Sci-Fi Superhero

I sometimes struggle with how to categorize artists. For example, while Kirby Krackle is straight-ahead nerd rock and Dethlehem plays fantasy metal, John Anealio is more a… guitar geek troubadour?

The words, sometimes they fail me.

John and I recently made some time to talk about his unique style and his own circuitous musical evolution. Further, amid all this, he also hit me with his official bio. It reads thusly:

John Anealio performs geeky anthems for writers, librarians, lovers of Sci-Fi, Best Buy customers & robots. His music sounds like John Mayer, Weezer & James Taylor playing Dungeons & Dragons together on their iPhones. Check out his music at www.johnanealio.com

I reckon that about sums him up. Read on to discover the hidden mysteries of hair metal and John's own secret identity!

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John, despite the acoustic singer-songwriter slant of much of your contemporary output, you actually come from a metal background. Was that the style of music that originally inspired you to create, or was it something you discovered after picking up the guitar?

Definitely. Being exposed to the playing of (hair) metal guitarists like Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Vito Bratta (White Lion) and Reb Beach (Winger) inspired me to play. I was determined to compose and perform those types of fleet fingered solos. Looking back, it's pretty easy to see the connection between metal guitar and geek culture. Thumb through an old guitar magazine from the '80s/early '90s and check out those photos. Those guitarists look like Sci-Fi Superheroes! Long hair, spandex and bright, multi-colored guitars that looked like laser rifles. Musically, the distorted, finger tapped solos sounded like the soundtrack from an '80s video game.

Stylistically, you seem to be drawing from a number of places, so what about lingering influences? Are you still steeped in hair metal? What about lighter fare?

I've always had a voracious musical appetite and I've always been curious about music history. I always wanted to find out who influenced the musicians that I admired. My favorite metal guitarists would usually cite Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin's Jimmy Page would talk about his love of the blues, folk and world music. If you have an inquisitive mind, it's pretty easy to get lost in all of these different styles of music and over the course of my musical life, I have.

Eventually, my love of metal led to instrumental guitarists like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, which led to prog rock. As I became more interested in singing and songwriting, I got into The Beatles and Crowded House. When I started playing the coffee shops, I started to explore folk and acoustic blues. All of these influences impact my creative process in some way. It often depends on my mood or what seems appropriate for a particular song or piece of music.

Your latest release, Laser Zombie Robot Love, has an fascinating title with an even more interesting story behind it. How did you arrive at this unique name?

I co-host The Functional Nerds Podcast. Each week we interview a different sci-fi or fantasy author. Through the podcast, my music and my attendance at conventions, I've gotten to be pretty good friends with quite a few of these folks. I didn't have a set title for the album yet, so I thought it would be fun if some of my author friends submitted title suggestions by looking at the artwork and the track list. I my Twitter/Facebook friends and people on my mailing list to vote for their favorite. Chris F. Holm, Mur Lafferty, Paul S. Kemp, Robert Jackson Bennett, Myke Cole, Matt Forbeck and Karin Lowachee came up with excellent titles, but Chuck Wendig's Laser Zombie Robot Love pulled out the victory.

Speaking of, what's coming down the pike for The Functional Nerds?

More of the same. The strength of what Patrick and I do is consistency. We put out a show every single week. Each week we interview a Sci-Fi or Fantasy author and chat about geeky topics and make music, tech and book picks of the week.

I know from Functional Nerds that you're also a voracious reader; what books or authors are you currently digging?

Well, I'm an enthusiastic reader, but I'm terribly slow, so I don't know if I can describe myself as voracious. Here's a list of my favorite books from the past year:

1. The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett
2. Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig
3. Dead Harvest by Chris F. Holm
4. Control Point by Myke Cole
5. The Hammer & The Blade by Paul S. Kemp
6. Empire State by Adam Christopher
7. Awakenings by Edward Lazellari

Okay, back to the new release front. LZRL boasts 11 of what I like to think of as "John Anealio classics" as well as 9 bonus remixes and alternate takes. Do you do all your own remixing, and what inspires your continued experimentation with the sounds of electronica?

I did all of the remixes for LZRL. I know a lot of traditional musicians look down on electronic music because it isn't "real" and you're not really playing. I love the "sound" of electronic music. I love how insanely creative some electronic musicians are with the development of their sounds. I also dig that a lot of this type of music can't be played on a traditional instrument. Those flurries of arpeggios and off-kilter rhythms just sound so cool and I like seeing how those sounds can combine with my traditional songwriting.

What's your recording setup like? How do you go about producing, mixing and mastering?

Here's my gear list:

1. Rode NT-3 and NT-1 Condenser Mics
2. M-Audio Firewire 410 Audio Interface
3. MacBook (5 years old)
4. Logic Pro 8 Software

I use the mics to record my voice and acoustic instruments. My electric guitars go directly into the audio interface and are then processed by Logic's amp modeling software and effects.

All of the piano, organ, synth and drum sounds are produced in Logic. I arrange, mix and master everything in Logic too.

In your day job you're a music educator; do your students know about your secret life as a geek rock super hero?

They don't! Anealio is actually my middle name, spelled phonetically. Years ago, I released music under my real name, and I started to get uncomfortable when students or parents would show up at gigs or tell me that they saw my website. When I started doing geeky and sci-fi inspired music, I decided to perform under a pen/stage name. It was a good decision. It really liberated me to write about whatever I felt like.

You recently mentioned to me that you're on the Ladies of Ragnarok bill with Molly Lewis and The Doubleclicks when they pass through New Jersey. What's the skinny on that show?

I'm really excited about this. I've had the pleasure of opening for Paul & Storm in Salt Lake City in Nerdtacular as well as Marian Call in NJ a while back. I've been online friends with The Doubleclicks for a few years now, so it just made sense for me to open for them when they come through New Jersey. This is a house concert show, with limited seating, so reserve your space now! Here's the info.

