Rock 'n' Roll Nightmares

This year's selection of Halloween-themed releases boasts some of the best (and most eclectic) to date! Obviously you'll be hearing more from each in the second edition of my annual Halloween Crap-tacular, but, in keeping with the dark prophecies traditions of old, I shall also break them down for you here in the prescribed manner.

The Monster Mash-Up collection is always at the top of my list of seasonal projects, and The Curse of Monster Mash-Up is no exception. This two volume set hits numerous diabolical highs with cuts like Thriftshop XL's gritty remix of "Bring the Noise" and Socolfn dubstep-y "Zombie Planet." It includes all the usual suspects – VOICEDUDE's "SCARY CUDA" is oddly satisfying, as is fettdog's "Texas Whip It" – but newer names like brutal redneck ("lily monster aquaviva") also manage to stand out among the album's best. Still, likely the finest selections come from stalwarts DJ BC (the project's original curator who'll again be taking the reins for next year's comp) and current coordinator cheekyboy.

It turns out the cheeky has instead turned his attention to creating original music, and another appropriate release, Sam Haynes's Halloween Carnival, comes courtesy of his evil alter ego. Created as an album that's both podsafe and specifically engineered to serve as ambient music for holiday haunted attractions, Halloween Carnival runs the gamut from the delicate "Creeper" to the dynamic "Haunted House" to the aggro disco of "Something Wicked." Of all this year's releases, this one was certainly the most surprising as well as the most cohesive. Definitely pick it up if you're looking to inject a little atmospheric creepiness into your Halloween festivities.

For those in the market for more rock-inspired instrumentals, I suggest the Something in the Dark EP by one man band Nocturnal Symphony. The light keys of intro "Cellar Dweller" quickly give way to the massive bass and smart leads of what is easily my favorite take on "Trioxin Theme" from Return of the Living Dead, and it only gets crazier from there. Paying tribute to beloved properties like Evil Dead while simultaneously exploring wholly original soundscapes, it's a satisfying slice of symphonic metal that's available for whatever you choose to pay. But maybe you should hit this guy with a couple of bucks for his trouble; David, the man behind the mask, is actually my officemate, and I know he's not exactly making mad bank at his day job.

Surely the biggest arrival on the hip-hop front is the debut full-length from Canadian trio Swamp Thing. Consisting of rapper/producer extraordinaire Timbuktu, Savilion (whose guest work on the latest Toolshed release was nothing short of exquisite) and Chokeules (equally renowned for both his gravelly spit and what is likely the world's greatest Twitter feed), the crew crawled out of the swamp earlier this year with the slasher film-themed Grindhouse EP. Standouts "123" and "All About the Brains" from that release return for the late-night picture show that is Creature Feature, and they're joined by 11 more about monsters ("B-Movie Monster"), time travel ("Time Machine Massacre") and just how goddamn dope Swamp Thing truly is. Oh and also weed ("Reefer Vendetta"). This one's a Hand'Solo joint, which means two things; first and foremost there's not a single stinker among its 13 selections, and secondly there are guests galore. Its closer, which also happens to be the title track, is a five minute, stripped-down posse cut with Modulok, Jesse D, Burg, Ghettosocks, More or Les, Ambition and my pal Mikal kHill all pitching in to rep their favorite movie villains. The bad news is this one won't be available until Friday the 26th, while the good is you can pre-order now. Which you should.

And though it's not a Halloween release by any stretch of the imagination, Random's Language Arts Volume 2 does include a relevant track that, not-so coincidentally, was just released as a new video single. So I will leave you to enjoy the pre-pubescent slaughter of "Zombie High."

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!

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!

Radio Free HipsterEp. 135: Beach Blanket Lingo

I figure with the Independence Day holiday week coming up for us Yanks, many of y'all are likely looking for something new to listen to. Thus this podcast. It's a distinctly summer-centered affair, and I'm right happy with the way it came out. I hope y'all dig it too.


Not gonna lie; I've been jamming to it all week.

Download Radio Free HipsterEp. 135: Beach Blanket Lingo [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 61.6 MB Running Time: 47:35 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
If I ran a summer camp for lovable misfits, these guys'd be my counselors.

Track 1: Select Start – "Color of the Summer Sky"
I don't generally start the show with an instrumental, but this one's so tight I made an exception.

Z's 1st interlude: "The price you pay to ride the music train with me."
Even I don't know what the hell this means.

Track 2: Solid Bold – "Summertime Loving, Loving in the Summer (Time)"
I love me some Regular Show.

Track 3: Teleidofusion – "Summer Mood"
Have I played this track before? I swear I have, but, once again, Google disagrees.

Track 4: Friday dialog / Adam WarRock – "Maybe (I Can Call You?)"
Mock me if you will, but "Call Me Maybe" is an exquisite pop song.

Track 5: Girl Talk – "Smash Your Head"
I was kind of in the mood for some Biggie. And also some Elton John.

Track 6: Slime Girls – "Vacation Wasteland"
Another fine freebie from Pterodactyl Squad.

Track 7: Doctor Popular – "Bad as They Seem (feat. Unwoman)"
I was actually pretty excited when I realized I wasn't the only person who remembered this one.

Track 8: Swamp Thing – "123"
A fitting introduction to Canada's three-headed musical beast.

Z's 2nd interlude: "While we're gettin' all Canadian up in here."
Related note: I am supporting Team Canada in this summer's Olympic Quidditch action.

Track 9: Teletran – "Beachwave"
Who knew what this song was missing was a dash of "Blue Monday?"

Track 10: Inverse Phase – "Atarible Lie"
Pretty Eight Machine is the first project to make me intentionally listen to anything Nine Inch Nails-related in years.

Track 11: POCKETMAN – "Just a Summer Drizzle"
K.K. Slider is my dawg. #seewhatididthere

Track 12: Nuclear Bubble Wrap – "Hulkulele"
Another nice tie-in to the summer's first true super hero blockbuster.

