Mic Snatched

Lock up your daughters and hide the good silver, because the invasion has begun!

Invasion of the Mic Snatchers, the long awaited debut by nerdcore supergroup The Sinister Six has just been released. It's freely available from your friends at Scrub Club Records, so why not stop by and give it a listen?

It'll make you feel good.

Nerd News in Brief

Last week ComputerWorld’s John Brandon published his list of the top 10 best written blogs. Oddly enough, GeekDad made the cut.

How cool is that?

What’s more, a post I wrote concerning Doctor Octoroc’s bead sprites was linked as an example!

I know it may seem like the other GeekDads and I were possibly a little too flattered by the nod, but you have to understand our position. Within the past month our site has seen a huge surge in traffic. And along with such increased popularity comes a lot more snide comments and unconstructive criticism – something about the greater dickwad theory, if I’m not mistaken. So having someone outside our circle acknowledge that the blog is well-written was just the pat on the back we needed.

GeekDad is a fun project, and I’m proud to be a part of it, but I’m also really thrilled to still be doing my own thing here at Hipster, please! It ain’t exactly acclaimed and it sure as hell ain’t as popular, but it’s mine. And you guys are my kind of people.

• Free Zombies: Anyone who's read this blog since my return from Nerdapalooza last July has surely realized that I love me some Zombies! Organize!! Sadly, they have had no legitimate releases save a handful of compilation contributions and a demo. Until now. The new Z!O!! album Before It's Too Late is available for purchase. But wait! It's also available for free download. The choice is yours.
• Kills Zeds Dead(er): If you’re like me, you live in constant fear of the inevitable zombie apocalypse. To that end: Zombies Tools. Yes, at long last we finally have a legitimate supplier for anti-zombie weaponry. The line forms to the left.
• Full Ride Here I Come!: And speaking of hardfought legitimacy, Church has reminded me that this Sunday, October 26th, Middlebury College will host the first large Intercollegiate Quidditch Tournament in history. Yep, Muggle Quidditch on a large scale. And it’s free!
• Shit-tie: Also on the Potter front comes this link from my home-skillet Matt of free_geek. The lovely Lena (of The Butterbeer Experience) has just previewed a new track via YouTube. And since she's unable to speak due to a vocal cord ailment, she found an interesting way to intro the vid.
• Processed Beef: mc chris recently posted his take on nerdcore and feuds. If you haven't given it a look yet, you might wanna check it out. Interesting stuff.
• Utah Taints: And speaking of nerdcore, it seems to have grown in popularity in one of our most angular states. Check out KSL.com for some wise words from MC Frontalot and to read the fascinating phrase "For anyone who thinks Nerdcore and other forms of independent hiphop are too dumb to catch on in Utah, think again." Ah, such forward thinking!
• The Dragon Awakes: Guess who's back in the muthafuckin' house? Super Dragon X! Yes, SDX gave me a shout yesterday to let me know that's he's got some amazing new tracks in the works. He's also made an acappella of his classic joint "Heliopolis " available for remixing. Y'all get on that!
• Pixel Perfect: While you tend to associate Game Music 4 All with the musical side of gamer culture, Anthony recently reminded us that the site fervently supports of the visual arts as well via an interview with the amazing 8 Bit Artist. You saw his work at 32 Bit Genocide, now get to know the man behind them.
• Midwest Represent: Another interview that warrants your attention is Legendary Wizard's recent piece on MadHatter. It's got all the inside info on the Sinister Six, as well as the skinny on Scrub Club and Midwest Nerdfest.
• Across the Pond: I'm a big fan of our nerdy European brothers, particularly those from the UK. Therefore I am excited to direct you toward new full-lengths from both Category and MisterB! Cat's uk.geek.core blends nerdcore and punk rock in a manner most sublime, and MisterB's SNOGS is a sloppy musical goodnight kiss. Grab 'em both.
• The Will of One: Word from the Resistance is that those game rocking musical revolutionaries The Protomen are releasing a limited edition 7 inch. This is the first officially released single from the upcoming second act of their Mega Man rock opera, and will feature a never-before-heard b-side. It’ll also be given away for fuckin' free to attendees of the release celebration at 12th and Porter in Nashville on November 8th!
• Wild, Wild West: And speaking of singles, MC Lars and YTCracker – the latter of which may have helped to prove that Apple Genius is racist – have a new video single for the track "Manifest Destiny." Skillfully produced by Irina Slutsky and Nick Iannone of GETV, it is a wonder to behold. So please do so.

Carry That Weight

Earlier this year I decided to devote more of my energies to doing album reviews. Artists were asking for it. Readers were asking for it. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

It also became a decision I immediately regretted.

You see, no matter how many of these fuckers I do, the process doesn't get any easier. It's lengthy, at times even laborious. Not because the albums I receive are bad, mind you: actually quite to the contrary. It's simply that the whole listen-write-listen-write-reread-listen-write-post thing is time consuming, and the more you set out to do the more things fall by the wayside.

Still, I'm not going to do these artists a disservice by simply neglecting to live up to my end of the bargain. (Even if I'm coming through a little later than anticipated.) So expect a lot more reviews over the next quarter. So many that you might just get sick of 'em! ;)

The albums, on the other hand, tend to hold up a good bit better than my occasionally minced words. Today's subject is Ultraklystron's Opensource Lyricist. It marks an interesting new stage in Karl's musical development, yet it also hearkens back to his earlier works.

Interested? You should be.