Any other gigs lined up for those who'd like to experience your live performance?

I just performed as the musical guest of honor at Fencon in Dallas, Texas, which was great fun. In addition to the Ladies of Ragnarok show in New Jersey, I'll be performing another house concert in Maryland on Saturday, October 20th. Looking to book some more concerts/cons for 2012.

So what's the rest of 2012 look like for you? Any new projects planned or holiday releases in the works?

I've got a pile of unrecorded songs that I need to get to this year. Even though my songs are fully arranged with electric guitar, bass, drums, synths etc. on record, live I perform them all with just one acoustic guitar. To sound fuller, I finger pick and use various alternate tunings. Quite a few people have been pointing out how they want to hear more of this on my albums. A friend at my recent show in Dallas went as far as to say that my live guitar playing is what makes me sound like "me." He suggested making the acoustic guitar the focus and using subtle electronics and samples to support the guitar playing. I'm really inspired by this idea and I think that is the approach that I'll be taking with my next batch of songs.

And finally, John, what single track from this new release (or any of your previous efforts) best represents what you're about musically? What's the one song that potential fans should check out to get a proper feel for who you are and what you do?

It has to be "George R.R. Martin Is Not Your Bitch." It's poppy and funny and gives a good feel for my melodic and harmonic sense. Has a prog-ish guitar solo and outro and bits of electronica.

Yeah, that's all you, man. That's definitely you.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 141: Uncle Zack's 24-Hour Drive-Through Apocalypse

On a purely artistic level, this is personal favorite podcast of mine. The song selections are superb, and I think there's a cool flow to the sets themselves.

For me personally? It's been a huge pain in the ass. Mic trouble led me to record my bits via iPhone, and with my nice headphones on the fritz mixing it was a bear. And now for some reason the bitrate/file size is coming out all funky. Ugh!

Still, I just hope you enjoy it despite its technical weirdness.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 141: Uncle Zack's 24-Hour Drive-Through Apocalypse [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 37.2 MB Running Time: 45:24 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
It's still the best damn theme I got!

Track 1: xaeroseven – Gravity Falls dialog / "Call Me Gangnam"
Yeah, totally unrelated Grunkle Stan clip there. Just because.

Z's 1st interlude: "Lo for I am the prophet."
Don’t exactly know what this is about either. Perhaps I am simply ackin' cray-cray.

Track 2: Polaris – "Waiting for October"
Just to be clear, I meant that my current mindset involves waiting for October. Not, y'know, that I'm presently obsessed with doomsday prophecies or anything.

Track 3: MC Frontalot – "Don't Wear Those Shoes"
Man, I lose and rediscover that Weird Al tribute with stunning regularity.

Track 4: Mike Phirman – "Indie"
Finally getting into Phirm's solo work. And with good reason.

Track 5: Wax Tailor – "Magic Numbers (feat. A.S.M. & Mattic)"
This one's for my brother, Larry. There's a Newhart joke in there somewhere, I just know it!

Track 6: Death*Star – "Your Mom"
Guys, I am so sorry for this. I mean, this track is foul, but I love it so fuckin' hard.

Track 7: Gravity Falls dialog / A plus D – "Close to Konichiwa Bitches"
This really seemed like the only song that could possibly follow that Death*Star track up.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Three quarters of Connecticut alterna-rockers Miracle Legion."
For the record: Pete and Pete was the best goddamn show ever.

Track 8: Soul Coughing – "Circles"
Another nice slice of 90s nerdery.

Track 9: Skyway Flyer – "In Circles"
Because circles!

Track 10: The OneUps – "Two Dragons, One Cup… of Funk"
Got a review of this whole release incoming. Short version: I heartily recommend it.

Track 11: Jesse Dangerously – "Aww Shucks"
Saw Jesse do this live in Charlotte. It reminded me how much I dig the number.

Z's final interlude: "The illusive Reba McEntire sex tape."
Yeah, I just included this to see how much country perv traffic it generates.

Track 12: MisCast – "Drive"
Pick up this one and "Name Is (Live)" right now over at Bandcamp. And thanks to Jay for the sweet hook-up!

So I'm going on vacation in late October. This means that I'll be recording both my annual Halloween Crap-tacular episodes back-to-back, and releasing them closer together than usual.

Assuming my podcasting rig holds up, of course. Curse you, fickle technology!

Mr. Popularity

If there's anything that can unseat Invisible Obama as cultural shorthand for just how fucked up things are in this turbulent election year it's Suddenly British Obama. This delightful cartoon president is the spokesman for Marc with a C's latest Indiegogo project, Popular Music.

Marc has done – and I say this with all love and respect to the man – some weird shit in the past, but this one takes the taco! Popular Music is literally an album designed by committee. Marc got in there, folks; he asked the questions. He polled the listening audience and did that market research, and that, in turn, helped dictate the slant of the album.

Now this is a horrible idea, precisely the brand of wonderfully horrible idea that I expect will lead to some of Marc's most interesting output yet.

Mr. with a C is also once again looking to the fans to help with the pressing of a small vinyl run, as well as some physical CDs for the good of those still tied to tangible media. (Poor bastards!) But unlike some projects I could allude to Marc has a definite timeline in place, and your financial support is really just pre-ordering the new hotness.

I mean, sure, there are some pretty crazy incentive items if you're really down to kick in serious dough, but even the lowest sponsorship level snags a digital version of the album. So head over to Indiegogo for the full skinny on how to cop Popular Music, a private Skype concert or maybe even Marc's own keyboard, and keep an eye out for regular updates that afford an even-expanding look behind the curtain.

YONO: You Only NOFRIENDS Once

I brought my field recorder to last weekend's final show of the NOFRIENDS TOUR 2012 in nearby Charlotte, NC. I also brought my iPhone steadicam mount to capture some live video. But I ended up leaving all that shit in the car. I decided, for the first time in a long while, instead to totally lose myself in the show. And I did.

