummings, Method Man and Kool Keith.

Confused? You should be. From the eerie street grime of "Fess Up, Shooter" to the chippy DnB of "Right Back Up," Lo Fi Muey Thai is an almost overwhelming musical experience. Twenty tracks deep, it tackles brand new joints, Navi classics (yet another mix of "Snakecharmers") and it even tosses in some bootlegged beats (most obviously in his own take on Cee Lo's "Fuck You") for that proper mixtape aesthetic.

All kudos aside, this isn't an album for everybody. Some heads will surely complain that Navi's flow is too rooted in free verse and that his overall delivery is breathless and wheezy. Meanwhile, those who only dig distinctly nerdcore jams will likely be disappointed by a lack of easily relatable material. To the former I'd explain that Navi's wordy, gaspy flow is part of the package – it serves to heighten the very vivid, undeniably relentless attack that Lo Fi Muey Thai truly is. And to the latter I simply say buck the fuck up and try something different. While Navi may dig a little deeper these days than the arcade game beats of old, he still roots his storytelling heavily in the outsider's perspective. In short, he'll always be one of us.

Since I've already rattled on for nearly 800 words here, let me just conclude by saying please give Lo Fi Muey Thai a try. It's a free download, and I guarantee that it will provide you a listening experience like no other. Surely not all the songs will satisfy you, but the exhilarating, challenging, almost disorienting nature of this aural assault will certainly keep you in rapt anticipation.

Come along on Navi's wild ride, a journey that'll take you from the back alleys of the nation's capital to the littered streets of South Asia. It will boggle your mind, disorient your earholes and otherwise assail your senses. And you'll be all the better for it.

"Lemme beat 'til the cough drops / Lemme cough 'til the beat drops."

Kickstart My (Steam-Driven) Heart

MadHatter was a steel drivin' man.

Seems like everyone has a Kickstarter project going on these days – Shael Riley, Random and, most recently, Scrub Club's main man MadHatter.Hatter is looking to kick shit up a notch for his next solo album (the first since his widely lauded 2007 release 8Bit Bullshit), but he needs your help to make his dream a reality... or in this case an alternate reality! #badpun

The proposed concept album The John Henry Complex will blend the ever-popular steampunk aesthetic with hip-hop storytelling. It's a re-imagined tale of John Henry, the steel drivin' man of American folklore, as he fights against the crooked mechanical and entertainment industries as a true hero of the common folk.

MadHatter elaborates saying:

Set in a broken-down, surrogate America during 1894, the music is composed only using instruments available during this time period such as timpani, snare drums, violins, cellos, pipe organs, etc. with accents of industrial clangs, electricity, booms, rivets being struck by hammers, steam hisses, marching, and more. All of the themes deal with the industrial revolution of man versus machine, hard work, racism and slavery, mad science, new world communication, people's basic rights, corrupt governments, and evil corporations.

Featuring seven completely original songs as well as two timeline-perfect covers (Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and Louis Jordan's "Beans and Cornbread"), this album is executively composed by Pelicaine!einhander, one of the most unique producers in underground Hip Hop from Texas. It also features record scratching (or phonograph manipulation, if you will) by Dale Chase, a quick-rising Nerdcore star and amazing beatsmith from New York.

There will be a few major collaborations with fellow nerdy emcees as well as appropriately untranslated verses from a few international artists on the track "World's Faire."

Also, you should know that this release will be completely radio-friendly to appeal to a wider audience and be playable anytime, anywhere.

Concerning the presentation of this unique project, the goal of the Kickstarter fundraiser is to garner enough cash to press 12" vinyl in period-appropriate packaging "including jackets with custom etching-styled illustrations" by Scrub Club's in-house designer Mr. Spooky.

Of course it wouldn't be a Kickstarter project without contributor perks, and on this end the Scrubs really pull out all the stops. Rewards run the gamut from the typical digital album download and a copy of the physical release to extravagancies like a special guest verse on your own track (from MadHatter or Dale Chase) and a custom-made beat (compliments of Dale or Pelicaine!einhander).

Anyone interested in high-concept nerdcore or steampunk culture should definitely peep the full details. This sounds like a genuinely original album concept, and I truly hope it meets its funding goal. If you feel so lead, please do what you can to help fight the (stodgy, distinctly Victorian) power!

Welcoming Our Robot Overlords

I don't trust that smile!

Earlier this month I wrote a fairly lengthy post about the perceived importance – or lack thereof, depending on your individual slant – of netlabels. You never saw it, of course, because after re-reading this epistle it became apparent that I had added absolutely nothing to the debate.

My final conclusion, that a netlabel can provide valuable assets and collaborative input yet doesn't ensure artistic success, seemed… well, pretty goddamn obvious. So I scrapped the piece.

I can't imagine any fan reading this will mistake Pause or Scrub Club for Universal or Sony Music. Nor does any artist looking to leverage the kind of grassroots networking inherent in a netlabel confuse that subtle camaraderie for his "big break." In short, I think we all understand what netlabels are: a tool for digital musicians that, if employed properly, can provide minor artistic support and help with much-needed promotion.

I mention this because I recently received a press release from a brand new netlabel on the scene. This one, head by former MisterB and current B-Type Mr. Steve Brunton, operates under the unassuming name of Giggling Robot Records. Peep the presser below to see what they're all about:

Around two years ago now, I discussed the possibility of starting a record label with a friend of mine. We mused that in an age of rampant piracy, fatigue with the music industry, and a huge amount of quality acts releasing music for free that was on par, quality wise, with the mainstream, record labels were finding their roles in the musical society being marginalized.

However, one thing we agreed upon was that the vast majority of music fans have investigated the acts on a label, having heard and loved one.