1. "Opensource Lyricist"
   The album kicks off with the title track, which seems to be Karl's thesis statement. It's also one of his best songs to date. After honing his craft over the previous years, Ultraklystron seems to have at last mastered the crazy-difficult Jesse Dangerously/Wheelie Cyberman style of lightening fast rapping. He couples these speedy rhymes with sharp keys and smooth D&B. Not to mention a few well placed comp sci references.
2. "Earn It"
   "Earn It" slows down the tempo a bit and serves as a nice counterpoint to the lead-in. Karl's flow is steady and rehearsed, but still fast enough to impress even diehard Ultraklystron fans. He comes off as the "nerdcore renegade" with this dynamic and slightly glitchy number, which also seems to further explain the ideas behind the album as a whole.
3. "So Long Kids"
   This is a polished version of an old classic, and, while it's very anime-specific, it's also sharp and biting enough (both vocally and musically) to appeal to those outside otaku circles. It stands as a stark warning to 4Kids Entertainment from an expert voice and an excellent call to arms for his fellow fanboys, even if the chorus is still the tiniest bit awkward.
4. "Eighty Three"
   As silky as it is chippy, "Eighty Three" displays Karl's smoothness as he waxes poetic about his life and the year of his birth. It boasts rapid-fire pop culture references and more than a few of his most cleverly turned phrases – "unintentional teenage harem" being the chief among them. Whereas the album to this point has mostly been an intro to the work itself, this is an intro to Karl the man.
5. "Internet"
   With its chirpy (and decidedly eastern sounding) backing and odd vocal cadence in the intro, "Internet" is sort of a musical gamble that, thankfully, pays off. It's a nice change of pace, if a tad thin in places. Still, it's an interesting diversion that explores the "infinite wasteland" of the WWW.
6. "Decisions"
   Another deviation from expected beat blends well with Ultraklystron's sing-rapping. I found it interesting that it mentions Karl's faith, a subject he seldom references explicitly. But mostly this is a meditation on regret and missed chances, as well as the lingering fear of letting oneself down. In light of his decision to depart from the nerdcore scene last year, it's a bit of an eye-opener: a window into Karl's mind as well as a pontification concerning difficult decisions.
7. "PAeXpo"
   This is a solid and upbeat exploration of what makes PAX so great: games, tech, music, community, and the mighty Omegathon! It pairs crazy-fast rapping with an ultra-slow chorus for a theme song just waiting to happen.
8. "Mahou Shonen Theme"
   Where else but on an Ultraklystron record would I be called upon to review a song that I don't even understand the title of?! This is a comic-book interpretation of a day in the life of the artist with the only drawback being that that chorus is a little weak on the call-back. Still, it doesn't sully this fun track.
9. "MC Urban Planner"
   Chippy and immediately interesting, this song features the oddest braggadocio in nerdcore. It is of particular note because it spotlights Karl's greatest personal strength: that he is comfortable in his own skin. It seems to espouse that he's clean-liver who's unafraid of his patent geekiness, even if he's admittedly a little scatterbrained. There's also a nice use of multi-tracked overlapping vocals, which may be a clever reference to the duality of man. Or simply skillful mixing.
10. "Void Function"
    Sparse and airy in instrumentation, "Void Function" seems to compliment "MC Urban Planner" by pointing out that Karl, almost oxymoronically, ain't your average nerd! A low-key nerdcore late night driving jam, this song combines reflections on gaming and programming and plain ol' geeking out to form a functional musical mission statement.
11. "Priceless"
    Ultraklystron's flow is a little off on this one, but his storytelling is top notch. There's an obvious tendency here to try and include a few too many words within each verse couplet, but the song overall still manages a great feel. Its true power is the fantastic chorus that blends warm vocals and thematic keys. It may be a little too j-culture for me, but it's awfully hard to ignore.
12. "Fashionable"
    This is an excellent follow-up to "Priceless" that boasts a great intro keyboard riffs, not to mention an oddly precognitive reference to the curent crop of stock market woes (as well as an all-too rare verbal conceit to O Brother, Where Art Thou?). It could be construed as a song about fashion without substance, but Karl brings both in equal measure, particularly in the slowed down chorus vocals, which are both creepy and striking.
13. "Hit Reply"
    Another great stylistic change-up, "Hit Reply" is a track made for toonzone.net. Therein Ultraklystron manages a great vocal quality that's snarky and a bit higher toned than usual. It's a minimalist joint that expertly displays his skills. Sure, it's about anime, but that's what he does best!
14. "Hikikomori"
    This is a wonderful D&B track that pounds into your skull, aided by an assortment of breaks, bloops, and blips. Along with this otaku confessional, we also get a great call-response chorus that's simple but not too. It ably explores the solitary life of a fanboy and leads to a dazzling musical ending.
15. "Script Kiddie Blues"
    From its sinister sounding opening bars, this song is an unlikely hacker anthem that's confessional, approachable, and enjoyable. With only a few dropped syllables, it's also tight enough to make even Nerd King and DG YTCracker proud.
16. "Full Disclosure"
    This haunting and funky joint seemingly comes across as condemnation of the lower echelons of nerd culture, which is a little odd for Karl. It's directed firmly at those who are simply posturing, and exemplifies what real nerd life is all about. It's not only a celebration of the nice guy, but also a defense of the atypical nerd who refuses to fall in line with the trappings of "geek chic."
17. "Coin Figure"
    Okay, the beat for this track is a little pedestrian, but it's hard to ignore the excellent vocal delivery (complete with some more of that nice vocal doubling.) It details the travails of the obsessive collector, and reminds us of the folly of too much stuff. Interestingly, it also has a lot going on under the surface, most obviously a reflection on self-doubt and self-worth.
18. "Cuteness"
    A remix of this song appeared on Romance Language, and thus should be known to long-time fans. This take is much mellower, but still striking. I can't help but note that Karl sounds a little like T.y.T. on this one with regard to his delivery style. As for the song itself, it's boastful but not obnoxious, and, while I'm not sure about the highly sung chorus, it is certainly a standout track with an amazing beat and backing instrumentation.
19. "It's the Beat"
    This one can't help but make you smile. It's a little bit Beck, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. All in all, "It's the Beat" is slightly surreal and totally fun: a club-tastic otaku rap from the heart of Seattle. Not your typical nerdcore, but certainly masterfully executed.
20. "Five to Nine"
    Taking us home is my old favorite Ultraklystron track, and, after another listen, it actually might be my curent fave to boot. It certainly sounds as sweet as it did back in the RT era, and it really ends things on a high note. Despite its heavy anime convention focus, it's still easily relatable even for those of us who don't run the con circuit. It's one of the greatest geek anthems of all time, and Opensource Lyricist couldn't have ended on a better note.

Opensource Lyricist is currently in that odd stage where it's not yet old enough to be a classic, but it's also too old to be a new release. Still, that shouldn't keep you from investing in a copy. It's a solid project. Rock solid. And boasts some of Ultraklystron's best vocal and production work to date.

While it lacks the utter cohesion of a concept work like Romance Language, it's still very much an album of some weight and consistency, and Karl's at his best when he's contrasting the arc of the album with the personal elements he intersperses throughout on a regular basis. It alternates between reflecting on nerdcore and reinventing it, between praising the regular nerd and urging him to evolve, and it touches on each with equal sincerity and skill.

It's not an album that's overly intimate, but it still manages to have that great Ultraklystron musical charm that you've come to expect. His flow is certainly not flawless and he does continue to dwell on the otaku lifestyle, which may be off-putting to some, but these elements also serve as a reminder that Karl is a man just like you or me. A man with hopes and dreams, hang-ups and obsessions and struggles. A man with a story to tell just like the rest of us. Only a fuck of a lot more talented.

Reading Is Fundamental

I pop up in the strangest places. Like that episode where the Doctor keeps showing up in DVD Easter Eggs. You know the one.

This week, for example, you can hear my dulcet tones on the most recent episode of Canadian children's literature podcast Just One More Book!! Hosts Andrea and Mark have a regular feature in which listeners call in to talk about their favorite kid's books, and I made the cut. They actually invited several GeekDad contributors to drop some knowledge re: kiddie lit, so I imagine you'll be hearing from some more of us in the near future.

At the end of the ep. I do a spiel about one of X's favorite books, Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney. It's sort of a classic in our household, so I figured it was deserving of a little love.

Here's hoping anyone who finds their way to Hipster, please! via this endeavor doesn't spontaneously combust as a result of all my f-bombs and allusions to carnal acts. Ah, the double life of a legitimate family-friendly blogger and foulmouthed chronicler of nerdy culture!