Z's final interlude: "This slice of warm-weather fun."
I'm not saying you have to play this podcast at your next barbecue. But, y'know, if you want too…

Track 13: Lager Rhythms – "Your Horoscope for Today"
The Twenty-Six and a Half Weird Al tribute is still in heavy rotation on my end.

It sorta seems this show is a continuation of the previous episode. And I'm fine with that. Occasionally we delve the darker side of geeky music around here, so if I'm lead to keep shit positive for a whole month I reckon that's a good thing.

As always, I appreciate your thoughts on the show, not to mention your song suggestions. So call me, maybe. I mean, uh, hit me up, okay?

Something Fishy

Apparently 2012 is the year of the animated video, with bands like Sci-Fried going in a direction that Kyle and Jim from Kirby Krackle have been exploring for a while now: amazing musical cartoons.

The latest comes from comedy musicians Nuclear Bubble Wrap. It's for "Sharktopus," a track available on both their 2010 full-length and their brand new Abracadaver EP. It's a great looking piece that really plays up the darkly humorous narrative of the song. Also there are Pokémans. Let me show you them.

Nerd News in Brief

There was a time when I did these Nerd News in Brief segments with a nigh clocklike regularity, but alas that age has passed. With my recent shift to writing smaller dedicated posts about things like album releases and new videos – coupled with my adoption of services like Twitter and Tumblr, which lend themselves well to short, frequent blurbs – I've sort of abandoned this format. But looking back over my notes from the last couple of weeks it seems like an apt mechanism for the ensuing news blast.

• Dogs and Cats Living Together: Last night I was able to control my Microsoft Xbox 360 with my Apple iPhone. I'm just saying that this is some crazy shit. 
• Spider, Man: Kirby Krackle recently dropped a new single about a soon-to-be released reboot of a beloved comic movie franchise. You can pick up "Web-Slinger/Hope-Bringer Single" right now for a buck, and you may or may not hear it on tomorrow's podcast. #noncommittal
• What a Horrible Night: News from the crew at MAGFest revealed that, among the regular grocery list of kick-ass guests and featured acts, Castlevania composer Kinuyo Yamashita will be in attendance at next January's event. You should probably be there too. 
• I've Been Slimed: Speaking of gamer culture, musical collective Pterodactyl Squad just dropped an amazing new chiptune EP from Slime Girls entitled Vacation Wasteland. With surf rock and reggae-tinged melodies, it's a ready-made summer soundtrack.
• When It's Time to Pony We Will Pony Hard: Okay, that line is actually from my pal Steve, but it's soul-brony number 1, Church H Tucker, that hipped me to the news that musician, motivational speaker and party aficionado. Andrew W.K. will be speaking at the Canterlot Gardens My Little Pony convention in Cleveland this September. Apparently he is Pinkie Pie. 
• From the Ruins: If you dig Dethlehem you likely also dig Diablo 3. But just because you missed the boys on their recent tour stops doesn't mean you're doomed to never hear their epic cover of the Tristram theme. That's what YouTubes are for. 
• Where's My Flying Car: In one last bit of hot new YouTubery, my country cousins Sci-Fried have just dropped a brand new video single. "Looking Back at Today," from last year's Future Tense, was animated by the one and only Betsy Lee (who'll you'll likely remember from her work with Kirby Krackle.) Enjoy!

Dungeons & Drinking

Over the weekend I made one of my regular trips up to Charlotte, but, surprisingly, this time it wasn't for a hip-hop show at the Milestone. Instead metal was the order of the day at NoDa's Chop Shop, a joint I'd been hearing about for a while and had been meaning to check out anyway.

The Shop is a bit of a rare bird in North Davidson; like most of the local clubs it's nested in the remnants of the neighborhood's old textile area – in this case a repurposed warehouse – but there's an obvious lack of the sort of cookie-cutter gentrification that generally pervades the area. It's run by a co-op of locals, and boasts a distinctly eclectic feel that carries over to the venue's musical presentations. The Chop Shop was home to the closest date of Pittsburgh fantasy metal band Dethlehem's current tour, and, as this is an act I've been raving about for months, I simply had to go.

As I said, it was a very guitar-heavy bill. I missed most of both early openers' sets – GA's thrash-punkers Don’t Pet Hatchet and local doom outfit Stronghold Crusader – but did manage to catch a blistering performance by NIHM, a Buffalo NY-based 3-piece that relocated to Concord over a decade ago. This is a crew whose final number, a cover of the Beastie's "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)," was worth the price of admission alone.

While the honor of closing out the night went to local legends the Poontanglers, Dethlehem upheld their headliner status with true style. Though most PA bands would've felt handicapped deep in the Carolina wilds (not to mention performing with a substitute bass player, the indubitable Hank the Guy), I'm excited to say that our noble band of adventurers really shined and the show was everything I'd hoped for and more.

Hitting all the high points of The Ghorusalem Codex, Vol 2: Of Magick & Tyranny – save, perhaps, its lengthy midpoint "Spelljammer" – the band ably combined swords and sorcery with elements of thrash and death metal to create the most epic concert experience this side of GWAR. With new lead vocalist Brutalitus the BloodBeard leading the charge cuts like "Circle of Deth" managed to turn a meager audience into a singular engine of boot-stomping D&D destruction. Overlord Brom's thunderous double-bass kept perfect pace among the screaming harmonics of axe-men Hildor and Bovice on joints like "Sky Palace of the Dragonriders," and guest keyboardist Allie Oxenblood (who also provided a third layer of vocal harmonies and a dash of fire eating) thickened up the mix nicely.

It was that rare event where the band on-stage and the gathering crowd both seemed to be enjoying themselves to the fullest. Many swords were swung, much alcohol was consumed and, hopefully, many t-shirts and custom dice were purchased.

Dethlehem have returned home for a brief respite before continuing the second leg of their tour in two weeks, but with upcoming stops in Ohio, Wisconsin and Maryland, I imagine many of you still have the opportunity to see them perform. If this brings them within driving distance, I highly recommend that you check 'em out. The sheer strength of their performance and their wonderfully outlandish stage presence is only outmatched by how truly personable the guys are while having drinks and snapping photos with the fans.