Publicity is a valuable and difficult thing. We began coming up with a manifesto based around the concept of shared success. With tools like youtube, facebook, and twitter, matched with traditional means such as Album Notes and Word of Mouth, there is no reason that publicity for one act, or the label itself, cannot bleed through to the rest of the family.

As a record label, the most precious commodity we have are our artists. People have already made comment with regards to the sheer amount of acts we have signed in such a short amount of time. The reasoning behind this is powered by our focus on shared publicity. However, this was not an open call. Each act has been pondered, discussed, and even argued about by members of our team.

The label requires each member to be self sufficient when it comes to the music they make. While other labels are able to offer mixing and mastering, this is not something Giggling Robot Records can provide, due to the size of our roster, and monetary constraints. However, to turn a negative into a plus, this means that each and every artist that releases music under the Giggling Robot Records banner will have complete control over their music. The only control we retain is the option to refuse to release music that we do not feel reaches the artists potential. (Indeed, one of our first moves as a label was to create a strict and passionate Quality Control team.)

More information about GRR can be found on our currently under construction website, www.gigglingrobotrecords.com, as well as links to our acts, such as Whoremoans, DJ Roborob, JHSounds, MC Gigahertz, and Magitek.

The Giggling Robot Records team live, breath, and NEED this music. We hope to become a welcome community servant that will produce music to the highest quality, and do our part to help our associated acts reach their full potential.

Regards,

Steve B-Type Brunton

www.gigglingrobotrecords.com

And there you have it. Giggling Robot is a place that a number of established nerd music acts already call home, and we can only assume that it will prove to be a conduit for new talent as well.What it may lack in production resources it hopes to make up for with regard to individual artistic freedom.That's certainly a risky gambit, but an admirable move none the less.

Like most netlabels, it started with nothing more than an idea and a dream, and I, for one, can't wait to see what they bring to the table. Best of luck, lads – Now wow us, you magnificent metal bastards! :)

Funny is as Funny Does

The human brain is spectacularly adept at recognizing patterns. In fact, this innate human trait – the ability to construct silver strings of connection between otherwise disparate objects – is the very cornerstone of the Radio Free Hipster podcast.

When I hear a song my first instinct is to relate it to another, and to cross-reference that in my internal catalog. I then further build this rapidly-growing list by relating more tracks or artists with similar styles, tempos or thematic content. It's more than a little crazy, sure, but it's what I do.

Therefore I was anything but surprised when a pair of albums to recently fall into my possession became inextricably linked. What was a little unexpected was that the element that bound these two was little more than a firm focus on humor.

Insane Ian & the MusicIANs – The Last Arcade

Insane Ian isn't exactly the most well known act in the Funny Music community, but he's quickly become a personal favorite. Like a lot of his fellow Dementia musicians, Ian often constructs elaborate parody tracks (a la Weird Al), and it's a penchant that's served him well.

The Last Arcade, his latest full-length, relies on the hook-heavy nature of tracks lampooning everyone from The Beatles (opener "House") to the Black Eyed Peas ("Autotune") to catch the attention of the listener, but it's often his unique originals that prove most satisfying. Sure "Use Some Money" (a Kings of Leon take-off) and Barenaked Ladies-inspired "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" are perfect sarcastic-pop nuggets, but "Marry'd Life," Ian's own hilariously soulful meditation on modern coupling, shows an even higher level of artistry.

Still, both the parodies and the originals manage to happily co-exist on The Last Arcade. Old favorites like "DiG DuG" sound completely at home in close proximity to joints like "Our Love Song" – a selection that is, perhaps, the most brutally honest romantic ballad of all time.

But that's certainly not to say the album doesn't have issues. A few of the more punk rock numbers (specifically "Talk to Mr. Ed" and "24") overdo the stylistic trait of muddying up the mix, and a measure of the album's core tracks, those focused on the titular topic of games and gaming, fail to completely gel. "Achievement Unlocked" is an early selection that, while humorous, suffers because of a sloppy verse structure, and Super Smash Bros ode "MvL" reminds us that Ian's a better vocalist than rapper.

Speaking of Insane Ian's vocal stylings, The Last Arcade sees him pull off a solid performance throughout with some really nice harmonies scattered here and there. Though his timbre isn't always pitch-perfect his voice is warm, unique and instantly recognizable. More importantly, anything that Ian may lack in his singing is more than made up for by his writing, and even the tracks that flounder and flop (like "Superstitious") manage to work in abundant quotable lines.

The same can be said for the albums instrumental backing. From simple beats to sharp guitar work, Ian and his studio team do a great job of bringing these tunes to life. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the My Chemical Romance-inspired title track, which stands out as one of Ian's most ambitious efforts as well as one of his best.

All things considered, The Last Arcade is a competently performed and incredibly well written album. While not all the songs are total earworms, the vast majority should appeal to anyone with a healthy sense of humor and a love for smartass pop-rock.

Even if the FuMP scene isn't normally your thing, I urge you to at least give Insane Ian a try. He's obviously a cat who takes his music seriously, but isn't above being wonderfully weird for its own sake. It's hard for me not to support an artist like that.

Illbotz – Ringtones for Rotary Phones

While the aforementioned Insane Ian disc is brand-spanking new, Illbotz's Ringtones for Rotary Phones actually dropped way the hell back in 2007.And yet the album holds up well. Casting themselves firmly in the comedy rap vein, it kicks off with a legitimately amusing skit in which Stevie D receives a fax from Nas informing him that hip-hop is dead. The Illbotz solution? Buy a bread machine.

Yeah, it’s that kind of album.