Okay, well not immediately. I mean, first there was the requisite pre-gig dinner at Pinky's. (Sean owed me hush puppies!) And then we kicked around the Milestone's well-worn bar in part two of our ritual. Where I mostly pestered poor Jesse Dangerously – fishing for listening suggestions from the substantial number of Canadian hip-hoppers who are what you might called Backburner-adjacent and complaining about how wholly unprepared I am when approached with questions concerning things of greater global import than, say, music or video games.

The night kicked off in earnest with MC Stealth, a local rapper that I know better as "that chick that stands next to me at the Dual Core show." She brought the house to order with a blend of sultry swagger and geeky self-awareness that I wasn't quite prepared for. Up to this point I'd only really seen her do the odd guest verse with The ThoughtCriminals, and though the crowd was sparse this early in the night she played to the goddamn rafters.

Next up was Sulfur, a cat I often see perform as part of the aforementioned TCs, in a sharp but too-short solo set. In the absence of the rest of the crew, Sean's personal style – I like to describe it as that of the world's warmest and most fun-loving street corner prophet of doom – really came through, especially on joints like the atomic-powered "1945." Oh, and let me pause here to give a nod to Tribe One for pointing out that Sulfur has a spit that is rather reminiscent of another southern hip-hopper, Goodie Mob's Khujo. (Good ears, Niles!)

Sean's musical soulmate Mikal kHill (AKA: The Human Disaster) then did his thing, and I was once again reminded that, no matter how many times I see that same dude at that same venue, kHill always brings something a little different to each set. Like Sulfur, Mikal naturally comes through a little different in the absence of the funky chip-rock of his fellow ThoughtCriminals, and that dynamic naturally shifted yet again with a little on-stage assistance from his various tour-mates.

Halifax Rap Legend Jesse Dangerously took the stage in one of his very rare appearances this far south, and, as I said to the man himself after his set had concluded, it was exactly the performance I'd been waiting 5 years to experience. Jesse had mentioned going in that he planned to concentrate on newer material, but I was particularly impressed by how well his latest single, the haunting "Slept Through a Landslide," translated within what had been up to that point a predominantly aggressive musical event.

Tribe One, who served as Jesse's immobile monolith of a hype-man took point next, and, as I've been assured he did literally every other night of the tour, fuckin' killed it. From massive set-ender "Kaiju (CrushKillDestroy)" to the nigh Jesse D level of motormouthery in "The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z" (which hit hard on my Wired podcast earlier this week) to the goddamn-Niles-don't-make-me-cry-at-a-rap-show performance of "Different," Tribe delivered the goods.

A mowhawked Adam WarRock did the final solo set with a fairly eclectic selection from his vast back catalog. He came correct throughout despite late night time constraints, but "Waka Flocka Swanson," with its crazy audience call-back, was an easy highlight. I honestly expected the guys – especially Euge, who'd only recently returned from the road prior to embarking on this tour – to be a bit worn down at this show, but they were electric. I never should've doubted.

The final ThoughtCriminals set, which was really more of an everybody set, was a proper sendoff to a night of lyrical magic. I've come to the realization that there is simply never a time when I don't want to hear a live rendition of "Earthbound," though I can't imagine that puts me in the minority. I'll stop short of saying this was a perfect show, mind you, because the Milestone is no place for perfect shows; it's more a place for loose experimentation and seat-of-your-pants set lists. In short, it's the perfect place for this motley crew of musical miscreants.

The 'Stone is a live venue in the truest of fashions. It's a place brimming with history that only seems to take on more relevance as it expands its scope into an ever-branching series of distinct musical tributaries. The audience and the performers are separated by mere inches, and that sort of intimacy feeds directly into the brand of hip-hop community-building that NOFRIENDS is all about. Okay, it doesn't hurt that Sulfur and kHill quite literally grew up on that stage, but regardless it speaks volumes about both the often ignored strengths of the Queen City as a live music destination and the pure artistry of its local talent and their vast network of allies.

Maybe I didn't get to hear "Gravity Falls" or "Out of Gas," but I did get a night of unbelievable performances from friends fam old and new.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 140: Back Bacon Cheeseburger

There is some serious Canada up in this episode. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Overall it's just a hodge-podge of what I've been listening to recently. I reckon you might be digging on the same, but hopefully there are enough differences to spice shit up.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 140: Back Bacon Cheeseburger [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 66.5 MB Running Time: 49:59 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
What can I say? This is quite literally my jam.

Track 1: Wordburglar – "Pre-Show Routine" / "Croque Monsieur"
Probably the best intro skit ever.

Z's 1st interlude: "So that shit is… multiplied"
I can do maths.

Track 2: Dr. Awkward – "Different"
Doc dropped this one last week on his birthday.

Track 3: mc chris – "Older Crowd"
Don't know if mc hijacked these beats himself, but the production work on this track is excellent.

Track 4: pomDeter – "Finally Small Things"
I'm still not sure how this one ended up in my collection, but I'm glad it did.

Track 5: Helen Arney – "Last First Date"
At some point this turned into a set about fucked up relationships.

Track 6: Jimmy Klok – "My Name Is Wopbabaluba"
Case in point. #rihanna

Track 7: Producer Snafu – "Oh My Glob"
Yeah, this one would've gotten in the show based on the title alone, but lucky for you it's a kickass song.

Z's 2nd interlude: "A really nice piece of chip-step."
Which may or may not be an actual thing.

Track 8: Dethlehem – "Valley of the Blades" / Ghostbusters dialog
I hope you havent tired of hearing Dethlehem, because I have yet to tire of playing them!

Track 9: Optimus Rhyme – "Ping Pong Song (Remix)"
A repeat from episode 23.

Track 10: Dual Core – "Go Figure (feat. More Or Les, Ghettosocks and Timbuktu)"
Buy All the Things. Just do.