Big ups to my boys Seamonkey, Sean, Brad and Sy for kicking it with me at the show, and sincerest of thanks to the whole Dethlehem family for assuring that I and everyone else at the Chop Shop had a night of unabashed metal majesty.

BKNY

Remember last Friday's gig at Brooklyn's Grand Victory featuring Adam WarRock, Mikal kHill and Schaffer the Darklord? Well, now you can relive all your favorite moments via the following helpful video!

It's also worth noting that Adam, kHill, Tribe One and MC Stealth will be playing tonight -- in a just couple of hours, in fact -- at Charlotte's Milestone. Go check 'em out if you're in the area. Just, y'know, be sure to use the bathroom before you leave the house.

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 131: Musical Comedy Is Not Pretty

It takes a special kind of bravery to be funny. I'm serious, so stay with me here.

Comedians, in whatever form, encourage others to laugh at them, which flies in the face of the innate human fear of seeming foolish in the eyes of one's peers. Moreover, these jokesters actively encourage audiences not to take them seriously, which is itself rather counterintuitive to the nature of the artist.

This is especially true for those who play music for laughs. They are often viewed as creatively compromised, accused of hiding behind humor to mask some manner of creative deficiency. They are labeled mere "novelty acts."

But being funny, much like being a superb songwriter or an adept guitarist, takes work. It takes both practice and skill. It takes dedication. And to do all three? Why that takes a very special kind of artist indeed.


Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 131: Musical Comedy Is Not Pretty [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 61.9 MB Running Time: 47:36 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah - "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Though humor is not their primary mechanism, both Beef and Spellah manage to creatively employ comedy in their music.

Track 1: Prairiebagel - "Ragnarok Blues"
I know this track is really played for laughs, but it's impossible to deny that it's skillfully written and expertly performed.

Z's 1st interlude: "The power of comedy in music."
And also the Power of Grayskull, but that's its own episode.


Track 2: "Weird Al" Yankovic - "Skipper Dan"
I heard some fans say this was their least favorite track on the album. Personally, I thought it was one of the best.

Track 3: Double Down - "This Is the Life"
I'll not lie, I sometimes say Jesse Dangerously when I mean Johnny Dangerously.

Track 4: Mr. B, The Gentleman Rhymer - "Let Me Smoke My Pipe"
Chap-hop at its finest.

Track 5: Adventure Time dialog / Insane Ian - "My Name is Neville"
Ian is a second generation nerd musician. I find that fact endlessly fascinating.

Track 6: Adventure Time dialog / Sci-Fried - "TNG 2.0"
Crusher truly is dynamite.

Track 7: Tom Lehrer - "We Will All Go Together When We Go"
I often wrestle with including classic songs like this, stuff that I assume everyone already knows, but I have to remind myself that someone out there's always hearing things for the first time.

Z's 2nd interlude: "A fuckin' horrible segue way."
Yeah, not my best work.

Track 8: Illbotz - "The Power Glove (Lucas' Theme)"
Only Stevie D could retell the story of The Wizard from Lucas's perspective.

Track 9: Torrentz - "French Toast Tango (feat. Milk-Plus, MC Wreckshin, and Rappy McRapperson)"
Probably my favorite Rappy guest verse ever.

Track 10: Helen Arney - "Statistically I Love You"
Maths are sexy.

Track 11: Donald Glover and Danny Pudi - "101 Rap"
Oh, Community, how I missed you!

Track 12: Steve Martin - "The All Being" / MC Hawking - "Entropy"
A throwback track to episode 18.

Z's final interlude: "Sort of inclined to give them an additional tip of the hat."
Note to self: buy new hat.

Track 13: mc chris - "Discord"/ Betty White, Donald Glover and Danny Pudi - "Anthropology Rap"
I missed it myself, but apparently mc's site was totally ponied up for April Fools'.

I play a lot of funny music on this 'cast, but I rarely spotlight it as such. With the sort of stigma that sometimes gets attached to comedy music, maybe I oughta.

I really have a lot of respect for people who are genuinely funny. It's not an easy thing to do, and I should know; I likely try and fail more often than most.

But that's the strength of humor. When it hits, it hits hard. And there's always a payoff. Then it somehow has the power to make everything, even the pains of daily life, seem just a little less dire. A little more fun.

Straight Out of Ponyville

This year I elected not to do my regular April Fools' Day podswap. Truth be told I'm thinking of skipping Drunken Podcasting Month as well. (It appears as though one of the hazards of a long running project like Radio Free Hipster is that your recurring bits wear a little thin over time.)

Still, I did keep an eye on everyone else's gags. Google and ThinkGeek once again managed to brings the LULz, and things on the musical end faired just as well thanks to the hard work of cats like an oddly country-fried Klopfenpop. But likely my favorite example of yesterday's lyrical shenanigans came compliments of mc chris.

"Discord," mc's latest, actually rivals 2010's epic AFD track "Twin Peaks" as an example of both pure novelty and innovative musicality. This time around he put his own spin on the brony phenomenon, but also managed to inject a little social commentary in there with the humor.

Rather Be Your Iron Man

Not to be outdone by MC Frontalot's recent puppet-related shenanigans, my southern brothers Sci-Fried have just unveiled their own felt-heavy music video. It's for their new single "Tech Support," a song that (if pressed) I would call my very favorite from their 2011 release Future Tense.

Further, the vid itself is a healthy slice of ska-tinged geek rock at its finest that also happens to look like an unceremonious melding of Office Space and Sesame Street!

Also, I gotta say puppet Sunni is spot-the-fuck-on! Uncanny even!

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 125: Heavy Mental Parking Lot (Illbotz Special Edition)

In addition to covering those ever important new developments – I got that breaking nerd news, son! – these first couple of months of the New Year are very much about old business. Therefore my debut podcast of 2012 is centered on an interview I did with my good buddy Stevie D back in December of last year.