Punkinhead

Church hit me up yesterday with this link to "34 Geeky Pumpkin Faces" over at walyou. There are your requisite Yodas, Vaders, and Marios, but there are also some surprises. While certainly not the most technically impressive, the Space Invader and Death Star are two of my favorites, and the Optimus Prime is, of course, awe-inspiring.

My jack-o-lantern design for this year began as a Lovecraftian concept, but I feared a Cthulhu gourd was a bit beyond my skill level. Instead I've elected to carve one based on X's favorite TV show. So this time next week I should have some pics of either a Brobee or Muno pumpkin. In the meantime, feel free to share your own carved creations, as I'd love to see 'em.

Nerd News in Brief

By rights, I should be decorating the house for Halloween today. Sadly, I am currently in the throes of the kind of virus than only someone with young children can contract.

The whole family's got it. We are now bound by blood as well as mucus.

Which, now that I think about it, is pretty goddamn Halloweeny.

Go us!

• Nerd Ink, the Continuing Adventures: How can you out-geek a Hello Kitty Boba Fett tattoo? Only with the power of the Hawkman!
• Divine Intervention: In what can only be interpreted as a sign from the Geek Gods, the Online Hip-Hop Awards have extended their nomination season. So vote for Random some more!
• Church Submits the Following: A doctorial student from Purdue examines the "hyperhwiteness" (and, to some degree "hypermaleness") associated with nerd culture. Meanwhile, MIT seeks to shed its geeky image by any means necessary. Me? I went to community college, so I am thankfully far below this level of critical analysis.
• WTS: funky49 is looking to sell some music and gaming tech on eBay. If you're currently in the market for an Atari 2600 or a Yamaha TX7 synth, he will fucking hook you up.
• Bend it Like Blip Fest: Highly Liquid is now selling a kit that allows you to add a MIDI input to a classic Casio keyboards. Circuit benders and chipheads rejoice!
• The Real GWB: After a fairly long wait – yeah, like I have room to talk – The Geekly Weekly crew is back with another podcast. This edition includes talk about the new DSi, the Ig Nobel Prizes, the Stephen Colbert/Spiderman crossover, and music from my man ZeaLouS1. Give it a listen.
• We're a Happy Family: And if you're looking for some fresh musical hotness, check out the newly released Nerdcore Family Vol 1. It features MC Topher, T.y.T., 'Moans, MC Lars, nYgel and many more of your favorites. It's also free, so you've got no reason not to love it.
• Stolen Glasses and Pilfered Usernames: And speaking of MC Lars, he and YTCracker recently made an appearance on Revision3's Internet Superstar, the web talkshow hosted by Martin Sargent. He's the American Tom Green. Talk covers everything from their new album (slated for a November 1st release) to how YT scored such a sweet Gmail account.
  
• Zombies! Chaos! Cleavage!: Call is zombie erotica. Call it rancid cheesecake. Call it… disturbing. Whatever you call it, My Zombie Pinup is an interesting diversion. With blood. And boobs.
  
• Sins of the Father: And taking us home this week is the trailer for the new James Potter fanfilm series The Elders' Crossing. It's based on the writings of G. Norman Lippert and is scored by none other than Nina of The Butterbeer Experience. Behold the face of fandom!

Complete Carnage

Vermont is known for many things: Newhart, Woodchuck Cider, Orson Bean (the voice of Bilbo). It is also known, in nerdier circles, as the home of annual gaming and geek culture convention Carnage.

This year's celebration – the convention's 11th – arrives under the auspicious theme "We Go to 11." As such, it has taken on a bit of a musical theme. So, in addition to regular events like CCG, miniature, RPG, and board gaming, attendance will also be encouraged to test their mettle in Rock Band and Guitar Hero tournaments. To the victor of such undertakings go the spoils, but, uh, spoils are sort of hard to come by in small New England towns.

To that end, the con’s venerable Dr. Nik approached me regarding his attempt to secure some handsome prizes from the greater geeky music community. It turns out that Carnage is also looking to screen nerdy documentaries, so, in short, they’re pretty much looking to help promote your projects in the greater northeastern US. But rather than steal Nik’s thunder, I’ll let him drop the knowledge concerning specifics:

Greetings Nerds & Geeks!

I am Dr. Nik. I am not a real doctor, but I play one in RPGs. Currently I am secretary of Carnage Gaming Convention, now in its eleventh year. (http://www.carnagecon.com Nov 7-9th, 2008)

This year’s convention has a "rock n role" theme, because, much like Spinal Tap, this one goes to 11. And to help keep with the theme, we have two console game tournaments: Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

We plan on giving the winners a Rock Band II kit, but we’re currently looking for secondary prizes with more pizzazz than a puny iTunes gift card. This is where you come in.

Are you a nerdcore, geek rock, filk, or Wizard Rock performer? Do you have DVD, CD, or promotional material (T-shirt, sticker, etc) that you’d be willing to donate to help us make a nice prize package?

Time is short, but if you have any swag that we could use as prizes for our Rock Band and Guitar Hero contests, we'd be honored to distribute them to the geeks and nerds participating.

Alternately, if you have any rockumentaries, concert footage DVDs, or other geek culture docs, we would likewise be honored to show them at Carnage 11!

Mail your nerd documentaries or prize support by Oct 31st to:

Carnage Gaming
64 County Road-Hartland
Windsor, VT 05089

Or contact us at info@carnagecon.com for more details.

We promise to send you something special from CARNAGE in return.

-dr.nik-

So there you have it, folks. If you’ve got some nerdy goods you’d like to donate or a geeky documentary for which you’d like to arrange a screening, hit up Nik and the Carnage crew. In exchange, Ben & Jerry’s promises not to make the switch to breast milk.

Those Vermonters looks after each other!

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 53: Monster Manual

If I sound a little rusty in this podcast, it's only because I am.

Taking a full month off between shows gives me a chance to rest, sure, but it also gives me just enough time to lose my podcasting sea legs. Still, this is another Halloween episode, and these types of shows are generally my favorite. What better place to pick back up?

I made some intentionally odd decisions with regard to the track list this time around, but I think it came together quite well.

You, of course, are the real judge. So lemme know what you think, my scary monster and super creeps.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 53: Monster Manual [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 44 MB Running Time: 48:05

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
This Halloween, I'm dressing up like Baddd Spellah.

Track 1: DJ Not I – "Dracula's 77 Nation Army"
There are some songs that I hear and immediately mark for certain podcasts. This was such a track.

Z's 1st interlude: "And truthfully, I kinda missed you guys."
Guilty as charged. :)

Track 2: Uncle Monsterface – "Mashed Potato vs. Vampire"
Uncle Monsterface has surprisingly few songs about monsters. I'm just sayin'.

Track 3: The Consortium of Genius – "March of the Skaletons"
I always say I'm going to play more ska on this podcast, but I seldom actually do it.

Track 4: The Ghastly Ones – "Shockmonster Stomp"
This surf track really served as a nice follow-up to CoG, doncha think?