Track 11: Illbotz – "Throw Me an Eggroll"
I kinda can't believe this one hasn't been played before.

Z's final interlude: "On my way to Charlotte."
Tonight it's NOFRIENDS, ONLYFAM.

Track 12: Tribe One – "Nerd Cred"
"Autobiographical sci-fi/fantasy."

Only one more show until my annual two-part Halloween crap-tacular, so get them requests in now while you can. Not sure if the late-September ep. will be themed or not, but I'm more than happy to throw in whatever you wanna hear.

I'm really hoping to catch at least a few of you tonight at the World Famous Milestone in Charlotte. It's kinda my favorite dive.

I'm catching up with some old homies and, with a little luck, making some new ones. And I'll be thrilled to rock out with you regardless of which of these categories you fall into.

You Really Like Me!

While I will spare you a full-on Ric Flair-style epistle, I do ask that you bear with me for what I swear will be an isolated instance of flagrant self-congratulatory wankery BECAUSE I WON A SECOND GODDAMN PARSEC AWARD!

I'm not sure what it means that I now have two of these things – likely that there is simply a dearth of geeky music podcasts out there – but I am honored and pleased and still more than a little stunned by this development. The competition this year was particularly stiff, so I have to give a special nod to my brothers Joe and Marc, and of course I wanna thank all those that nominated RFH as well as Parsec Committee itself.

But mostly I want to thank my obsessive-compulsive disorder; I will sleep well knowing that this added bit of symmetry on my mantle will prevent the world from spiraling into utter chaos, and that's all because of you, old friend.

The Emerald Empire Strikes Back

With another PAX now come and gone, it seems like as good a time as any to take a look back at some releases from a handful of Seattle's finest. Sea-Town really is nerdcore central, giving us first generation standouts Optimus Rhyme, and later cementing itself in the second-gen geeky hip-hop boom thanks to none other than Karl "Ultraklystron" Olson.

Karl's never been one to shy away from lengthy releases – the fact that he's his own producer means he has no shortage of beats – but the deluxe edition of his early-2012 full-length Animatic took this concept to the extreme. While the "basic" version of the release encompasses a healthy 22-song offering for the very low price of free, the expanded Bandcamp release nearly doubles it. At 38 tracks, the full Animatic makes for formidable review fodder, but even after months of procrastinating I still can't bring myself to do a song-by-song breakdown. Instead I will focus on what the album does right and where it falters with specific attention focused on that core offering.

Opening with the short and catchy "Thesis Statement," Animatic gets off to a sing-songy start. The hook isn't Karl strongest, but the breathless verse delivery speaks to an artist who has certainly changed since the early days of Revision and OSL. It plays well into joints like "OH NO GO GO" and "Tap That Deck," which feature his trademark super nerdy lyricism and lush production with the added benefit of some clever Weezy-style hashtag rhyming. But the release stammers a bit at "Con Rave Two Step" – a song that sees him fall into the old trap of lost syllables and a typewriter flow.

"Bromance Dance" fares better thanks to some added flavor provided by Klopfenpop, but the chorus is a little much even for a song that's obviously played for laughs. "Work It Baby," by contrast, brings us back to a more refined take on classic 'Klystron, all fun and bouncy. "These Days" slows it down, but comes through a bit too heavy-handed to be truly somber. "Non-Contact" misses the mark as well due to a flawed flow (though I do give the man credit for that MacBook Air line), and "In the Lab" suffers simply because of the inclusion of a far superior remix in the supplementary material.

"Saturday," hits hard with some very creative production, but the combination of one man call-and-response and crawling delivery keep it from fulfilling its potential. Backed up by Random, the mournful "City" finally breaks back through, as does the haunting, industrial-tinged "Impossible," which stands out as likely the best example of where Ultraklystron is now as a writer, a rapper and a producer.

"Advice Animal" with Beefy again goes for the weird rather than the resonant and sets up nicely for the brilliantly funky "Fujoshi" and Rai throwback "3 Dollar Jeans." The growly aesthetic Karl's been striving for finally hits in "Game on My Back," which works well against the almost experimental "Unexpected" – yet another joint that shows a more lyrically adept Ultraklystron. "Magic Tricks" slips a bit but still manages to satisfy, and "Lifecycle" sets up the end of the album-proper with an oddly infectious anthem of green living.

"Katawa Tribute" is lyrically simplistic but still tons of fun, and "Minor Internet Celebrity" shines with backup from Death*Star. Closer "Broadcast" does a nice job of encapsulating the split nature of the release – it combines refinement and sloppiness in equal measure – and serves as gateway for 16 bonus remixes, that, as I mentioned previously, sometime manage to best their original iterations.

This is all to say that Animatic is not Ultraklystron's best release, and that's a damn shame because it truly could have been. Tracks like "Tap That Deck" (in various incarnations), "City" and "Impossible" reveal a Karl Olson that's truly leveled up his rap game, but any number of other selections play as noticeably less inspired. I'll caution, however, that this certainly shouldn’t give you cause to dismiss the album outright. Cop the free version to experience some exciting new flavor from your otaku rap hero, and, after that's been digested, decide for yourself whether or not all the bonus remixes warrant a purchase.

Personally, I would've preferred a more concise and cohesive final product, but you have to hand it to Ultraklystron for the sheer tenacity of this collection; it keeps going and going long after lesser rapper/producers would've run out of steam. This ensures that even if you don't exactly dig the current track you can be sure you'll unearth a real gem the deeper you explore.

While most can agree that Karl's lyrics linger on anime allegory and personal experience, his hometown homeboys of Death*Star tend to dwell firmly in the realms of gaming, sci-fi and (cleverly raunchy) sex rhymes. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Debut full-length The Fandom Menace established them as Seattle scene staples, and their uncanny stage chemistry made them the talk of the town's nerdier heads. A New Dope, perhaps unsurprisingly, plays both these elements for bigger laughs and bolder statements.