It's not your average Q&A piece, and to say that it was the most I've ever laughed during an interview would be a most egregious understatement.

I've "known" Stevie over the internets for a long time, but it wasn't until I was in the same room with him at Nerdapalooza that I realized the lovable goofball that gave us such lyrical gems as "On my grind like my teeth when I had TMJ / And if you like it put a ring on it, Beyonce" isn't just some stage-face; that's honestly Stevie D. All the time.

The skits that you hear on an Illbotz record are really just him and Perm and Samson and the crew doing what they do – tellin' jokes and havin' fun. They are, like J.Lo before them, real.

This was a revelation that I found… well, refreshing. And I feel fortunate to have been able to participate in such a similarly enjoyable (if unpredictable) exchange.

I hope you dig it too.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 125: Heavy Mental Parking Lot (Illbotz Special Edition) [hosting provided by Antisoc] Size: 64.9 MB Running Time: 49:07 Subscribe to RFH

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah - "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
Other titles I considered for this episode included "Cracker's Delight," "Maxi Pad Confessions" and simply "Deliverance."

Track 1: Illbotz - "Illbotz Rock the Spot and Go Crazy"
This epic track from their latest, Pudding Is Delicious, is also the 'Botz's go-to set opener.

Track 2: Tribe One – "Single Player (Original)"
I'm not sure if it exactly qualifies as "slept on," but this was one of the best – if generally unremarked upon – songs of 2011.

Track 3: Illbotz – "Doo Doo Def"
From 2007's phenomenal Ringtones for Rotary Phones, my first proper Illbotz album experience.

Track 4: Illbotz – "My Crown (Feat. Poe Mack)"
This one actually closes out Pudding is Delicious, and I've been waiting for just the right time to unleash it upon the RFH audience.

Track 5: Illbotz – "A Thousand Shades of Awesome"
Yet another fun, silly sex jam from Illbotz, circa 2006.

Track 6: Beefy – "Outlaw"
Beef is both an outlaw and a Vampire Hunter! #multiclass

Track 7: Illbotz – "It's Illbotic (feat. Dred)"
Wait; did I play this one before on a podcast? Maybe in its remixed form? I think so, but Google seems to disagree.

Track 8: Illbotz – "I Miss You Money (Witcha Dead Ass) (feat. Sarah G Of The Wading Girl)"
Is it weird that I followed up Stevie naming Perm his "favorite living Fat Boy" with a song about his untimely death? Yeah, probably.

Track 9: Adam WarRock – "Gundam Wings & Fries (feat. P. Longest)"
Yes, I would gladly do a Diet Coke shot in a giant robot. You'd be surprised how often that question comes up.

Track 10: Illbotz – "Intro: The Finaler Countdown"
Stevie D and Big Perm are my boys and all, but DJ Samson really commands the stage at an Illbotz's show.

Track 11: Illbotz – "There's No Stoppin' Us (Or is There?)"
How do you end an episode peppered with ridiculous dialog from me and Stevie? With a joint that samples that song from Breakin' of course!

In a world where hip-hop has lost its sense of humor, I think Illbotz are the solution, the antidote. I mean, these guys are my friends and all, but, before we ever got to that point of hanging around drinking PBRs and talking shit, I approached them as a true fan impressed by their willingness to be funny even if they knew it might turn off some hardcore heads.

It just so happens that they liked what I was doing as well. Which is nice.

Like Stevie says in this show, it's great to be able to associate with talented performers, but when they are also pleasant, genuine, down-to-earth people it helps so much. It makes you thankful to be a part of a proper artistic community.

Lots of bands sweat things like being labeled a "comedy act" or being attached to a term like nerdcore, as if the words that others pin to their work somehow have more weight than the art itself, but not Illbotz. They do what they do in whatever manner they deem fit, and their sole focus – both in the booth and on the stage – seems to be firmly focused on fun. Theirs and the audience's.

I can't think of any nobler endeavor to undertake.

Peace, Goodwill

Some would argue that I've already had my say regarding holiday music for this season, but fuck those people! (Seriously, those people are dicks.)

The rest of you – you fine, decent individuals – already know that I've once again given my yuletide musical recommendation to the classic holiday chiptunes of Doctor Octoroc and 8 Bit Weapon/Computeher. By this point their 8 Bit Jesus and It's a Chiptune Holiday releases are practically a part of my own Christmas tradition.

Similarly this year I shined the festive light on both Helen Arney's phenomenal It's Going to Be an Awkward Christmas, Darling and Kyle Steven's exquisite reinterpretation of "Christmas Bells." But before we hunker down for the holiday's long haul I'd also like to point out two more of my favorites.

My good friend and infrequent co-conspirator John Anealio has just made his holiday EP Seasons Geekings free for a limited time over at Bandcamp. It includes his delightful "Batman Smells (A Rebuttal)" as well as epic Hannukah Channuka Chewbacca Hanukkah jam "Is a Chupacabra Kosher?"

Also free from the camping of the bands is today's brand new Christmas release from the great Kirby Krackle. It's a rocked up rendition of "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and it's Kyle and Jim's 2011 Holiday Single.

Bambi Meets Godzilla

By all rights I should be at home enjoying my Christmas vacation today – it's one of the perks of working in education – but instead I am at the office. Mostly because there's work to be done, and, truth be told, I'd rather save a few of these leave days for a time next year when the streets aren't choked with shoppers and I can actually, y'know, do stuff.

But as I sit here installing a crap-tillion system updates to my old video editing machine, I can't help but think of the new visual hotness from my pals Illbotz. Their latest music video is for the track "Dinosaur, Dinosaur" from 2011's Pudding is Delicious.

It's one of my favorite songs of the year, so as these last few days of December slip away I reckon this vid makes for a suitably epic closer.

Enjoy, my little Velociraptors.

Queen City Rules

Stevie-devie-me!