Track 5: Monster Squad dialog / Math the Band – "Fight for Wear Wolf Fever"
"Wolfman's got nards!"

Track 6: Cheekyboy – "Bad Moon Werewolves"
Where is this year's Halloween mash-up comp?

Track 7: The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets – "Six-Gun Gorgon Dynamo"
Because there aren't enough songs about Shub-Niggurath.

Track 8: Godzilla dialog / Heightened Titans – "1 Stomp"
It's nice when 3 top-shelf MCs come together to work on a new project. Real nice.

Z's 2nd interlude: "No pun intended."
mc chris is dead continues to grow on me. I actually really enjoy the skits from this album, which, I admit, is a rarity.

Track 9: Shaun of the Dead dialog / mc chris – "mc chris is dead"
Apparently, he ain't never coming back.

Track 10: Mr. Fab and His Bag o' Heads – "I Want My Mummy"
Y'know, I hear zombies are a lot like mummies.

Track 11: Lords of the Rhymes – "Black Riders"
I gotta get me a fell beast. I hear they're fuel-efficient.

Track 12: Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers – "Abominable Snowman in the Market"
Easily the least scary song of this episode.

Track 13: Richard Prior dialog / Simon Iddol – "Overkill of the Beast"
Simon Iddol actually follows me on Twitter, and I follow him too. Simon tweets links to hot new bootlegs. I tweet Dr. Dre lyrics. It's a pretty one-sided relationship.

Z's final interlude: "The perverse legacy of the Great Old Ones."
And here's a call for conversion.

Track 14: Zombies! Organize!! – "Sweet Sweet Blood" / Army of Darkness dialog
I fear you guys'll get tired of Zombies! Organize!!, as I plan to play the shit out of them over the coming weeks.

And so ends part one of the Halloween Crap-tacular. Was it crap-tastic enough for you? I hope it was.

While this episode was monster-themed, I think the next edition will be focused loosely on the supernatural world, and all that it entails. If you've got requests, please pass them on. We can also swap costume ideas. Just don't dress like the Joker. I sense a disturbing trend.

Random to Fans: Let's Make a Deal!

Image via WikipediaEveryone makes deals – Roosevelt, Faust, Monty Hall – but none as sweet as the one recently offered to fans by hip-hopper Random. Observe:

Okay, I have an announcement to make.

I can't lie, I want to win this Online Hip Hop Award-- and I need the
peoples' help.

I get asked everyday if I'm gonna make a new Mega Ran album.

So, I'll make a deal with you guys.

IF I WIN...

I promise to record a NEW Mega Ran EP (tentatively it'll be titled
"Mega Ran 9") using only the music from Mega Man 9.

Best of all-- it'll be FREE to anyone in my Mega Ran group or members
of my forum:

http://randomhiphop.proboards.com/index.cgi

FREE!!

So, all you have to do is vote for the next 5 days, right here:

http://onlinehiphopawards.com/index.php?page=nominee&nomination_id=1761

And help Mega Ran get into office, and I'll show the love right back.

I haven't even announced this to the world yet, and not sure if I will.

BUT-- You're the first to know.

what are you gonna do with the knowledge? and the power?

let MC guns-hoes-and-drugs win the award?

NO!

you're gonna make the right choice....right?

http://onlinehiphopawards.com/index.php?page=nominee&nomination_id=1761

There were some weird issues preventing me from getting the votes I
needed yesterday, but they seem to be revolved.

remember-- I win, you win.. WE Win.

now tell someone!!

I'm Random and I approve this message.

And there you have it, my friends. We've been bombarded with messages telling us to vote for months now, and, while they were actually far more likely referring to the November presidential election, the same holds true here. Let your voice be heard!

Help out your boy Ran, and he'll hook you up with more Mega Man inspired tracks. That's a fair deal if ever there was one.

Nerd News in Brief

We are, as a nation, totally fucked. I mean, at least from a financial standpoint.

Yeah, we even broke the National Debt Clock.

In case you missed that: that big ass clock in Time’s Square that reminds us how deep our national debt has become ran out of digits!

Soon we won’t even be able to calculate it via traditional means. It will surpass our meager human ability to quantify. Our nation will simply be purple elephant canoe grass stain in debt.

You heard it here first.

• So Dope: Earlier this week I got a pre-release copy of T.y.T.’s new album Jelly Brain, and I must say that it comes highly recommended. I’ll be talking about the release in more detail later, and, of course, playing a few tracks in upcoming podcasts, but, in the meantime, hit up T.y.T.’s MySpace for purchase details. It’s a wise investment.
• Milk & Doo Doo: My pal funky49 is all set to release the video for his new single "Milk & Doo Doo" in style on October 25th at the Hip Hop Soda Shop in Tampa. (Well, with as much style as possible when talking about a song with doo doo in the title.) The video release party will feature live performances from Emergency Pizza Party, Rocket Propelled Geeks, Magitek, redvoid & funky49, and, of course, the premiere of the video itself. Full info available over at funk’s site.
• Fayetteville’s Finest: The always fabulous Oneups will be playing at the Boom Boom Room in Fayetteville this Friday (October 10th). The show starts at 9:30 PM, and the entry cost is $25 or $10 with a student ID. I humbly suggest that you attend, and that you also be a student.
• Alpinekat and the Burg: Nerdcore made an appearance in Canada’s The Globe & Mail this week via an interesting avenue: Katherine McAlpine’s Large Hadron Collider rap. The piece also mentions Front, the Hawkman, and Halifax’s own Wordburglar. Burg says nice things about Nerdapalooza there at the end that can’t help but make attendance smile.
• Lev Watches the Watchmen: Matt has charged himself with keeping Church and me up to speed on the developing big screen adaptation of The Watchmen, alternately exciting us about its potential greatness and cautioning us against Hollywood’s tendency to fuck with classic comics. Still, after he linked me to Lev Grossman’s post about the 26 minute special screener, I can’t help but be a little more excited.
• Music + Comedy: Church hipped me to this great interview with my favorite instrument of Da Debbil Schaffer the Darklord over at The Apiary. It touches on Schaffer’s musical past, his arrival at the term "rappist," and a fun story about performing at a Christian college. Good times!
• Do the Margaret Thatcher: MC Frontalot is currently holding a dance contest. Totally not shitting you about that. All one needs to do to enter is record their own interpretation of the dance mentioned in Front’s new single "Wallflowers," post that sucker to YouTube or Vimeo, and then alert his Royal Frontiness. Fabulous prizes are at stake here, so dance like no one’s watching!
• If I Don’t Tell You Sanny Will Cry: There’s a new edition of Vagina Deep in Podcast available for your listening pleasure. This episode sees Nina and Sangriaa wrapping up their Top 10 Sexiest Guys in Nerdcore list (which, sadly, I did not make), playing some fun songs from across the musical spectrum, and talking about their bajingos.
• Top o’ The Muffin to Ya!: If Drunken Podcasting Month has a winner, it’s the folks from Brilliant Gameologists. This tabletop gaming podcast, which is pretty fuckin’ awesome even when the hosts are sober, put together the vilest, most profane, and completely enjoyable drunken podcast I’ve yet to hear. Do yourself a favor and take a listen.
• Carpool Lane Outlaws: At long last my pal Jarod, of AlienBobz, has favored us with his footage from Optimus Rhyme’s farewell gig pre-PAX '07 gig. 8 tracks are available, with more on the way. To take us home today I’ve chosen "My Piroshky," but be sure to check ‘em all out.
  