From there the guys take us on a musical journey from distinctly old school hip-hop to contemporarily-colored radio rap – with brief detours into styles as contrasting as guitar pop, white-boy funk and pub rock. It succeeds in this odd musical experiment by relying on two unifying elements: well-metered verses and a wholly off-kilter sense of humor, both of which are firmly intertwined throughout some great songs and totally enjoyable interludes.

In the first musical track alone ("Clap Your Hands and Stuff"), rappers Stevie D and Big Perm manage to channel Sugarhill Gang, Glenn Quagmire and Zoolander into a proper comedy rap explosion. This continues through classically slanted hip-hop jams like "Gyeah" and "Doo Doo Def," both of which skew heavily toward the Biz Markie school of absurdist rhyming.

Hitting all the customary themes of the truly refined artist such as fucking ("The Opposite of Abstinence," "Naughty Party") and drinking ("Me and You and a PBR," "The Pub That Had No Gin"), Ringtones for Rotary Phones is genuinely fierce throughout its first half. Although, admittedly, throwing in an unexpected curve like "Here Comes the Predator," a Replacements parody about a certain 1987 sci-fi action flick, is an easy way to woo me as a reviewer.

Sadly, the album falters a bit around the half-way mark. "Transform" suffers from weak production and an inelegant beat, "Unclean Jellybean" seems far too repetitive, "Gettin' Cocaine for Papa Smurf" fails to live up to its epic title and "My Favorite Things" (a rap parody of the Sound of Music classic) is a far better idea on paper than on wax. Luckily the crew manages to right shit in the waning moments.

Their acoustic-backed tribute to the late Ol' Dirty Bastard is positively inspired, and the album's closing couplet remind us that Illbotz have more to offer than their distinctive humor. No sooner does the "Ghostface Got Fish" skit present Perm's outspoken opinion concerning backpack rap than Stevie seemingly defends the same underground aesthetic (over the Pet Shop Boys "Domino Dancing," if you can fuckin' believe it!)

Already I've begun to see Illbotz much in the same way I see Seattle duo Metaforce or art-rock-rappers Zombies! Organize!! – as a group that I probably enjoy far more than the rest of you. And that's okay. All I can do here is offer my own opinion, and in that opinion Ringtones for Rotary Phones is humorous rap at its finest. I can forgive a few bum tracks when paired with some top-shelf material, and anyone who's still willing and able to keep hip-hop loose, funny and patently disrespectful in the modern context of holier-than-though MCs is aces in my book.

Oh, and as a bonus, Ringtones for Rotary Phones also contains a hidden cover of The Outfield's "Your Love."

Yeah, it’s that kind of album.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 95: The Tribble with Troubles

You will likely notice that this episode features me startlingly sober. Yes, I admit it – I was totally not drunk during the recording of RFH 95.

But fear not, as even now I am finalizing plans for my own annual celebration of Drunken Podcasting Month. My friends Matt and Church will again be joining me for the festivities, and the finished product will be made available to you by month's end.

In the meantime, please enjoy the following musical Star Trekkery.

Yes, that's totally a word now.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 95: The Tribble with Troubles [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 46.7 MB Running Time: 51:01 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
These lads often go where no man has gone before. (That sounded way less nasty in my head.)

Track 1: YTCracker – "These Are the Voyages (feat. Hairetsu)"
Nerd King YTCracker is currently on a Space Mission. You are invited to come along.

Z's 1st interlude: "I don't really have anything to add to that save thank you and… holy shit!"
Yes, folks, you are now listening to an award winning podcast! Now I just need to rejigger the title graphic to reflect this. :)

Track 2: Jayenkai – "Pain (Extended Mix)"
An instrumental version of this track also serves as the background music for this ep.

Track 3: Nerf Herder – "Mr. Spock"
I can't really tell you which I like more – Parry Gripp's solo work or Nerf Herder. Let us just agree that both are awesome.

Track 4: Sci-Fried – "My Name Is Spock 2.0"
One of my favorite moments of Nerdapalooza 2010 was Sci-Fried's performance of this song.

Track 5: Family Guy dialog / Bloodhag – "James Blish"
At the top of my nerd rock wish list is another Bloodhag album.

Track 6: No Kill I – "Vaal"
You can't do a Star Trek podcast without NKI. It's the law!

Track 7: The Scofflaws – "William Shatner"
As suggested by Geek Studies' Jason.

Track 8: Family Guy dialog / Darkmateria – "The Picard Song"
I've been sitting on this audio clip for ages!

Z's 2nd interlude: "Please hit me up with some of your own picks. "
Feel free to let me know which excellent Star Trek jams I missed.

Track 9: Marc Gunn – "A Drop of Vulcan Blood"
From Marc's brand new release Kilted for Her Pleasure.

Track 10: William Shatner dialog / Warp 11 – "Belt Buckle Tractor Beam"
Did I use this Star Trek episode as an excuse to play one of the most offensive Warp 11 tracks? Maybe.

Track 11: Ookla the Mok – "Mr. W."
Am I the only one with any faith in Worf as a captain?!

Track 12: Klenginem – "SuvwI'pu' qan tu'lu'be'"
My Klingon is deplorable.

Z's final interlude: "A very special 5-year mission of its very own."
That mission? World domination!

Track 13: Lab Rat – "Star Trek Theme (Remix)"
It's always hard for me to work tracks this lengthy into the podcast, but it seemed like a perfect way to wind this episode down.

I have to offer some extra special thanks to resident Trekkie/er Church H. Tucker for helping out with the song selections for this ep. Though it proved a little hip-hop deficient, I think it came together quite nicely. I sincerely hope you feel the same.

As I stated earlier, the recording of the annual drunkcast is still being hammered – Hammered! Get it? – out at present, but I'll make it a point to get it to you in a timely manner. In the meantime, keep an ear open for incoming drunken revelry from many of my distinguished peers.