From C0splay's amazingly bizarre turn on the intro bit Dope refuses to let up… mostly. "Broken Robots" puts Kirby Krackle's Kyle in the mix with C0s, 3P and Bill Beats amid one of the crew's biggest-sounding songs to date, and "Milk Money" massages a slice of classic rock into a hip-hop banger that blends a pair of admittedly nontraditional voices with some iconic swatches of classic rap.

"Any Girl" is an early standout that cements the guys' reputation for skewed musical meditations on romantic entanglement, but the follow-up skit sort of falls flat – killing the inertia that should've powered it into the rock-solid game rhymes of "Social Apothecary." The hits keep coming with the immediately satisfying "Respiration Inhale," which somewhat channels the spirit of fellow Emerald City denizens Southside, its old school second half "Respiration Exhale" and the absolutely glowing "Fifty Dollar Word, Y'all."

Sadly, a mid-album skit again drains the musical energy. Still, the guys bring it back with "Your Mom" – a song that's just horribly, dreadfully offensive in theme and content, but so ridiculously catchy that it can't help but stand as one of the best sex jams in dorky hip-hop history. "Mashiara" is weirdly uneven and doesn't exactly live up to its predecessor, but let's be honest; how could it?

The "Studio Session" skit is another piece of relative filler, and "Sixteen Tons" doesn't shine quite as brightly as many of the album's other selections. "Robot Dance Party Revolution," on the other hand, plays with the Death*Star recipe in a track that's admirable if not always engaging. "As Is" kicks the hook from "Hard to Handle" into an oddly honest piece of nerdy hip-hop, and the second "Studio Sessions" skit is as bit *ahem* easier to handle.

The "Villain of the Day" sequel with Klopf honestly fares even better than the original on some levels thanks to a really sharp beat from Bill, and "The Devils You Know" again monkeys with the Death*Star aesthetic for an unexpected 11th hour triumph. And the album's intentionally ridiculous bonus track? It's… intentionally ridiculous, but also ultimately an unnecessary throwback that tries to recapture the hilarious profanity of "Your Mom" only to fall short. #dickjoke

All things considered, A New Dope is the Death*Star album we wanted and, let's face it, the one we deserved. The trio still represents what's great about the oddly eclectic hip-hop scene of the Pacific Northwest, blending classic rap elements with a punk rock attitude and an ample dose of distinctly modern nerdery.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 139: Kneesles

Full disclosure: The title of this episode comes from a very old, very bad joke. I just wanted to get that out of the way up front.

This show is a weird blend of brand new material and older cuts I felt like revisiting. The most obvious example of the latter is the YTCracker track, which I sort of have to include because of the relevant Sheriff Blubs sample.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 139: Kneesles [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 55.4 MB Running Time: 41:39 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
It's a song about me. And you can't take that away.

Track 1: Supercommuter – "I Like It! (ft. MC Frontalot, Beefy) [DMG remix]"
"I like it cybernetic, I like it engineered / I like it at the party when everybody's weird."

Z's first interlude: "This little slice of plagiarism."
I dunno, I mean I did cite Beefy.

Track 2: Kirby Krackle – "Booty Do Math (feat. Adam WarRock) [Live]"
Such an amazing performance of this joint!

Track 3: Sean NH – "Betiking Poputok (Rarity vs. Ke$ha)"
Feels like I've been neglecting the brony listeners lately, so here's a mash-up.

Track 4: MC Lars – "Annabel Lee R.I.P"
Extra points for Tegan and Sara.

Track 5: Flip-Flop – "Sanctuary"
This Micro Techno collection is pretty damn tight. You should check it out.

Track 6: Shinobi Ninja – "Ill Ish"
That sample is from Don't Be a Menace, right?

Z's 2nd interlude: "A delightful combination of space travel, illicit drug use and Gravity Falls dialog."
That about covers it.

Track 7: Lenich – "Opening Theme (8 bit)" / Gravity Falls dialog
This cover made the rounds a week or two ago, but on the off chance you missed it here it is.

Track 8: YTCracker – "Take a Knee" / Gravity Falls dialog
As heard on episode 102.

Track 9: Spamtec and Hairetsu – "Isaac Kneeton"
Isaac Kneeton is my new go-to username.

Track 10: Kool Keith – "Livin' Astro"
I thought I'd played this one on the show before too. Turns out not so much.

Track 11: Andrew Allen – "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
Much respect to the SalesGeek for pointing me toward this album! Somehow I missed the original project pitch.

Z's final interlude: "That periodical of our collective childhood."
Okay, that's kind of a lie. I didn't actually subscribe to NP until I was in my 30s.

Track 12: Mega Ran – "Nintendo Power"
A nice new freebie from Random. I'm sad to see the mag go, but such is the way of the world.

I reckon as this episode posts most of y'all are either en route to or maybe even already at PAX or Dragon Con. Whichever you're attending, please wander around the show floor listening to this podcast – even if it's just for a minute.

That way it'll sort of be like I'm there too!

Are You Avoiding Me?

It's cold and rainy and I feel weird and I just ate some sort of frozen mesquite chicken thing that I think may have already gone off. So yeah, y'know, mid-week blues.

Thankfully there's a new music video from my faovirite geek rockers Kirby Krackle. It's a slice of pixelated perfection by Betsy Lee; a handsome visual accompaniment to their video game love song "In Another Castle."

Hack All the Booze, Drink All the Things

Getting to have an impromptu Next Level listening party with int eighty, my best friend Josh and, well, as many people as we could crowd around the truck after 2009's Southeast Linux Fest was, hands down, one of my favorite social music experiences. Outside of live shows, I sometimes think we forget how powerful the act of shared listening can be, and that makes the following announcement all the more exciting.