To the Victors

The past several weeks have seen the Rhyme Torrents community abuzz with excitement concerning its first ever 2-on-2 battle rap tourney. It was a very ambitious undertaking, given the RT legacy, but I really have to give it up to all the competitors. It was my honor to be among the panel of judges for this competition – although, admittedly, I had to sit the crucial final two rounds out for obvious reasons – and now that's it's all said and done the most dynamic of duos has stepped forward to accept the crown.

Rubiks Dudes, composed of the Midwest's MadHatter and the Northwest's MC Gigahertz, came correct from day one. They managed to bring to each round of musical combat a brand of aggression and humor that translated into a hard-fought but certainly warranted victory. Congratulations to both artists for a job well done. In a contest full of lyrical heavyweights - Myf, Epic1, T.y.T., ZeaLouS1, The Ranger, Maja, etc. – they really managed to prove their mettle.

If you missed this clash of the nerdy hip-hop titans, or if you'd simply like to relive the competition, you'd be a fool not to check out Rhyme Torrents 2v2 Tournament - The Mixtape! It's a free download from DON VITO and the RT crew that's certainly well worth your time.

Rosemary’s Maybe

After my fairly lengthy absence from these Intertubes, I am finally beginning to get back in the groove – a groove which, I have been assured, is in the heart. Thankfully, my return happens to coincide with that geekiest of holiday seasons, Halloween.

Long-time readers of the blog surely realize that this is the time of year that I really shine, but n00bs might not be familiar with my seasonal rituals. Therefore, I shall drop some science.

First and foremost, each October listeners of Radio Free Hipster are promised 2 podcasts wholly dedicated to the spookier side of geeky music. I’ve already completed the song list for part one (Ep. 53); it’s an episode all about monsters and creatures of myth, and it features mc chris, Heightened Titans, Zombies! Organize!!, and Simon Iddol. Part two (Ep.54) looks to be focused on the supernatural, and I’ve got tracks from Mustin and Snidget on tap. Should you have any suggestions of songs about ghosts, magic, or other assorted metaphysical funkiness you’d care to throw into the mix, don’t hesitate to let me know.

I also tend to do a horror-themed feature this time of year, and, while I don’t have anything specific lined up, I’ll see what I can do. Truthfully, I’m so far behind on my interviews and album reviews already that I certainly don’t need the extra work, but, in the spirit of Halloween, I’ll have to see what I can cook up.

In the meantime, expect ample creepiness in the next few NNIBs and various other posts. Pazuzu is the reason for the season!

Nerd News in Brief

Vacations are like cocaine. They cost too much, they’re never as much fun as your friends tell you they’re gonna be, and, when it’s all over, you feel even shittier than you did to start with. Sadly, we just keep taking them. 

We are addicted to vacationing.

I think it’s sort of a cultural thing. All my European friends take these nice, loose, lengthy holidays in exotic locals and actually manage to, y’know, relax. Whereas we Americans try and squeeze a year’s worth of fucking around into one week, exhausting ourselves in the process.

It’s a bad scene, I tells ya. A bad scene.

• Revenge of the Nerd Girl: MC Router recently popped up on G4.com’s The Feed displaying her various and sundry geeky tattoos. There were some comments. They were pretty silly. It is, after all, G4 viewers we’re talking about.
• You Can’t Deny the Force: Thanks to Candi for pointing me toward this trailer for the 2 Skinnee J’s documentary Get in the Van. The film contains footage from the guys’ 2008 summer reunion tour, assorted nerdtastic bullshittery, and, for some reason, Andy Dick. More info can be found at the Fat Rock Productions site.
• Without Irony: On the subject of documentaries, MC Frontalot and Nerdcore Rising director Negin Farsad were featured earlier this month at MSNBC.com, where they talked about the film and nerdcore in general. There’s even a nice little video presentation offered as accompaniment that features Front, Negin, some fans, and hobbits. Always with the hobbits.
• Music + Television, Wizard + Rock: Church wants to let everyone know that MTV has finally got around to shining a proper light on the Wizard Rockumentary. Okay, so admittedly MTV’s piece is little more than a blurb, but it’s a nice blurb about a great project, so check it out.
  
• Dork the Vote: Recently mc chris popped up, if you can believe it, on the official Obama campaign blog! Watch this Warped Tour voter registration vid to see for yourself. He’s near the end.
  
• Dynamic Duos: mc has also announced the openers for his fall tour. Among them are my pal Beefy and Canadian hip-hop titan Jesse Dangerously. Keep an eye on mcchris.com as dates solidify.
  
• Flip Your Wig: My boy Anthony and the Game Music 4 All guys have announced an extra special event called West Coast Wig Out. This all-day concert will features California’s finest nerdy musicians, as well as a number of special guests from faraway locales. Clear your calendar come mid-November, ‘cause this is not a show to be missed.
  
• From the Horse’s Mouth: A few weeks back I had the pleasure of checking out MC Lars at my local dive bar. Lars put on a great show and was a joy to talk to, especially when he started dropping some knowledge re: his various projects. Lars let slip that his new release would boast samples from Therapy? and Fugazi, as well as a number of special guests. He also confirmed that he and D.G. YTCracker are hard at work on a unique musical endeavor of their own.
  
• A Primal Force: Also on the new project front is nerdcore all-star trio Heightened Titans featuring T.Y.T., Whore Moans, and The Ranger. Ranger has promised me an album within the coming month – an offer I plan on holding him to – but, in the meantime, hit up the Titans’ MySpace for a taste. 
  
• Meanwhile, in Robot City: Mega Ran has had a lot to celebrate in recent months, and that trend continues. He’s been heavily nominated as the “Artist to Watch” at this year’s Online Hip-Hop Awards – and you’re encouraged to nominate him too. He’s also recently launched his own fan board, which certainly warrants your attention. Yep, everything’s coming up Random.
  
• UltraK on USB: If you’re looking to get your Karl Oslon on, have I got a deal for you! You can score the entire Ultraklystron back catalog for a mere $25. Yes, Nearly 3 gigs of nerdy goodness on a super functional flash drive. Who could ask for anything more?
  
• Crunchy Newness: On the new music tip, there’s a trio of releases that demand your attention. The first is the dark and techy Anomalous Materials Laboratory by my pal Antisocial. The second is the sinister, seasonal Triple-Six Mixtape from Mad DPS and the Rhyme Torrents crew. And lastly is id obelus’s The Inevitable Crushing EP. The first two are free, while the third will set you back a mere 5 bucks.
• He is the Final Boss: And just because MC Frontalot’s album Final Boss won’t be released for another month doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy it now. How, you ask? By pre-ordering from Front’s site you will be granted immediate access to a high-quality digital version of the album to tide you over until your physical CD arrives. How delightful!
  