And remember – it's Drunken Podcasting Month all September long!

What's it Meme?

Yesterday the venerable MC Frontalot released a new single from his latest album Zero Day. The track in question is the self-explanatory "Spoiler Alert," but – while I would hate to call your attention away from the freely downloadable MP3 or the musings of the ever-discriminating Kotaku community regarding the video directed by "Mad" Max Isaacson – I can't help but focus on another track. This one is featured in a recently unearthed performance from last week's PAX Prime.

It begins with Frontalot and band (backed up by geek rockers Jonathan Coulton, Paul and Storm) performing Final Boss highlight "Diseases of Yore," but ends with new touring keyboardist Vic-20's passionately auto-tuned tribute to the Double Rainbow. And like its source material, it is so bright and so big.

Kyle of the Dead

Today Seattle geek rockers Kirby Krackle released another amazing video, this one for the track "Zombie Apocalypse" from their self-titled album. It's still a few weeks yet before I shift into full-on Halloween mode, but I wanted to go ahead and share this one.

Y'know, 'cause of the unmitigated awesome.

The project was animated by Damon O'Keefe and Daisy Church, formally of the Metalocalypse team, and, aside from the requisite zombie hijinks, contains a number of notable in-jokes. Keep an eye out early on for an obvious homage to Shaun of the Dead, and again shortly thereafter for a nod to Wright's Hot Fuzz.

Oh, and Black Lantern Jim is my new favorite Kirby Krackle member.

A Winner is… Me?!

 I'm not used to winning awards. Especially those based on merit!

In case you haven't realized, this Labor Day weekend plays host to two of the absolute biggest events in nerd culture. The first is Penny Arcade Expo, a relative newcomer to the con scene but already a genuine powerhouse, and the second, of course, is Atlanta's annual Dragon*Con. Due to vested interests in the goings-on of both, I had a hard time deciding which one to attend.

PAX, though located on the opposite side of the country, was set to feature special GeekDad panel, and editor Ken Denmead specifically invited me to take part. Meanwhile, my Radio Free Hipster podcast was again a finalist in this year's Parsec Awards at Dragon*Con.

A cursory look at my finances, however, made the choice quite clear – I really couldn't afford to go to either. So instead I stayed at home with the family and did my best to keep an eye on the internet for news from both.

I was elated to hear that GeekDad's showing was extremely well received. Though, truth be told, I knew the guys would do us all proud. But I was even more ecstatic when it was revealed that my show had actually won the Parsec for Best Speculative Fiction Music Podcast!

I don't really not what to say, save holy shit! The time for acceptance speeches has come and gone, so I'll be brief and simply thank the Parsec Awards' judges panel, all of you listeners who nominated RFH and especially the other finalists Wander Radio, Wandering Geek Podcast and last year's winner the mighty FuMP.

Much love to all, and, again, thank you!

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

"Don't you know there ain't no devil,there's just God when he's drunk."

I love cover songs. And, of course, the ultimate covers project has got to be the classic tribute album.

How the hell are these ramblings relevant? I'm so glad you asked!

Our friends from Game Music 4 All are assembling a tribute to cerebral troubadour Tom Waits. He's an artist with an amazingly eclectic back catalog and an army of talented fans, so I expect good things.

Though GM4A focuses heavily on chip music and VGM, word from Ant is that all contributors are welcome to submit potential tracks, regardless of style. Here's the straight poop from the message boards:

Tom Waits VG Inspired Tribute

this basically means, you can cover Tom Waits in any style you want, from chiptunes, to metal, to techno. whatever. The only thing is, you have to be a VG inspired musician. You do not have to stay within the bounds of VGM though to be part of this compilation.

There are tons of Tom Waits songs you can check out on youtube, or just contact me, I have a ton that I think would make great covers.

Anyone is free to join, but not every song will make the cut. The album is planned to only be 12-20 songs in length. Although if we have a ton of other amazing tracks, we will definitely release a part 2 after the first compilation is released.

To learn more about Tom Waits, you can check the
Tom Waits Library for his bio, and lyrics to all his songs.
You can also, of course, hear music from Tom Waits on places like youtube, pandora, last.fm and any other musical sites, or like I said, I can shoot you some of his extensive library as well.

I really believe that Tom Waits has more than enough material that everyone can find something they would enjoy rearranging.

Also, vocals are more than welcome on this album!

The roster is quickly filling out with top-shelf acts – Action Adventure World, Chiptots, Killsaly, Nagini and Random just to name a few – but there's still ample space for other interested parties. As more than a dozen songs will ultimately make the cut, I would like to encourage all Waits fans to give it a go.

So go pick your favorite gravel-throated classic and have fun with it. Though Tom himself does eschew such frivolity.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 94: Auto-Tune the N00bs

I'm always a little surprised when I go back and listen to a fully produced episode of Radio Free Hipster. Often I will discover that what I thought was a random hodge-podge of styles and artists actually has some unintentional cohesion.

This time around a few recurring motifs became apparent. The first, as the title implies, was auto-tuned vocals. The second, a heavy reliance on radio rock/pop sampling. And then there were the strange tertiary elements – a pair of references to wallhacks, for example.

I'd love to chalk this up to my own innate understanding of songs and songwriting, but mostly it's just good, old fashioned coincidence.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 94: Auto-Tune the N00bs [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 41.2 MB Running Time: 44:59

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
I sometimes wonder if my humble podcast is worthy of such a kickass theme song.

Track 1: Mighty Mike – "Imagine a Jump (John Lennon vs. Van Halen)"
There is absolutely no reason at all for this song to speak to me on such a purely emotional level. And yet it does.

Z's 1st interlude: "We kick pop music… right in its taint"
Which might be my new tagline.