Tonight at 9:00 PM PST, Dual Core will be hosting a livestreamed reveal of their latest, All the Things, which will be released Tuesday. Head over to their official site to get in on the action, and be sure to fire up that long-neglected G+ account to chat live with the guys and your fellow fans via Google Hangout.

It's an internet party with the reigning kings of hacker hip-hop, and you're all invited!

Clap if You Believe

The last few days have been positively fraught with… Well, I don't want to say tragedy. Grievous inconvenience, maybe? Total pains in the ass?

Yeah, that'll do.

The last few days have been positively fraught with total pains in the ass for my music-making allies. First, Death*Star, who had a pretty sweet PAX weekend show lined up in their native Seattle, fell victim to last minute sponsorship complications. And then my brother Adam WarRock and his travelling companion lost their MacBooks in a wholly unexpected automobile break-in.

Of course, being the resourceful lads that they are, both camps have elected to approach their problems in unique and proactive ways. But, much like Tinker Bell, they could still use a little assistance from the audience.

Death*Star have elected to soldier on with the show their-own-bad-selves, haters be damned! If you're gonna be attending this year's Penny Arcade Expo and would like to party with C3, C0s, Bill Beats, Klopfenpop and Mega Ran – and trust me, you do – it would be positively decent of you to pre-order a ticket or three to their El Corazon gig slated for the night of Saturday, September 1st.

Meanwhile, Euge is planning an even more ambitious solution to his own woes. This Friday he will be conducting a 24-Hour Rap-A-Thon. He'll spend a full day writing, recording and producing original material – as much as he possibly can without forethought, preparation or sleep. All he asks in exchange for this hip-hop Iron Man competition is a little donation money. You can contribute a lump sum or pledge a dollar amount per completed track. After the Rap-A-Thon has concluded, Adam will send a signed burned copy of the results (and some other swag) to all his sponsors.

His friend K will be blogging and live-tweeting the whole event for your entertainment, and, should they surpass the $2,000 needed to replace the laptops, any additional monies will be donated to RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.

So there you have it folks. Please help those who help themselves.

Are You Listening?

I won't be so presumptuous as to say I'm a part of the NOFRIENDS clique, but I will admit that there ain't a lot of secrets – musically-speaking, at least – between me and the ThoughtCriminals crew. kHill, for example, let slip a while ago that he and his tourmates were working on a special release wherein they rap over each other's beats. Still, I didn't actually get to hear any of the FUN RAZOR mix until late last week, and… well damn!

Though only a dozen tracks long, this collection is massive in scope. With Adam rapping about digital disconnect, Mikal bringing a heaping helping of southern braggadocio and Jesse D tackling gender identity, it's really all over the place – more so, even, than these already noticeably broad artists are independently. What I'm saying is, despite your tastes, this one warrants your attention.

If the crew can sell just over 200 copies at 10 bones a pop they can totally finance their NOFRIENDS 2012 tour. So give it a listen, and definitely snag a copy if you're feeling it. Which I'm willing to bet you will.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 138: The Newsroomate

I'm no kinda newshawk, but being online all the damn time goes a long way to keep me abreast of current events. Well, I mean, my version of current events.

And that's what this episode is all about.

Much thanks and respect goes out to my friends Dave and Tim for giving me the idea for this one, and for helping me build it into a proper episode. Because your homies are there to do the heavy lifting when inspiration itself fails to materialize.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 138: The Newsroomate [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 64.6 MB Running Time: 41:52 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
These cats are never old news.

Track 1: Illbotz – "Chick-Fil-A"
I honestly wonder if Stevie D is gonna do a rewrite of this one in light of Dan Cathy's recent statements.

Z's 1st interlude: "Something a little closer to home."
I was a little surprised no one requested "MC Chipmunk" last episode.

Track 2: Optimus Rhyme – "MC Chipmunk"
Whether you agree with the lyrical sentiment or not, you gotta admire the gorgeous noise made by rhythm section Stumblebee and grimROCK on this joint!

Track 3: The Doubleclicks – "In His Honor (Don't Be a Dick)"
Another amazing selection by my two favorite ladies from that blessed intersection of filk and geek rock.

Track 4: Dj RoboRob – "Ressurrection (feat. Doc Awkward)"
As I mentioned, RoboRob was recently welcomed into the Scrub Club fold.

Track 5: Sci-Fried and Warp 11 – "A Good Day to Die"
This track is the musical equivalent of From  Dusk till Dawn; halfway through it totally switches shit up.

Track 6: r_garcia – "The Maestro"
I was really honored to have this guy on my new comp, and this song still totally blows me away.

Track 7: DJ Earworm – "Mama"
I actually missed the Olympics' opening ceremony. And pretty much the rest of the Olympics too.

Z's 2nd interlude: "Is that wrong?"
I actively try not to shamelessly self-promote, but Nerd Up the 90s was such a great experience for me and it featured so many amazing songs that I kinda have trouble not crowing about it.

Track 8: Fiction – "Lay My Love"
There is never a time when I don't want to be listening to this cover.

Track 9: Uncle Monsterface – "This is (STILL) an Adventure"
I've been anxiously awaiting the sound of the new Uncle Monsterface for a while now. It's quite different, but it does not disappoint.

Track 10: Childish Gambino – "One Up (feat. Steve G. Lover)"
I dig the hell out of this song, but the leveling is abysmal.

Track 11: The Hood Internet – "Nuthin' But a Journal Thang (Dr. Dre vs. Class Actress)"
Seriously, y'all; the hell is this?!

Z's final interlude: "The fragile state of the world we live in."
There's nothing like an election year to make you lose your faith on humanity.

Track 12: Sweatshop Union – "John Lennon"
I feel as though I owe a debt to Ryan Singel. Because I really wanted to play this song.

Earlier this week a friend who's been going through a bit of a rough patch hit me up to tell me how much the podcast had helped lift his spirits in these troubled times.

I don't even have a fuckin' snarky comment to go along with that, as it's pretty much the best compliment I've ever received.