• A Primer: The lovely Lizz (of Wizrocklopedia fame) has just made available a Wizard Rock Starter Pack over at Archive.org. It’s an amazing collection of live and studio tracks from Harry and the Potters, Peeved, The Whomping Willows, The Parselmouths, The Remus Lupins, and many, many more. Also, it is free!
  
• The Opposite of Horrible: And taking us out today is a YouTube find from Matt. It’s Lauren and Nina of The Moaning Myrtles covering a certain song from a certain Sing-Along Blog. Enjoy.

Gone Fishin'

Hi, folks.

First, I just want to say thank you to everyone for your support during these very difficult last few days. Your thoughts and prayers and condolences have served to remind me that I am, in fact, a full-fledged member of this geeky musical community, and not just the idle observer I sometimes feel myself to be. You have helped me more than you could know, and certainly more than I could properly express. So while thank you doesn't exactly cover the full scope of it, it's all I've got. And I give it to you, my friends.

As I've previously mentioned, the family and I are heading down to the coast for the remainder of the week. It's an annual pilgrimage that we make each fall, and, honestly, I find it fortuitous that it came along when it did, as I can surely use a little idle time.

While I don't plan to be blogging whilst on vacation, I will be making a concerted effort to update my Twitter regularly, so if you want to know the manner of foolishness in which I am currently engaged feel free to check me out over there. Likewise, should you wanna holler at me, I'll be auto-forwarding all my direct messages to my cell phone. So don't be afraid to shoot me a tweet if you feel the urge.

Oh, the glory of the digital age!

On Passing

This is not a personal blog. But it is a blog about nerdy culture as filtered through my own personal experience, and, as such, sometimes my real offline life intrudes. This is such an occasion.

I had originally planned to favor you today with another edition of Nerd News in Brief. There have been interesting developments of late concerning mc chris and Barack Obama, MC Lars and YTCracker, id obelus, and my pal Anthony just to name a few: things that are, at least to my reckoning, solidly newsworthy. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to write about these items at length at this time.

I was informed earlier this morning that my father has passed away. He and I weren't exactly what you call close, but he's my dad and I love him. A good bit of what I am today – both the bad and the good – is because of him. He instilled within me a love of music, a strong sense of self, and a penchant for profanity: the three pillars of projects like Hipster, please!

As I've stated, this isn't an ideal place for my personal emotional wallowings, so I'll simply leave it at that. Only to add that my planned vacation seems to've arrived prematurely and under less than ideal conditions.

Sincerest apologies to all those who have things in the works that I should rightly be promoting at present. I'll get back to the grind once I've had a chance to decompress, and you'll be at the top of the list.

That is to say I'll be back soon with more musings about geeky music, videogames, and Internet culture, and, in the meantime, don't worry too much about me. I'll get through.

Until then, stay well and be safe.

"'Cause we are not our parents, except that we are. So when you're losing what you're holding onto, you've got to let it go. You let it go. Oh, I know. And when I think about how much I didn't know before, it freaks me out to know how much I don't know now."

-- Uncle Monsterface, "Sparkle and Shine"

Wii60 and the Ways of the World

It’s been a while since I just, y’know, riffed around here, so this seems like as good a time as any. Truthfully, I’ve got a number of wholly unrelated things to talk about, so administering to these items a properly measured injection of snark sounds like the best way to tie them all together.

First, I recently acquired an Xbox 360 to keep my poor, lonely Wii company in the den. Yes, the pride of tech-heads circa 2005 – and a machine so delightfully flawed as to have an almost certain chance of revealing its catastrophic defect – is now mine. Huzzah! As such, I have also created one of those newfangled GamerTags that the kids are so crazy for. It is hipsterplease. Because I am not very creative.

Over the weekend I also had a chance to listen to one of those exclusive PAX pre-release editions of MC Frontalot’s new album Final Boss, a CD that not only possesses wicked cool back cover art by my pal Dennis but that was also declared the fucking wickedest Frontalot album to date by one Mr. J. Dangerously. (I know you’re wondering how I got my hands on a PAX release of this album when I did not, in fact attend PAX. The answer: I have covert agents in a variety of international stages of operation!) As per Jesse’s description, the album really is phenomenal. In fact, you should totally score a copy when it becomes available to the general public in the near future.

And speaking of Jesse D., after an almost laughable number of technical difficulties – centering around a primary email account that, as Church and Matt can attest, genuinely loathes humans – my interview with this lyrical titan from the Great White North is almost complete. We talk nerdcore, politics, and Alpha Flight. There also may be a bit in there about kidnapping Weird Al. I’m not at liberty to say. You’ll be able to enjoy the interview in its entirety when it hits the blog in early October.

Why October? Because your Uncle Zed needs a break.

Yes folks, Z. is going on a bit of a (well-earned) vacation next week. Unfortunately, this means there will be no second part to September’s Drunken Podcasting Month festivities. Between my real work, my writing for Wired.com, and all the stuff I do around here, I’m afraid I’m spread a little thin. And rather than rush through a bunch of stuff for the simple sake of getting it done, I’ve elected to cut back production for the next couple of weeks while I prepare for and enjoy my family holiday.

But fear not, for when I return all refreshed and whatnot it will be time for my annual October shenanigans! Yes, two spookerrific Halloween-themed podcasts plus an interview with Jesse plus Christ-only-knows-what-else! I am excited! Do you not see the indicative punctuation?!

Probably the Concussion Talking

I first became aware of Math the Band through their association with two other fantastic geek-friendly groups, Harry and the Potters and Uncle Monsterface. On the good word of the aforementioned – in this case, meaning that Math was joining Monsterface and the Potters on their summer tour – I checked them out, hoping for the best.

What I discovered amid scores of old (free!) demo tracks was a one-man minimalist synth punk machine that could be favorably compared with the likes of Atom and His Package and I Hate You When You’re Pregnant. But while Atom often focuses on slanted observances and personal recollections and IHYWYP plays performance art against ironic provocation, Math seems firmly rooted in making music that’s fun, accessible, and at times a little absurd.

The band that I discovered on stage at the Unlimited Enthusiasm Expo’s stopover at this summer’s Nerdapalooza was a variation on a theme: a three-person setup that transformed those bright, key-heavy numbers into a solid wall of rock ‘n’ roll aerobics. After getting my ass handily rocked off by the spectacle, I approached the trio to discuss the bewildering spectacle.

Apparently truthful flattery goes a long way with Math the Band, because I was treated to a free copy of their newest CD Banned the Math, which I’ll now explore in depth.

