Snap. Krackle. Power Pop.

Though I understand it's still a bit early for such talk, I will come right out and say that what will surely prove to be one of my favorite albums of the year dropped yesterday.

Kirby Krackle's E For Everyone has everything I want in a nerdy LP; tight guitar pop, lyrics focused heavily on comic book and con culture, a dash of hip-hop (compliments of GMK) and just the slightest hint of slash fic. Oh yeah, and a cover by Jim-goddamn-Mahfood, which is kind of the best thing ever.

I've got a full review of the album coming in a few days over at GeekDad, but I'll give y'all a little taste of my preliminary findings. Y'know, because we're tight.

Kirby Krackle is a Seattle two-piece whose name evokes the style of Jack Kirby, the oft-cited "King of Comics." (Not, as one fan inaccurately surmised, Nintendo's pink puffball.) musically, they occupy a space equidistant between Jonathan Colton and Weezer. Though they have a definite sound, like the latter, writer/musicians Kyle Stevens and Jim Demonakos also monkey with that musical formula to great effect, like the former.

I was first introduced to the band last year when they released their debut self-titled LP, which boasted the instant classic "Marvelous Girls," a song that is simultaneously one of their best and a fine introduction to the Kirby Krackle style. From there the crew released an amazing follow-up single, "Ring Capacity," and played a show or two with my longtime homey Beefy, which further endeared them to me.

Without getting into the dreaded spoiler territory, I'll just say that E For Everyone does everything that Kirby Krackle did only better. Though it starts with a pair of too-similar entries, it blossoms into a musically diverse and lyrically sound masterpiece of modern geek. Cuts like "Henchmen" and "Great Lakes Avengers" bring the humor, while closers "Dusty Cartridges & Long Boxes" and "Going Home" manage emotional resonance that never devolves into sappiness.

There's also "Roll Over,'" the hip-hop hybrid I alluded to earlier. It's a bit hard to describe, so I want even try. But suffice it to say you'll be hearing it and lots of other Kirby Krackle in upcoming podcasts.

Head over to CD Baby to give the album a spin, and, if you haven't yet had the privilege, peep the debut as well. I believe you'll find them both as indispensable as I have.