Track 2: Positive Attitude – "Electric Saturday"
Occupying an odd space equidistant from nerdcore hip-hop and the Dementia Music of the FuMP is Ohio's Positive Attitude. If you happened to miss them at Nerdapalooza, be sure to peep their 2009 release The New Fresh. It will clue you in to their unique brand of madness.

Track 3: djDOYOU – "Let the Hash Pipe Rock (Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne vs. Weezer)"
You may recognize DOYOU from his wildly popular Disney music mash-ups.

Track 4: The Oceanic Six – "Will You Be My Constant"
My pal Matt turned me on to The Oceanic Six. They are one of the acts he likes to refer to as "post-Wrock."

Track 5: MC Frontalot – "First World Problem (Mustin Mix)"
You can never go wrong with a Mustin remix.

Track 6: Brewster's Millions dialog / Inverse Phase – "(Just What I) 2A03'ded"
Of all the things I mispronounced in this episode, I feel the worst about losing the first "d" in "2A03'ded."

Track 7: 04 - YTCracker & Hairetsu – "All I Do is Win"
YT's got a brand new solo album out. Be sure to cop that shit.

Z's 2nd interlude: "He made it just for me."
Big ups to Brux for the custom BGM!

Track 8: ProjektZero – "Dream Harder"
ProjektZero told me this weekend that he's wanted to have a song of his played on RFH since 2007. I reckon that's about the nicest thing anyone's ever said about this show.

Track 9: Shammers – "Keyboard Cat"
From Shammers' Shmix Tape, featuring Left Hand. Dig it.

Track 10: Anamanaguchi – "Densmore"
Go download the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game soundtrack. Now.

Track 11: ProtoDome – "NO (resub)"
If Scribblenauts' gameplay had been as tight as the music I wouldn't have to debate whether or not to buy the sequel.

Track 12: The Killaz – "Flauge Godz (ft. Ghetto Dice) (The Dirty sample Remix)"
Mutha-fuckin' flauge powers.

Z's final interlude: "There's been a lot of auto-tune in this episode."
Take that, Jay-Z!

Track 13: Tetrastar – "Rainbow in the Dark"
There have been a lot of excellent releases over the past few weeks, but Songs We Didn't Write has been in the heaviest of rotations on my end.

And so with the closing of another episode we creep ever closer to number 100. Now that I at least have a rough idea of that show's concept, I'm a bit more relaxed about this impending anniversary.

Still, before I get too excited about that, I have a lot more ground to cover.

September is Drunken Podcasting Month, so I'll be getting sloshed with Matt and Church, as is tradition. And October will see my annual Halloween Crap-Tacular. So feel free to point me toward your favorite ghoulish jams in anticipation of that.

Nerd News in Brief

Given the recent unfortunate developments in the nerdcore scene, it makes sense that certain events from other communities may have stayed off your radar due to the, y'know, pressing drama. However, before I delve into another edition of Nerd News in Brief, I'd like to pause to mark a genuinely unfortunate passing from within the stylistically adjacent Wizard Rock/Nerdfighter community.

Earlier this week, 16-year-old scene staple Esther Earl passed away due to cancer-related complications. In lieu of flowers, the family has instead requested memorials donations, including those made to a charity organization that bears her name. A fall tour featuring friends The Whomping Willows and Lauren Fairweather will also be collecting donations specifically to help her grieving family with the various related medical bills.

Just a little something to think about.

• Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Gitmo: On a (very slightly) happier Potter-related note, check out this list of primarily geek lit books popular among prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. Reading truly is fundamental.
• Defense Against the Dark Arts: A UK university is currently offering a course focused on the world of Harry Potter, with special emphasis on the societal implications of the work. But how long before you can major in Muggle Studies?
• Behold My Buying Power: Late last month my blogging brother Jason Tocci passed on a piece from Ad Week. It concerns consumers "embracing geekdom," and even goes so far as to innumerate geeky traits. Everybody wants a piece of that nerd dollar!
• We're Doing it Wrong: Shael Riley and my boy Church both recently unearthed this 7-year-old internet gem - The Five Geek Social Fallacies. My only complaint is these apply to non-geeks as well. GSF4, for example, has become my mother-in-law's veritable calling card.
• Bad Advice is Still Free: Shael also provided me with some helpful, if second-hand, advice from 4chan's Advice Dog. In song, no less.
• Dance, Clone, Dance!: From my old pal Larry comes news of the newly released "special edition" of Danny Choo's Tokyo Stormtrooper dance. Like all special editions, it comes complete with ridiculous CGI.
• Conspicuous Consumption: Also from Larry comes this handy list of geek/tech-inspired products. Because who doesn't need a Twitter-themed throw pillow?
• Tag and Release: The Nerdcore For Life documentary is finally available on DVD! Experience the highs and the lows of early Rhyme Torrents-era nerdcore hip-hop like never before. I mean, unless you were there to experience it the first time.
• Itty Bitty: Reader Jim hipped me to this amazing chiptune symphony, which he originally found via NPR. The single microchip mounted in the CD case literally "performs" the minimalist, electronic composition for you!
• KLLS PXLS DED: Other news on the chip music front concerns a fresh release from I KILL PXLS. His incredibly funky self-titled album is available via Bandcamp as a digital release for a mere $5, or with a limited edition t-shirt for $15. Give it a listen, and hit Marques with some money!
• Under Cover of Darkness: While you're Bandcamping, don't forget to check out the new Retrocovered album from Inverse Phase as well. I all but guarantee that it'll contain your new favorite instrumental chiptune cover of The Cars classic "Just What I Needed."
• Chip on His Shoulder: Antisoc was one of many readers to point me toward this homemade chiptune synthesizer. The "Chipophone" is truly a miracle of personal ingenuity. Not to mention a nice way to skirt the UK's new rules concerning homebrew game copiers. 
• Never Too Early: Those in adjoining localities to my own humble burg will want to know that Dual Core will be joining hometown heroes ThoughtCriminals at Charlotte's Milestone on September the 24th. That's a Friday, so please come out and get drunk with us!
• Back in Blue: Though not as innovative as some of their other video projects, Seattle's Kirby Krackle has released a minimalist sing-along video for their Mega Man-inspired track "On and On." Peep the hotness.
• Now They Really Do: And speaking of retro video game goodness, have you checked out the interactive flash game at the official I Fight Dragons web site? It's further (nerdy) proof that success hasn't changed 'em.
• Coder Girl: Another pointer from Church led me to this Tech Crunch article about Lady Java, an unholy blend of Lady GaGa and the Java programming language. It's… certainly something.
• Geek Couture: I have long joked that my friend Jarvis and I should start a blog called FashioNerd. If we ever did, this shit right here would be our first post.
• The Art Wants What it Wants: While the games as art debate still rages on, the Smithsonian has decided to throw its weight behind gamer culture. To that end a special "Art of Video Games" exhibit will run March 16 through September 30 of 2012.
• What the Fuck: By now everyone has likely experienced contemporary YouTube classic "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury." What you probably haven't seen is this. It's okay to laugh. Really.
• Join my Guild: Church also kicks in this Psychology Today piece on geek community. It actually contains some interesting observations concerning our tribe and its sacred rites (ie: Comic-Con.)
• You Can't Resist the Force: The Guardian weighs in on the fact that we, apparently, run Hollywood. Not sure how the recent Scott Pilgrim flop plays into this theory, though.
• Until it Sounded Like a Symphony: Oh, and we also run the orchestra pit. No, not really.
• Dare to be Stupid: Church's nerd ink round-up features some fine selections from Comic-Con, not to mention tattooed LEGO minifigs! Oh, and also this.That is some serious dedication to Weird Al.
• Tyler Durden: This last discovery from Church – a CNN post about potential nerd exploitation – could well go into our growing "geek chic" file. Although considering that it opens with references to D20s and The New Mutants, I'm sort of beginning to wonder if… maybe I wrote it?
• Soft Rocked by Him: For those who may have missed it, Big Think recently conducted a great interview with nerd rock troubadour Jonathon Coulton. It's in video form. With full frontal beard.
• See It, Believe It: Other videos of note include a live MC Frontalot/Wheatus collab, MC Sex's bawdy tribute to the classic NES and the age-old pastime of boning and a musical meditation on the girls of Comic-Con. (Yeah, I'm getting all those long-delayed post-Comic-Con news items out of the way here.)
• The Year 4153: In other YouTubery, I have been enjoying Rappy McRapperson's channel a lot of late. Don't get me wrong, I totally don't fucking understand Rappy a good bit of the time, but it still makes for some entertaining watchin'.
• Nerd Lust: Closing out this edition of NNIB is the oddly appealing "I Kissed a Nerd." It's the perfect companion piece to another recently discovered tribute to nerd love. Watch it in good health, and then lip-lock your dream dork.

The Drunkening

Wizard needs booze badly.

As August winds to a close, I can't help but think… well, I honestly can't help but think when will this ridiculous fucking heat abate, but that's not the purpose of this missive.

As in years gone by, the promise of autumn brings with it the promise of binge drinking. And the best kind of binge drinking is the kind that you record and then share via the internet.

I am talking, of course, about my annual Drunken Podcast Month event.

Now entering its third year, this celebration of inebriation takes place each September and challenges podcasters the world over to drink to excess whilst making with the fake internet radio. Like so many things, it exists without any good reason or proper motivation. We're not doing this to benefit charity or to cure some disease; we're just doing it to do it. (Although if you can somehow leverage your drunken podcast to eradicate cancer or feed hungry children, that would only serve to make it all the more awesome!)

The core elements or Drunken Podcasting Month are simple enough to identify. All you need is you and booze and a manner in which to record and disseminate a podcast. Not to step on the toes of my more mathematically inclined blogging brethren or anything, but you could even express these components via a simple equation:

you + booze + internet = win

Optional materials include things like friends, snacks and a bucket in which to vomit, but those aren't strictly necessary. It's really just you and the sauce and the power of your own slurred words. These are the things that make Drunken Podcasting Month so grand.

So please, next month, be you a fellow member of the Fraternal Order of Established Podcastery or merely a newcomer looking to add his (or her) voice to community, come and get drunk with us. You'll be glad you did. After the headache and crippling nausea subside.

101 Damnations

If my math is correct – which may or may not be the case – Radio Free Hipster will reach its landmark 100th episode this November. Strictly speaking, it won't be my 100th podcast, as there have been a number special shows that have thrown the actual count off, but it's the canonical number 100 and that shit's got to count for something.

I've been racking my brain trying to figure out a proper way to commemorate this event, and I think I've finally settled on a solution. The bad news is that it relies heavily on you.

What can I say? I am a lazy old man.

Essentially, what I'm asking for here is song requests. I do this regularly, but there's an added twist this time around. I want you to think back over the past five years' worth of episodes and point me toward your favorite tracks.

Did Radio Free Hipster help you discover a new artist or uncover a particularly tasty song? That's the kind of thing I'm looking for.

Best-case scenario: a dozen or so of you will each pick a jewel previously featured in the podcast and I'll use these to build a special fan-fueled retrospective episode. If you have anything else you'd like to add, you are also certainly encouraged to relay it to me through email or Google Voice. (Although I'll not hold my breath on that last part. I ain't no fuckin' Casey Kasem.)