1. "Hey Dude! (A Predule)"
   Epic and sweeping, and maybe a little sinister, "Hey Dude!" starts the album on a note of classic misdirection. The sound of this intro track is (almost surely) intentionally misleading, but it’s such a perfect primer that the listener is halfway through the second song before realizing he’s been duped.
2. "Let’s Hear it for Capitalism"
   An amazingly smooth transition from the disparate lead-in track takes us into this fun, pulsing "merch song." Despite the fact that Kevin’s declaration that he doesn’t play instruments and doesn’t have much talent is a lie, this song is both lyrically and musically compelling. The synth lead is sharp and uplifting, and, as advertised, it makes you dance.
3. "LEEEETTTSSS GGGOOOOOOOOO!!!"
   Another silky transition and a well-layered intro, make up for the fact that "LEEEETTTSSS GGGOOOOOOOOO!!!" is a bit too similar to the preceding song. That being said, this is easily my favorite song about exercise. Ever. It skillfully alternates between breezy instrumentation and a good, old-fashioned group scream, lending a lot of power and energy to a song that’s less than two minutes in length.
4. "Blue Skies and Blue Jeans"
   "Blue Skies and Blue Jeans" changes the album’s tone a little, both musical and vocally. It stands out by being as low-key as Math gets (save one later instance). The fantastic instrumental breakdown around 1:10 mark gives this piece true depth, but the hooky, chirpy instrumentation and oddly touching lyrics will keep you interested along the way.
5. "Wear Wolf Fever"
   A full 360 degress from its predecessor, this song (which is one of my favorites from the old demos) could rightly be called a defining moment of the Math the Band sound. With its odd vocal timbre, layered refrain, frenetic music, and surreal lyrics, it’s a sub-two-minute-miracle that proves to be the acid test for determining who is and is not a fan of Math the Band. 
6. "My Algebra Teacher (Sold Heroin)"
   Another perfectly smooth transition leads to fun galloping "bass" and warm synth lead of "My Algebra Teacher." This is the first of two album tracks that contains a reference to the "bottom of the ocean," which is either a clever lyrical motif or an oversight. The classic chiptune feel and predictably fun vocals make it a treat, but the glitchy instrumental outro is its genuine strength.
7. "The Water Cycle"
   This is another standout track that manages to make edutainment interesting, if not wholly accurate. (To my knowledge, motorcycles have little to do with the water cycle.) The musical refrain is used to punctuate the vocals to a particularly interesting affect, giving it an almost call-response style. And while it probably goes without saying, you really can’t go wrong with synthetic handclaps. 
8. "Everyone is Embarrassing"
   Kevin introduced this track live at Nerdapalooza by stating that is was about "my sister who had lice and I love her." On all levels it's both earnest and laughable, and has proven another one of my personal favorites. It's also of note because it contains swearing. I like swearing. In the end, the lyric "nobody’s cool and I still love you" comes through as a candy-coated affirmation. It packs a lot of power for a song scarcely a minute and a half long.
9. "Following All the Rules Is Not a Crime"
   While the vocal delivery is totally unhinged, the musical backing of "Following All the Rules Is Not a Crime" is fairly subdued, which makes for a handsome contrast. The "chorus," as such, is almost touching. But mostly it's weird.
10. "You Can’t Spell"
    Another markedly brilliant song transition leads into what could be construed as the musical equivalent of Kevin losing his fucking mind. There are moments of lucidity, of course, but they merely punctuate the lyrical madness. Calling the project a "one-man band" may be a bit of an oversimplification with regard to the current project, but this is another great minute and a half of blissful chippyness.
11. "Four Square or Square Ball"
    "Four Square or Square Ball" is one of the few moments of the entire album that I find a bit lacking. The sound's simply a bit too compressed for my liking, although there's a great Super Mario World-esque breakdown mid-song that prevents me from skipping it. It also contains an inexplicable transition to "The Star Spangled Banner" in its waning measures. Yeah. At 3 minutes long, it simply serves to drive home the fact that I prefer my Math in short bursts of genius, as opposed to more lengthy musical meditations. Still, the final crisp snare hit leads perfectly into the following cover track.
12. "Upside Down From Here"
    An Atom and His Package cover wasn't exactly what I expected out of Banned the Math, but it certainly works. Boasting all the flavor of the original without quite as much camp, it actually shows a brand of restraint (both musically and vocally) from Math, which I’m opposed to in theory, but it works well in this instance. 
13. "The Alphabet Using Spellcheck"
    Hal 9000 samples, spacey instrumentation, and faint screaming make this the most experimental track on an album that’s nothing but experiments. You'll find the song has burned through half its track time before it really kicks in, but it’s an enjoyable, upbeat ride that must be heard to be understood.
14. "The Order of the Planets from the Sun"
    Another little piece of edutainment, "The Order of the Planets from the Sun" features some almost whiny keys that make this an incredibly fun track. It could be easily compared to the likes of the recent kid-friendly fare by They Might Be Giants, only without the borderline stodginess. Pluto’s orbit is eccentric, as is Math the Band. And yet I love them both.
15. "Homework Sucks"
    Lyrically, this song recalls earlier references to being "under the ocean" and robots, which might be recurring themes. Of course, I could just be paying a little too much attention to lyrical subtleties. In essence, this is anthem centered on the refusal to grow up. Maybe. Again, perhaps I’m paying too much attention. Still, at less than two minutes, it manages to achieve an oddly sweeping air. 
16. "Techno Machine (With a Laser Beam)"
    "Techno Machine" comes off a bit too nouveaux disco for my liking, what with the abundance of staccato vocals and harsh rhythm. It’s one of the few moments only the album that loses me, but at under a minute and a half, it’s a minor inconvenience at worst.
17. "Dinosaurs Were Made Up by the CIA to Discourage Time Travel"
    Another fantastic transition leads to a track boasting what is, perhaps, the best song title ever. It recaptures some of the inertia lost on "Techno Machine," and it integrates an odd stuttering click that’s maddeningly catchy. It also features equations – which only a band like this could get away with without sounding pretentious or totally preposterous – and another genuinely elegant ending. 
18. "Shoeless Wonder"
    "Dinosaurs" trails nicely into "Shoeless Wonder," a song marked by expertly implemented secondary vocals that punctuate and break up its sometimes thick sound. And while I’m glad I finally know "who put the bop in the bop shu bop shu bop," its jarring end is a little bit of a buzzkill.
19. "Third Sunday of October the First"
    Allow me to quote: "I thought that I’d try something different / my band’s gonna sound like a videogame… like The Postal Service but hopefully not as lame." With "keytars and electric beats" sandwiched between crispy layers of whimsy and odd echo effects, I can’t help but say that Math succeeds in the aforementioned task. 
20. "Shark Attack"
    An immediately engaging nonsensical tale, "Shark Attack" is another excellent introduction to the band’s sound that just so happens to show up at the end of the album. It’s got a catchy and capably created melody, a scream-along refrain, and an outro that’s a great in-joke in its own right.
21. "Shark Attack (Reprise)"
    This lilting piano rendition of "Shark Attack" is totally unnecessary and wholly charming. It really drives home what’s great about Math: their genuine enjoyment of the music-making process and refusal to take things too seriously. The vocals are a bit whiny, but it’s still a fantastic end to a fantastic album of fun-loving, absurdist genius.