So let me just end by wishing good fortune, good music and nerd love to all.

New Musics for Your Monday

It's another sunshiny Monday afternoon, and I am stuck at my desk answering (predominantly misdirected) help calls and choking down another lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and carrot sticks. In short, I need a musical distraction, and I reckon you do too.

My current playlist is a two-pronged attack on workplace boredom, and the opening salvo comes from my boy Jesse Dangerously. Recently he reworked a slice of breezy indie rock from Canadian singer-songwriter Krista Muir as the surreal and dirge-like slice of hip-hop introspection dubbed "Slept Through a Landslide" with Noah23. You can cop the single, as well as isolated instrumental/cappella versions and Muir's original track "Tired Angels," via Bandcamp. It's a pay-what-you-want release, but maybe you can slip Jesse a little coin so he and I can hit up Cook Out for some shakes when he passes through Charlotte next month.

On the lighter side, Supercommuter is back with "I Like It" featuring Beefy, MC Frontalot, Itty Bitty Bot and Square Wail. It's a chip-hop banger about personal preference that is, much like Wu-Tang, for the children. This one's also available through Bandcamp, and it comes packaged with its own special Stenobot DMG remix. Again, it's available for free, but maybe you can kick in a little scratch. Because I have it on good authority that Wheelie Cyberman likes food.

Nerd Up the 90s

Cover image by @wesleykhall 

I typically describe Twitter as "where the internet goes to try too hard," though maybe that’s just my experience. I use the service constantly, and most days it’s me and my friends (both far and near) simply trying to shock, amaze and/or enlighten each other in 140 characters or less.

But it’s also the place where weird ideas take flight.

You see, I didn't actually plan to do this compilation. It was just a passing thought, a half-hearted concept I put out there without really thinking about it. As is the case with so many things in life, I blame Mick Jones.

Stuck in traffic one morning, B.A.D. II’s "The Globe" came on in shuffle play. With nothing to do but drink coffee and think while frozen in gridlock, I started ruminating on the sound(s) of the 1990s. I thought about that strange decade in which I came of age, and, moreover, my 90s listening experience – the music that shaped me during those formative years.

So I posted something, and some other people responded back. And before I knew it, Nerd Up the 90s had become a thing.

I guess I had some vague notions about what a collection of 90s-era covers by some of my favorite geeky artists would be, what it would sound like. Oddly enough the finished product is totally different than I imagined. It is, like the decade that inspired it, quirky, eclectic and artistically enlightened in spite of itself.

You won’t hear any Pearl Jam, but Miscast grunges up The Cardigans. There’s no Arrested Development, but r_garcia slays a Beasties classic. Without fail the acts that approached me to contribute and the source material they drew from surprised as much as they delighted. And in the end I realized that my 1990s really were the same as everyone else’s: incredibly strange and positively fraught with the unexpected.

Please check out Nerd Up the 90s – 11 songs by my extended internet family, one truly inspired piece of cover art by new homie Wesley Hall and a some liner notes from little old me – below. Hopefully you’ll find brand new takes on some of your old favorites, or, better yet, a newfound appreciation for some long-forgotten earworms.

Download Nerd Up the 90s RAR 
Download Nerd Up the 90s ZIP

Featuring the talents of:
Marc with a C – "Turn it On"
Untested Methods – "Hey Man, Nice Shot (feat. illuminerdi)"
r_garcia – "The Maestro"
Brux Callison and The Entangled Photons – "I Robot Touch My Robot Self"
Fiction – "Lay My Love"
Dual Core – "Natural Boom Boom for You"
Miscast – "My Favorite Game"
Black Cat Hit Squad – "God"
Glenn Case – "The Best Things"
The Various Artists – "The Sign (feat. Camila Melodia)"
John Anealio – "Good"

Thanks to all the contributors, and extra special thanks to the great and powerful Wesley, who nailed the album cover art!

Geeks Rule the World

So maybe you, like me, couldn't attend last weekend's Nerdapalooza festival. Hell, maybe you even missed the event's livestream, but thanks to the boundless magics of the internet you can still relive the set by my Florida fam Sci-Fried in its entirety.

From their opening medley to their stirring tribute tracks – one of which also doubled as their annual Nerdapalooza cover – it's a half-hour of geek rock (and geek sweat) created by Sci-Fried and lovingly recorded by my homie Michael Melchor.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 137: Harshing Your Mellow

I appear to be right in the middle of one of those cycles where I have entirely too many things going on. There seems to be an overabundance of irons in the fire, if you catch my meaning.

So it's actually quite fortunate that this podcast came together fairly effortlessly over the span of just a couple of day. I basically put a list together, and the songs themselves did the bulk of the heavy lifting.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 137: Harshing Your Mellow [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 59.8 MB Running Time: 46:00 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
I love these guys. For true.

Track 1: Psycosis91 – "Jenova Falls"
This is that Adam WarRock podcast I mentioned. Also, episode one of Gravity Falls is free right now in iTunes.

Z's 1st interlude: "Here's something from my old pal Beefy."
I sort of like that I don't have a proper timetable for when new Beefy joints come out. Makes things more exciting!

Track 2: Beefy – "God Bless America [f. Klopfenpop]"
Yup.

Track 3: The Plague Sequence – "Atomica!"
This band has a manifesto. Kotaku sort of took the piss out of them as a result, but I got no qualms about the power of a good manifesto.

Track 4: The Hood Internet –"Ignition (Keep It Remixing Louder)"
Yes, I still listen to R. Kelly. Yes, I am aware that this probably makes me a bad person.

Track 5: The Blibbering Humdingers – "Natural 20"
The Humdingers really go out of their way to mine that classic filk sensibility, and my hat goes off to 'em.

Track 6: The MC Type – "Never Grow Up"
Probably my favorite song in this entire episode.