As for the song requests, you can share those with me by commenting here, via Twitter or by using the aforementioned avenues of email/voicemail.

In closing, just let me thank you for listening. Without your kind attention I'm just some dude talking to himself. That's an early warning sign of schizophrenia, and I'm uninsured so, y'know, doubly bad.

Dream On

The Dirty Sample's Joshua’s Dreamixes

I am about to loose upon you, my friends, a secret of the deepest and darkest variety. You see, your old Uncle Zed sometimes listens to music that's – wait for it – not particularly nerdy.

I know, I know. This is like when you're a kid and you discover that your parents have a life outside of you and your siblings. You are obviously crushed, so I'll give you a moment to mourn and collect the pieces of your shattered preconceptions.

We good now? Good.

As a native of the rural American south, cultural ignorance is my birthright. Still, I have dedicated my life to at least attempting to rise above it. Part of this process involved discovering that things happen in places that are not here. "Here" in this case meaning both the States in general and my own little corner of America specifically.

However, I'll admit that it was the early 2000s before I discovered that Canada makes it's own unique brand of hip-hop. This was due in no small part to Swollen Members' Battleaxe b-sides compilation Monsters in the Closet. So when I was offered a chance by our friends at Hand'Solo Records to take a crack at prolific Canadian beatsmith The Dirty Sample's new Joshua's Dreamixes collection, which featured not only Moka Only but also the occasionally nerdcore-adjacent Jesse Dangerously and SJ the Wordburglar, I was more than happy to take a listen.

The album opens with the obligatory intro track. It's oddly surreal, so much so that it immediately reminded me of dub great Mad Professor. And while it didn't exactly grab me as a composition, it really does set the stage for the eclectic, trippy collection of tracks to follow. From there Dreamixes comes out swinging with a thickly layered, re-imagining of D-Sisive's moody (and originally guitar-heavy) "Brian Wilson," which, in turn, delicately decays into some more quality Canadian hip-hop in the form of Ok Cobra's "Fall Dumbass." It proves an early highlight pairing Cobra's fierce delivery with tinkling keys, but loses some inertia on the chorus wind-down.

Saskatoon-based MC Epic follows up with the odd "How Many (ft. Chadio)," a track that's greatly aided by the light-speed turntablism of The Phonograff. This unceremoniously shifts to "Yeah," an amazingly funky effort by Noah 23 that features the aforementioned Moka Only. It also boasts a sharp reggae cutaway that foreshadows some more light dub and dancehall elements yet to come. "None Missing" by Birdapres carries that same energy into an unexpected banger that's yet another undeniable masterpiece. Mindbender's "My Last Wish" concludes the album's first third with a spacey, almost spoken word-style jam atop a satisfying instrumental bedding.

The remix of "Many Many" by Eternia is so strong that makes me wonder how the fuck I managed to pass over the original on Hand'Solo's Hokey Religions & Ancient Weapons mixtape to begin with! It's quite possibly this collection's standout track, and it's an unlikely joint that manages to summarily remind me both of MC Lyte and 70s AM radio. This is followed by the bizarre "Anti-Cymbal Monkey Movement" by American duo Esh and CasUno, which has proven itself one of those cuts that I like more and more each time I hear it.

The Killaz "Flauge Godz" is another unholy musical union that falls equidistant between Dance Hall Crashers and Northern State. It's another highlight that features Ghetto Dice (not to be confused with Ghettosocks.) Then at the halfway point we make the jump across the Atlantic for another standout, the aggressive, airy yet slightly grimy "Hungry & Thirsty" by Smokey.

Royce Birth's "Back In Stereo" ensures that we won't be plagued by the dreaded mid-album slump with unbelievably swagger, a perfectly-layered beat and guest cuts by Peter Project. Cam with Wizzard's "Atrophy" is unusual and spacey, but it blends perfectly into The Dirty Sample's chosen backing. (Also I think it makes a couple of X-Men references, so, y'know, bonus points!)

There's sort of a strange transition to "Da da da da da da" by Manitoba's Royal-T, and, truth be told, the flow is so goddamn fast that you'll likely find yourself on the second chorus before you've had time to process what's going on. Still, it represents another fine flavor of hip-hop that easily sounds at home on Joshua's Dreamixes. Thankfully, we're given a chance to catch our breath with the smoothed out "Summertime Green" from Politic Live's Dirt Gritie. With sharp lyrics, plentiful hooks and another fine guest DJ, it also stands out among the album's best.

Touch's "Any Battle" plays a sharply metered flow off some equally sharp production – I love how the bulk of the beat pounds you from the left channel while the brass hits perfectly punctuate from the right – and Japanese MC ATOM's "Chai" manages to make heads bob even for those of us who don't speak the language. Then we head back to Toronto with Red Ants' "Seasons," an exquisitely aggressive anthem that hit me with the distinct aroma of punk rock even before I saw Modulok's ink.

"Tom Cruise" by Ira Lee begins the album's final descent with another slice of surreal lyricism and a plodding beat, and its follow-up is a totally key-heavy take on Jesse Dangerously's "The Prestidigitator" that kills the nigh iconic beat of the original but keeps its lusty spirit intact. Likewise, Dreamixes' last true musical track strips the spaghetti western spirit of Wordburglar's "The Route" in favor of a cleverly spliced together backing composed of heavy snare and warbling bass.

The album's "Outro" closes things out with Napoleon XIV, sirens and lots of reverb, and it serves to drive home to the listener what a completely fucked up experience this collection truly is. But I mean fucked up in a good way.

It's a bit hard to critique an album like Joshua's Dreamixes, as it simply tries to do so much. Still, once can't deny the fact that its producer, its source tracks and its numerous guests DJs all manage to deliver. Despite its dreamlike, almost experimental nature, it comes though as a tight and stunningly cohesive offering.