It's the holiday season, and that means that a number of festive projects over at my payin' gig have been eating into my writing time. (Speaking of, you can still enter today – Friday the 9th – to win one of 5 DSi XL/Kirby Mass Attack bundles, and on Monday we kick off our massive 12 Days of Geekmas giveaway. Get one that, son!)

Basically this means I've been neglecting the old Hipster, please! over the past few days, and I apologize.

It's been particularly trying for me because, in addition to a dozen or so album reviews sitting half-finished in my Dropbox, there's something I desperately want to talk about. That thing is last weekend's southeastern nerdcore mini-tour. I've already waxed poetic about the personal significance of these shows, and I'll go on record as saying that Saturday's gig at the World Famous Milestone in Charlotte was the musical highlight of my year.

Adam WarRock said something to me at that show that was so clear and accurate that it still rings in my ears. Concerning the Milestone, an esteemed punk club and venerated southern dive bar, he noted that it's the one venue that is always willing to give you a great show, providing you as a performer put in the work to meet it halfway.

All these guys held up their end of the bargain, and they all reaped the rewards.

The night started off… well, technically the night started off with everyone eating dinner at Pinky's, but I'll fast-forward through that part for your convenience. The show started with special guest Keysa Soulsay, a glorious staple of the nebulous and rather stylistically fragmented Queen City hip-hop scene. His sets are always interesting affairs, as his calculated flow and tightly timed setlist contrast sharply with his conversational delivery and the effortlessly intellectual slant of his lyrical content.

Illbotz were up next, and if you managed to catch them at this summer's Nerdapalooza then you already know their performance plays out kind of like a house party on the short bus. This was no exception, and if anything I had a hard time believing the boys weren't on their own home turf. The crowd loved them, and, with a set peppered with all my favorites from Ringtones for Rotary Phones and Pudding is Delicious (including one very special request), they owned that shit.

It's like Where's Waldo? up in here.

Dual Core's int eighty – the artist that I've known the longest and, likely as a direct result, have seen play live most often – started his performance with preferred opener "Invaders Must Die." He too hit all the fan favorites from "My GF Is..." and "Hostage Down" to "Natural 20s," but for me an int eighty show is always about the surprises. His cypher, featuring Keysa and Tribe One, was particularly satisfying, as was the dubstep-y "All Fall Down" which included, if I'm not mistaken, a dash of Dual Core classic "Orbit." The most remarkable thing about eighty, though, was his boundless energy. Always an on-stage dynamo, the guy manages to not only push that supernatural vigor through his own set, but kept it going for the entire 3 hour gig!

Adam WarRock and Tribe One have only recently wrapped up mc chris's massive Race Wars tour – and Adam himself has continued living that musical migrant lifestyle by doing a string of one-off city shows ever since – but neither of them showed any signs of road wear. Both these cats are still obviously hungry, and a set packed with fresh new material from WarRock's "616" to Tribe's divine "Single Player" managed to stand out even alongside all these other amazing acts. Tribe's comfort level on the stage mirrors his offstage approachability, and the lyrical aggression evident in an Adam WarRock performance is at last bleeding over into his new studio cuts. Add to this expert implementation of guest stars in the form of eighty on "Nerd Corps" and kHill on a pair from the epic Browncoats Mixtape, and you begin to understand the power of their performance.

Closing out the night were hometown heroes The ThoughtCriminals. I've been following these guys for going on two years now, and the thing that strikes me about the 'Criminals is how they're continually refining their craft. The band has downsized, it's gotten leaner, but the sound itself seems bigger and more cohesive. This was on full display last Saturday. On everything from fresh new joints like "Walking in the Wasteland" – the latest from Sulfur that showcases his lyrical dark side, a character I've come to call Dark Sean – to sing-along geek-outs like "Turtle Power," it was an amazing showing. By the time the guys got to the star-studded second half of the set featuring rager "Return of the Antagonist," new school nerd anthem "ONLYFAM" and the always astounding "Earthbound," the floor was pretty much in chaos.

If you missed this spectacle, then I feel bad for you. There was no point in the night that I wished to be anywhere else but at that show with those people, and as crazy as shit got as the show progressed it was always a very warm, welcoming and supportive environment. If you missed it, that just sucks.

But take heart; I actually managed to bootleg the whole thing, save the first few seconds of Soulsay's very first verse. If the guys are cool with it, and if I can find time to properly tag and edit this monster, maybe I'll make it available to those who'd like to check it out. In the meantime, here's just a sample of the evening's festivities.

It's "Illbotz Rock the Spot and Go Crazy," and it, like the show itself, lives up to the name.

Hugging it Out

Some people you just can't help but like. Such is the case with Marc with a C.

I can't quite recall when I first made his acquaintance, but I just remember feeling an immediate sense of connection.

Marc Sirdoreus is, to put it most plainly, my kind of people. There's something to be said for knowing that there's a guy out there who can, at the drop of a hat, help me track down a digital version of The Figgs Lo-Fi at Society High, and that there's at least one other person totally perplexed that only 8 tracks from the super pricey Deluxe-Director's-Cut-I-am-the-Fuckin'-Sea-Box-Set-Special-Edition of Quadrophenia were remixed in 5.1.

We just connect like that.

Yet for all our kinship, I've never actually interviewed Marc. And that was at least one ill that I could easily set right.

--

I think you and I have been talking music – favorite bands and must-have albums and the like – for as long as we've known each other. But, for the sake of proper interview decorum, who are your primary influences as a songwriter? 

I'm not sure that my answers will be terribly surprising, but here they are. As far as general composition and patterns go, Pete Townshend is the almighty number one of my list of influences. He's the guy that showed me how important it was to serve the needs of the song before your own, even if that means simplifying when you don't want to, or maybe relying on instrumentation that might not necessarily be what you'd listen to in your own spare time. Thanks to being a student of his work, I realized that even though I made up the songs, I was just a vessel for them, and the audience is going to do whatever they want with the tunes. For example, I'm usually not writing to be humorous, but if it makes the listener laugh, then that's probably what the song was meant to do. The song is king. In Pete's case, the average listener of classic rock radio might not realize that "Bargain" and "Let My Love Open the Door" are respectively about and from the perspective of god. Most people don't get that "Won't Get Fooled Again" is about political apathy. And fewer people yet will realize that "Baba O'Riley" started off its life being more or less from the point of view of futuristic farmers. The songs are meant to be what the audience makes of them, and it's pointless to fight it, so you might as well do what the song demands of you.