Track 7: John Anealio – "I Wanna Be Loved (House of Lords Cover)"
For those not in the know, this is the original. Little different, eh?

Z's 2nd interlude: "We switched gears."
Indeed I am the master of the unceremonious transition!

Track 8: A-1 – "Reading Rainbow"
I still listen to After School Special pretty much weekly. So good.

Track 9: Kirby Krackle – "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
Kyle loves ukulele ballads.

Track 10: Navi – "Young, Wild and Free (Remix)"
Navi, formally of Metamystiks, Inc. currently of The Whole Damme Delegation.

Track 11: tanner4105 – "DLR"
How much actual DLR is in this track? Just enough, my friend. Just enough.

Z's final interlude: "Everybody knows Larry."
Which is a great name for a sitcom.

Track 12: Mouth's Cradle – "Computer" / "Help Computer" dialog
Just in case any of y'all aren't familiar with that old internet gem.

I reckon many of you will soon be en route to Orlando, so I hope this serves as adequate travel music. I think it's a right fine mix, but what the fuck do I know?

Here's wishing you all an enjoyable Nerdapalooza, and a safe journey there and back.

All in the Family

Bomb-ass poster by Matthew Warlick. 

If you are reading these words it can be easily deduced that you already know this to be Nerdaplooza week. (It's kind of a big deal in our humble circle.) But it's my pleasure to hip you to some breaking tour news.

Internet rap sensations Jesse Dangerously, Adam WarRock, Mikal kHill and Tribe One are proud to announce 14 US dates for September 2012. Under the banner of the NOFRIENDS 2012 tour, these artists will be bringing their unique brands of geeky, indie hip-hop to the following cities along with some very special guests:

9/1 TBA
9/2 Chicago, IL - Burlington Bar
9/3 Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Pike Room w/ Sample the Martian
9/4 Cleveland, OH - Roc Bar w/ MC Cool Whip
9/5 Philadelphia, PA - M-Room w/ DevoSpice, Zilla Persona
9/6 Worcester, MA - That's Entertainment! w/ Shane Hall
9/7 Hartford, CT - Cafe Nine w/ Ceschi Ramos
9/8 Brooklyn, NY- Grand Victory w/ Schaffer the Darklord
9/9 Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
9/10 Chesapeake, VA - Chicho's Pizza w/ The Nerdlucks
9/11 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
9/12 Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn
9/13 West Columbia, SC - The Conundrum
9/14 Charlotte, NC - The Milestone w/ Sulfur

Sponsored by Fat Kid Revolution Clothing, SIUniverse Media, The Variants, Word Realms, Rutgers GeekWeek, Agreeable Comics and *ahem* WIRED GeekDad, additional info regarding this musical meeting of the minds (and an inexplicable promo shot of Jesse D playing a ukulele) can be found at: http://adamwarrock.com/nofriends

Gathering of the Huggalos

Have you seen these nerds?

In just one week – and likely less than that for those not on the East Coast – many of you will be making your pilgrimage to Orlando, FL for this year's Nerdapalooza festival. As I previously mentioned I won't be around for this one, but many of close friends will be in attendance.

Among them is Matt, who you've heard me talk to and about a lot over the years, and his better half, Andrea, who is famed for her unparalleled expertise in the field of cunning hat creation. Matt mentioned to me recently that he'd love to pull together another Hipster, please! gathering, a tradition that dates way the hell back to the 2009 event, and I was , truth be told, honored that he'd even consider it.

It's a super low-key thing that basically exists for, in Matt's own words, "anyone who'd like to make some friends and/or have someone to head over to the venue with." And I think we could all use more friends.

Interested parties should look for the above pictured individuals in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Orlando Downtown next Saturday morning starting around 11 AM. Attendees will then posse up and migrate to the venue(s) between 11:30 and noon. Oh, and while it's certainly not required anyone wishing to have a drink or three in my honor is certainly encouraged to do so.

Have fun, gang!

Your Nerdapalooza is in Another Castle

A cursory glance at the calendar indicates that we're just a couple of weeks out from this year's (unseasonably late) Nerdapalooza. This time around your favorite nerd's favorite nerd festival has once again changed location – to Orlando's twin night spots The Beacham and The Social – and with that shift comes a few more rules and regulations than in previous iterations. But such is the price you pay for the pleasure of experiencing a musical event at a proper musical venue.

Event Director Aaron has gone to great lengths to compile a helpful list concerning rules of conduct and simple dos-and-don’ts. I suggest you give' em a gander, and pay special attention to the all important Rule 621. Learn it. Love it. Live it.

In case you haven't heard, I will not be in attendance this time around. I'm actually prepping for a journey to the fabled O-town with the whole famn damily in October, so I'm afraid as a result this visit had to be sacrificed on the altar of Conserving Annual Leave Days. Y'all know how it is.

Now that being said, my boys will be in attendance. (And in this instance "my boys" does not actually refer to my testicles.)

New homies Tribe One and Adam WarRock will both be there, performing Friday and Saturday evening respectively. I've seen 'em both rock the mic on numerous occasions, and if you happen to miss either set I'm afraid we can no longer be friends.

Sci-Fried is playing an afternoon slot on Saturday. Those cats are – and I don't use this phrase lightly – my brothers. I love 'em, and missing them hurts more than any other single act on the bill. Please scream extra loud for 'em. I know they've got some amazing stuff planned.

My hometown heroes The ThoughtCriminals are going on immediately after. It's their first official showing at Nerdapalooza-proper, as their hotel room gig last year was some hardcore underground shit that must not be spoken of in the presence of respectable ladies and gentlemen.

The TCs have just released a Bandcamp fundraiser project to help them scrape together gas money for next month's trip down Florida-way. The minimum price of The Game Changer EP is nothin', but anything you'd be willing to chip in goes to getting my crew to where they need to be.

I'll be with 'em in spirit, so think of it as a metaphysical donation to yours truly.