It's a fully international, wholly irrational collection that holds up well through rigorous, extended listening sessions (like my daily commute). Admittedly, a handful of the songs don't hold up so well when divorced from the album-proper, but the vast majority stand ably on their own even if they were obviously designed to be enjoyed as part of a whole.

Like an explosion in a record store Joshua's Dreamixes is the best kind of chaos. It combines vibrant, modern lyricism and solid production with a very classical, though at times challenging, ear for beats. Hip-hop heads (of the nerdy variety or otherwise) should be encouraged to seek it out, even those who, like me, may not be totally familiar with all of the original material presented. Likewise, those with a penchant for production-centered artistry like mash-ups will also likely feel right at home amongst the delicious sonic debris.

O Canada, you've done it again!

NBC64

Yesterday my pal int eighty, the tech-savvy rapper of international hip-hop duo Dual Core, was interviewed by his local NBC affiliate. To his credit, journalist Dan Edwards seemed only moderately perplexed by the fact that a white computer programmer from Ohio was also an internet rap sensation, and (especially considering how dreadfully most local human interest stories go around these parts) I think the piece itself was a fine showing both for Dual Core and for nerdy independent musicians in general. Check out eighty being all charming and modest below. Oh, and look for my "cameo" at the 35 second mark. ;)

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 93: Elegant Mess

This is another one of those shows that kind of came together on its own. That means, for the uninitiated, that I am now wholly mortified because it was just too easy.

Normally assembling a podcast is all about trial and error. It's kind of like Tetris; I have to find the right place to put each song so as to achieve proper cohesion.

But this time I just took my list of prospective tracks, split it in half and then started building all off-the-cuff and shit in one continuous action. So either A) the songs in this show fit together so effortlessly that you have no choice to enjoy the finished product or B) I totally fucked up.

Either way, please let me know what you think.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 93: Elegant Mess [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 47.8 MB Running Time: 52:13

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Ah, the noble theme song! 

Track 1: Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire – "Creep"
Shael and company released this track to celebrate reaching the first financial benchmark of their new Kickstarter campaign. Feel free to contribute if you haven't yet passed them some dough. 

Z's 1st interlude: "Being an independent musician is expensive hobby."
And I love each and every one of you, you poor, destitute bastards! 

Track 2: Illbotz – "It's Illbotic (Super Mario Remix)"
Illbotz's Big Perm proves a point: you can make a great rap name by simply adding the word "big" to any noun. 

Track 3: Insane Ian – "MvL (feat. Odd Austin and TV's Kyle)"
This track is the new single from Insane Ian and the MusicIAN's recently released The Last Arcade. It's one of my favorite Dementia Music releases of late. 

Track 4: King Pheenix – "Anarchitype Rush (feat. Thunderball and MadHatter)"
KPX straight killed it at Nerdapalooza! If you haven't already, peep his Hero vs. Villain album over at Scrub Club. 

Track 5: Disney Pulp Fiction dialog / Mega Ran Zero – "The Resistance"
The incongruity of a Mega Man Zero song and a comedic redub of Pulp Fiction is readily apparent. And yet I couldn't help but combine the two. 

Track 6: The White Licorice – "The Birds and the Beedrills"
For anyone who may've missed this when it made the rounds last week, the original YouTube vid can be found here. 

Track 7: Pokemon dialog / krhym3.574r.0n3 and Doc Awkward – "Pokemon PIMP"
As featured on Scrub Club's Noncents Vol. 11. 

Z's 2nd interlude: "Pokemon-themed debauchery."
I find the fact that there are two totally different songs that rely on the names of Pokemon as sexual innuendo to be both horrifying and delightful. 

Track 8: virt – "10th"
This take on the Doctor Who theme may prove to be your new favorite. 

Track 9: Glenn Case – "Here Comes Your Man (feat. Rachael Layne)"
Glenn's recently started extracting the audio from his continuing Acoustic Song a Day video project. He's passing the tracks on to me, and I, in turn, plan to play them for you. It's a pretty sweet little system we have worked out here. 

Track 10: Bazuuka Joe – "Keep Flyyin' (feat. Jod1)"
In case you missed it, I reviewed Joe's new Roll A Twenty release The Red Pill  last month. 

Track 11: Kabuto The Python – "Rap Loogies (feat. Fatty Goodness)"
A pocket-sized serving of musical awesome from Kabuto's Ill Ron Hubbard. 

Track 12: Dale Chase – "Mississippi Mud (feat. Billy Fee)"
I'll be including more info regarding Dale's new album Limit Break in a write-up later this month, but for the time being just consider this reason enough to download a copy of your own. 

Track 13: DJ TOPCAT – "Folsom Prison Gangstaz (Eazy-E vs. Johnny Cash)"
The best Johnny Cash mash-up since "Johnny Cash Rules Everything Around Me." 

Z's final interlude: "The energy in this show has been all over the place."
I think that's my favorite thing about this edition of RFH. It really is quite eclectic. 

Track 14: Lou Reed – "Walk on the Wild Side (Holtoug bootleg)"
Typically I restrict my included bootlegs to the oddly ironic or the inherently nerdy, but I think this one succeeds be just being an amazingly chill interpretation of a classic rock radio standard by Denmark's Holtoug.

I've been talking a lot about my upcoming 100th episode. More specifically, I've been stressing over what to do with it.

The good news is I think I've settled on a concept. The bad news is I'm gonna need your help. But I'll save that for another day.

For now, friends and neighbors, let us simply relax and ride out the waning summer. I think we deserve a dash of relaxation after all the nerdy work we've done in recent months.