Beyond Townshend? The Monkees were huge to me. So was pre-1973 Pink Floyd. A good portion of my classic country worship comes from Hank Williams. The jangly side is probably derived from The Lemonheads. You can trace most of my influences in vocal harmony to the first three Duran Duran albums, and... okay, well I guess it might be kind of a surprise that I would equally count Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper amongst those ranks. Especially Alice. He's one of the most underrated songwriters around, and when it comes to showmanship, he's impossible to fuck with. But the biggest inspiration with Alice Cooper was that after a certain point, he started writing from the perspective of "what would Alice do next," recognizing that he was serving a character, a mythos, and it was best to write for that person's performing capabilities. In that sense, Alice Cooper might be just as important to me as good ol' Pete.

With 10 years' worth of albums, EPs and crazy-ass cover projects under your belt, you've got a rather expansive repertoire. Is there a single track or release that you look back on with particular pride? A lone piece that truly captures what Marc with a C is all about? 

Wow, you're just leaping right out of the gate into the tough questions, Z!

(You know I don't fuck around, Marc! :P) 

A lot of answers come to mind, but I think the album that to me perfectly encapsulates the best examples of me having an idea, writing it, recording it and keeping it relatively close to how I initially thought it'd turn out? That would unquestionably be my 2007 album Normal Bias. Not only do I love the sound and pacing of it, but I think that all of the songs are really good (most of the eleven songs still show up in my shows quite often, especially "Classic Country Wasn't Multitracked In '61," "Drunk Classic Rock Fans" and "Happy to Be Alive.") I still fantasize about one day getting that release out on vinyl, but I'm too afraid that there's not enough interest in it and I'd be left with a house packed to the ceiling with large unsold reminders that my best album isn't what people want. Sob.

I think if you had to boil it even further down to just one song? I'd be hard-pressed to even pretend that it isn't "I'm In Love with Everyone I Know". Especially the version that is on the RetroLowFi compilation. Usually I'll introduce it during live shows as "everything you need to know about Marc With a C in under four minutes."

2010's Pop! Pop! Pop! marked your first foray into the realm of purely digital recording. Was that a particularly difficult transition for you, what with the old school, lo-fi aesthetic of your work up to that point? 

Oh my god, yes. I simply didn't get it at all, but I knew that there were different frequencies that I could be playing with, and I forced myself through learning as much as I could about digital recording in the shortest amount of time possible. The main reason for the jump into digital was not ease (or being sick of broken four-tracks), but really a rather boring one: I'm very hard of hearing, and it was sometimes easier to make edits visually rather than trusting my surgically damaged ears. But now I really enjoy it, and I'm digging that I can stack as many vocal harmonies as my sound card will allow me to play at once without any generational loss.

Getting back to the initial point, though? I was so far in the weeds making Pop! Pop! Pop! that I didn't realize that the initial batch of mp3's that I'd sent out were at 48000 hz, making it play at the wrong speeds on some players. And I never, ever got the mastering of that one properly for digital listening. When it finally came out on vinyl, it sounded so comparatively full and seamless that a few fans actually emailed to ask if I'd re-recorded certain parts. I didn't do that, of course, but even when recording digitally, my head and ears still clearly only think and understand music in terms of analog frequency response.

That released differed greatly from your follow-up full-length Motherfuckers Be Bullshittin', which was a modern day concept album. What was the impetus of that album? 

In late 2010, I'm in the car with my wife, and we're debating how on earth I can fit the songs I'd written for the next album together in the same package without making it as schizophrenic as the demo collection we were listening to was coming across. I mean, there's a very misogynistic track called "You're My Princess," songs about technological paranoia, all of these cryptic lyrics, and even a tune about flossing. It was starting to seem more like a mixtape than an album, and I didn't know what direction I needed to go in to make it all come together. All of a sudden, I blurt out an idea so bad that I'm almost embarrassed to have come up with it: make a rock opera based on The Jerk, but this one would be a sequel that (much like the very fairly maligned film The Jerk, Too) was about a different Navin altogether.

That idea quickly (and thankfully) proved to be less than workable (or good), but the seeds were there. Instead, I just kept writing and editing and eventually let the songs dictate what story should be told. Eventually I just started imagining that the songs were the experiences of the subjects of the first song I'd written for the album, "Brian, Jenny & The Mayan Calendar." This made it easier, writing for the actions of characters instead of from a personal vantage point, and then I was free to run headlong into making the album a secret catalyst for spouting off my own spiritual beliefs.

Plus, it made for a pretty striking album cover, no?

I must ask, Marc; how were the truths of The Great Squiddy revealed to you? Were there any golden plates involved (a la Joseph Smith)? 

No, no... nothing quite so insane. I was actually alerted to the coming of our Great Wet One via a Facebook event invite.

I've been on a spiritual quest my entire life. No matter how insane your religious beliefs might sound to the average guy, I'll probably sit down and listen to you with rapt attention. I love to learn about the faith that serves as a moral compass getting you through your day. I've worn many religious hats in my day, and I spent most of my life believing that there is no right or wrong god to worship, as long as nobody got hurt.

It turns out that I was wrong. Squiddy is the one true creator, prophet and cephalopod. The icy apocalypse will harm many, and I'm very excited to be destroyed by this deity.

I quickly ascended to the higher ranks of the Atlantian commune, was given access to the original texts, and the Squelders thought that it might be a good idea to start letting The Great Squiddy inform the direction of my music. Otherwise, it'd be really hard for us to convince kids to run away from their homes and join us in this spacious land that Squiddy allows us to keep. But I'm doing my best, and I can just hope that the message isn't lost on the listener.

You're not the first to spread the word of an otherworldly imprisoned cephalopod. Does the Squiddy mythos owe any debt to H.P. Lovecraft? 

I'll have to quote The Great Squiddy himself on this one: "It's been done."

Okay, enough about MfBB and its inky dogma. Tell me about your newest project. 

Well, every year I put out a free digital release just to say "thank you" to anyone that likes what I do. Sometimes it's a live show, sometimes it's a collection of covers, and this year? It's actually a new EP called Recorded Sound. Besides a radio-friendly version of Rappy McRapperson and MC Wreckshin's "Show Me How To Blow Dudes," it's made up of songs that simply didn't fit on earlier releases, but these weren't mere outtakes... these were songs that I thought could be the backbone of the respective albums that they were slated to be on, but ended up not making sense at the last minute. All of the recordings were done in 2011, so these aren't scratchy old four-track recordings that I polished up. I think it makes up a very interesting whole, and it's a very fun listen.

Your music tends to walk the fine line between easily relatable, slice-of-life musical narratives and irreverent, often bawdy humor. How much of the latter works its way into this EP? 

Not as much as you'd think, really. I truly love Rappy and Wreckshin's "Show Me How To Blow Dudes," and I think that it's one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard, and my version of it takes all of the bawdy humor out in an attempt to make a very straight-forward and kid-friendly take on how to properly polish a shoe.

A song like "Touchdown" could be taken as humorous, but I assure you, I wasn't kidding. That is a very "on the nose" version of what I see anytime a football game is on in front of me. A man is being chased while running with a ball. He isn't caught. He is rewarded with kajillions of dollars. He is later cleared of all date rape charges.

And then there's a song like "Another Minute or So," which was something I'd been kicking around for years. It was a little too layered for the album it was intended to be on originally (2005's This World Is Scary as Fuck), but it's actually been a contender for each album since. I decided to just give the song its own EP. To me, the EP is just a big excuse to release that song, and the preceding tunes on this release are simply bonus tracks. Almost.

Recently your radio show The Real Congregation made the jump from the WPRK airwaves to the Nerdy Show podcast roster. What does this new internet format mean for the show? 

It means that the show will not suffer due to antiquated college radio equipment any longer. For the final year of my run on WPRK, there were never actually any record needles in the station, and that severely hampered the way that I wanted to do the show. I'm not the kind of guy that just plugs a cable into my laptop, clicks play on an iTunes playlist and is content to be an "MP3J." This show is all about the joy of records in whatever format they were best enjoyed in, but there were times where literally the only working thing in the station was a cord that would connect your iPod to the board (once including the microphones.)

WPRK will always be my favorite radio station, but now that The Real Congregation has moved to podcast format on the Nerdy Show network, I can make the show sound a bit more true to the source material, I'm no longer a slave to FCC rules about content or compression, and I don't have to keep a wildly uncontrollable sleep schedule to host my show anymore. Plus, all of the guys at Nerdy Show are my friends, and pretty much anyone would be happier working with their buddies, I'd think. They put out quality programming about their passions, and I'm only sorry that I wasn't able to be part of their team sooner.

You're very much an admitted pop songsmith, Marc, which still puts you in a bit of a dying breed. Why is pop such a dirty word in modern music? 

"Pop" is short for "popular," which makes "pop music" into a rather glaring oxymoron sometimes. I'm not sure when the exact moment was where we decided that "pop" meant drum machines and fake vocals (or when country turned into "Def Leppard with fiddles," for that matter), but that's probably the reason that people run from the term so easily nowadays.

To me, "pop" means using instruments to relay popular feelings into songs that will stick in your head. "Popular feelings" should not be confused with "good feelings," mind you. But if you're thinking about something, and you sing it exactly as it appears in your head over a four-chord progression, you'll be amazed at how many people will cheer as if to say "I've never thought about it that way, but you're right!"

The era of pop that I feel most closely related to is the one that appeared on a Rhino record series called "D.I.Y.," and it brilliantly traces the 1975-1983 era of underground power pop. If it weren't for those songs on that giant series, I probably never would have understood that my songs were indeed "pop," mostly because it's hard to consider yourself "popular music" when you're writing songs about worshiping squids in your garage.

Where do you go from here, Marc? Your output has been characteristically eclectic and prolific throughout 2011, so what can we expect in 2012? 

Oh gosh! I don't know yet! I'm toying with another concept album idea that would be a bit more tied to the history of pop songwriting itself rather than telling a story, but that's so early in the "considering it" phase that I can't say for sure that it'll happen. I do have a few things written under this conceit, though, but mostly, the songs tell me when they're ready and what to do with them, not the other way around.

I've also been planning on making an album full of Monkees songs, because that might be the best catalog of pop songs that has ever existed, and I would really like to have fun with some of those melodies. Plus, their songs are actually much trickier to play than you might think, so it's a big challenge to myself: can I do justice to my favorite overlooked Monkees songs? If it ever gets finished and released, you'll know my answer.

And lastly, in addition to sharing a love of handclaps, mid-song break-downs and sing-along choruses, you and I are also members of the extended Sci-Fried family. You'll remember to give those guys a hug for me, right? 

I'm definitely going to do that, good sir. Sci-Fried is one of the best nerd rock bands out there today, the band members are some of my favorite people on earth, so it's awesome to have yet another reason to hug them. Thank you, Z. Not just for doing this interview with me, but also for being my excuse for the numerous upcoming sweaty man-hugs.

--

I am of the opinion that, above all else, things should be simple. It is my personal ethos.

Now, I don't mean simple as in uncomplicated, as life itself is fraught with innumerable impediments and last-minute change-ups. Instead I simply mean that things should appear effortless.

Often they are not so natural and unforced. Generally, anything of value requires blood and sweat and tears and swearing and, in my case, arduous do-overs. But if the end result is something that seems simple and natural and unpretentious, then I tend to believe the creator in question has done his job.

The music of Marc with a C is a labor of love by an artist who is quite literally obsessed with music. And that obsession leads him down some strange thematic paths. His musical mechanics are deceptively complex, and everything, from the slant of his lyrical delivery to the precarious placement of individual tracks on an album, smacks of hours burned shaping raw materials into a final product.

But the listening ear seldom notices that.

Instead it focuses on the simple power of the musical narrative, on the shared joy of record collecting or celebrity crushes or a brand of good-natured hopelessness that defies all logic.

Marc with a C remains one of my favorite songwriters not because of the tireless energy he expends on plying his craft, but because his music appears so effortless, so organic. For such is the path to pure pop majesty.

Sounds in Sequence

It's Cyber Monday, which I think means we're supposed to be using our employers' networks to make online purchases. How exactly that differs from every other Monday I will never know.

But among all the electronic steals and deals available for the ever-hungry consumer, there's one that is, I dare say, unbeatable. Our old friend Ultraklystron has chosen today to release a new mixtape. For free. It's called Storyboard (The Animatic Mixtape), and it's a musical precursor to next year's Animatic album.

I like Karl as an MC, but I adore him as a producer. And though the mixtape is a tricky medium to master, it certainly plays to his strengths. Across its 25 minutes the listener is treated to a selection of songs that one, for the most part, might describe as "classic Karl" in their structure and delivery. Still, nerdcore's foremost anime enthusiast manages to reveal enough new tricks to keep the listener guessing.

It all kicks off with the laid back swagger of celebratory weekend banger "Saturday." Lyrically, it ain't his sharpest offering, but some brilliantly varied production and a dash of humor help to make it more than just a northwestern otaku answer to "Lazy Sunday." This flips nicely into "Lifecycle," a green hip-hop anthem that's among his most ambitious efforts; despite its odd premise, it's a track that really works. "Non-Contact" fares a little worse because of a slightly clumsy hook, but "City" takes things in a dark, contemplative direction that easily recaptures that lost attention.

The transition to "Minor Internet Celebrity" is a bit shaky, but the song itself, which boasts a more urgent delivery than we've heard from Ultraklystron in a while, is an interesting oddity. "Three Dollar Jeans" brings his flow back to a more manageable speed, and its relative calm contrasts nicely with the harshness of the hooky "Bromance Dance."

"Unexpected" begins the mixtape's true standout movement. Its individual components – a storyteller flow with a sing-song chorus cast against an atmospheric electronic backdrop – might seem unremarkable at first, but the skill with which Karl has married them reminds us of his remarkable skills in the studio. "Work It Baby" takes that unique energy in a wholly different direction underscoring that there's more to Ultraklystron than some might remember.

The mix begins its wind-down with "Fujoshi," another piece of new school otaku flow, and closes with the club-style "Magic Tricks." Musically, it proves a sound decision, though I almost would've preferred he sign off with one of his more challenging selections.

As a cohesive work – and lets not pretend that a mixtape doesn't hinge on a peculiar brand of cohesion – Storyboard succeeds on a number of fronts. The production, aside from a single transitional hiccup, is top-notch. Further, it's pacing, which is sometimes an area in which Karl struggles on proper albums, is no less inspired. The musical material itself, the true blood and guts of the mix, runs the gamut from middle-of-the-road Ultraklystron cuts to some of his most interesting tracks to date.

If you're a longtime fan of the second-gen nerdcore standard that perhaps hasn't heard much from him since 2009's Romance Language 2, then Storyboard makes for a nice reacquaintance in anticipation of Animatic. Likewise, if you managed to miss that particular chapter in nerdcore history outright and would like to know what Karl Olson's really all about, it proves a fine introduction to what the rest of us will recognize as a new and improved Ultraklystron.

Karl Effing Olson

My old pal Karl "Ultraklystron" Olson – Or is it nerdcore newcomer Karl "Ultraklystron" Olson? #bazinga – has a couple of interesting projects in the works. There's Rai's new full-length, which I've already discussed, and a new mixtape that I'll be talking up later this month.

For the time being, however, you are encouraged to check out the following videos. The first is a leak from Animatic entitled "Tap That Deck." Musically it's bright and brassy and fun, which is kinda textbook Karl. Lyrically, however, it’s a bit more of a departure. Not the techy innuendo, mind you; more the delivery itself, as his flow simultaneously seems to channel Weezy and Bubba Sparxxx.

Meanwhile, the second mines Karl's electronic roots. It combines Moombahton – a musical movement that will (hopefully) eclipse dubstep any day now – with Futurama's Dr. Zoidberg. It's sort of a just-for-shits-and-giggles-thing, and that suits me just fine.

Cellar Dwellers

One of my favorite Halloween releases from 2010 was an Insane Ian's collab with Kiki Canon, Devo Spice and Schaffer the Darklord entitled "We're All Gonna Die." It's a comical send-up of the classic slasher movie motif – which likely won't surprise you as comedy music is sort of Ian's thang.

While checking out his newest video (for the post-apocalyptic gamer anthem that's also the sort-of title track from his The Last Arcade album), I realized that a motion comic-style video for that song had also been released. Back in July. So, y'know, so much for me keeping shit current.

Still, it is an uncannily appropriate selection as we gear up for Halloween.

I Hope Ya Don't Mind

It's Friday, which means that – and this is highly dependent upon whom you ask – I am either in love or presently kickin' in the front seat. For the record, both of these are true. So, y'know, either answer would be correct.

No pressure.

Personally, I'm rather hoping for a low-impact weekend. A cursory look at my to-do list reminds me that I have a haircut scheduled and that I need to wrap up my review of Adam and kHill's Browncoats Mixtape, neither of which is a particularly unpleasant tasks. I also have a terse reminder to "buy booze" taped to my monitor, which can only mean that this weekend will also see me taking part in some drunken podcasting. Which, as you know, is always a good time.

This is all to say that I hope you have a pleasant weekend. And to help you kick that shit off, here are some Fraggles. Also some DJ Kool.

Tip o' the hat to @cdharrison for this one!