Math is a band with a healthy disrespect for the standard conventions of pop music, and Banned the Math is a release often devoid of typical verse-chorus-verse structure. But somehow, despite all that, the songs manage to reach the very epitome of catchiness and harmonious charm.

The tracks are, more often than not, tiny nuggets of musical excellence, and through them Banned the Math succeeds on two primary levels. Not only are the songs themselves imminently enjoyable, but the project as a whole is cohesive, well-paced, and solidly engaging. It's one thing to make good songs, but arranging them into a proper album is totally different beast. Banned the Math proves unequivocally that Math the Band does both.

While obviously not for everyone, Banned the Math is easy to recommend to those who enjoy music for music’s sake, as well those with an appreciation for the unusual and the exemplary. I can’t make any guarantees that you’ll enjoy it quite as much as I do – which is a lot – but at $10 it’s a must-purchase for the geeky music lover in you. (EDIT: Looks like you can currently get the album and a t-shirt for $15 via Math’s MySpace. Get on that shit!)

In the end, with their humorous lyrical slant, well-crafted but never exaggerated instrumentation, and emphasis on music as a fun and engaging experience, Math the Band is an easy act to support. So take a moment to check out the album samples, and, if it gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling, kick a couple of bucks to some folks who really deserve it. 

And, if you get a chance, check them out live. It helps you develop a whole new appreciation their unique brand of musical mischief.

"I look around; there's no one left but me. / I take off my headphones."

Nerd News in Brief

So it looks like the Large Hadron Collider didn’t destroy the Earth.

(Or, at least it hadn’t when last I checked.)

So we got that going for us. Which is nice.

Despite the trappings of my simple southern raising, I don’t fear science. Nor do I, as a rule, embrace superstition and hokum. Don’t get me wrong, I adore superstition and hokum – I find them ceaselessly amusing – I just don’t exactly, y’know, believe any of it.

I guess I’m the worst brand of skeptic: the kind who wants desperately to believe in the fantastic, but just can’t seem to find sufficient evidence.

In the end, science is the foot that kicks magic square in the nuts.

• Earth-shattering in its Own Right: This week I interviewed Toren Atkinson of The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for GeekDad. I’m a big Thickets fan and he’s been on my to-interview list for years. Thusly, it was a pretty fuckin’ awesome experience for me a as fan. Lemme know what you think.
• Beef up Your Musical Gamer Score: Attack Slug has just favored the nerdcore world with another release, and it features the additional talents of KABUTO, T.Y.T., and The Ranger. It is titled Achievement Unlocked, and you can pick it up the album and relevant a cappellas at his site.
• AKA Grover Kent: My pal Glenn Case has hipped me to a new project over at The 61. It’s a tribute of sorts to 61 scenester Supergrover, as well as to his favorite-band-that-no-one’s-heard-of For Squirrels. Thirteen years ago this week that promising group lost several of its members in an auto accident, and earlier this year ‘Grover was diagnosed with cancer. This one is for them and for anyone else who’s had a run of bad luck. Namely all of us. 
• To Beef or Not to Beef: Also helping out his fellow man is mc chris. mc has started a cystic fibrosis fund to gather money for research into the disease and its treatment. In celebration of chris’s birthday, YTCracker donated $33 to the cause. mc chris responded by saying that it was "the quickest possible way to squash beef with [him]. STC is the greatest. "
• Brooklyn Zoo: mc also shared a bit about his recent 60 Minutes interview. It has come to light that MC Frontalot was also involved in the piece, although Front has yet to say anything about the experience.
• Get Inoculated: What Front has provided is a little video preview of the track "Diseases of Yore" from his new album Final Boss. It features Jonathan Coulton. And is awesome.
• Formally Known Food Processor Magazine: You can see Frontalot, Random, and a rogues gallery of other featured artists from this year’s Nerdapalooza SE in this month’s edition of Blender. It has the Pussycat Dolls on the cover. That is counterintuitive.
• Game On: And on the subject of my friend Random, Church points out that Ran topped the charts in this recent Examiner list of the top 10 videogame sampling hip-hop tracks. Suffice it to say he finds himself in good company.
• BAHston: This week Uncle Monsterface returns to its old stomping ground. Sort of. On Thursday, September 11th several "Best of Monsterface Tee Vee" shorts will be featured as part of EXPERIMENTALLY ILL 2 : An Indie Showcase of Alternative Film at the Coolidge Corner Theater. And on Friday, September 12th you can catch UMF’s Marty playing a solo gig at Jamaica Plain's Midway Café. And don’t forget to pahk the cahr at Hahvahd yahd.
• Potter Ink: And thanks to Matt for providing ample information regarding this wicked cool Harry Potter Dewey Decimal tat belonging to librarian and WRock aficionado Becca. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that Becca is one of the Wizrockateers. What can I say? Matt has a marked interest in the naked flesh of Potter fangirls. You heard it here first!
• They Are the World: And lastly, HiTekElvis has just favored me with an amazing vid from this year’s PAX. Apparently, during the artist's panel Blak Lotus, suggested they all sing "We Are the World." And they did. So behold The Minibosses, Mustin from the OneUps, JoCo, Front, Blak Lotus, G Minor 7, The Categorical Imperative, Freezepop, The Darkness of the Hillside Thickets, and Anamanaguchi singing for the children. They are the ones who make a brighter day!
  

Radio Free Hipster Ep. 52: Just Drunk Enough

It's simple podcast math: The more individuals involved in a podcast, the longer it is. Further, the more you drink, the more you talk. These truths are invariable.

Thusly, this podcast is long as shit.

I'm serious.

Download Radio Free Hipster Ep. 52: Just Drunk Enough [hosting provided by Antisocial] Size: 55.2 MB Running Time: 1:20:31

Show Notes:

Intro: Baddd Spellah – "Radio Free Hipster Theme (feat. Beefy)"
I hear Beefy was totally sloshed when he recorded these vocals. Maybe.

Track 1: Space Ghost Coast to Coast dialog / Mary Prankster – "The Bottle's Talking Now"
Matt picked out this most fitting intro track.

1st drunken interlude: "A fake holiday season of my own imaging."
In honor of Drunken Podcasting Month, Matt joined me via Skype and Church contributed via chat. They simply couldn't stand the thought of me drinking alone!

Track 2: Southside – "Vibrate"
Church mentioned that this song should be played before the feature presentation at movie theaters. I concur.

Track 3: Optimus Rhymes – "Obey the Moderator (Remix)"
You can check out the OR video footage I mentioned here.

Track 4: Strange Brew dialog / The Sprites – "Modern Gameplay"
Complaining about new school controller design isn't exactly unusual, but The Sprites sound good doing it.

Track 5: Strange Brew dialog (cont.) / Hayseed Dixie – "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
I picked this one out. Surprising, no?

Track 6: The Mudbloods – "I Wish You'd Be My Witch"
It's hard not to love The Mudbloods. This song is the reason why.

2nd drunken interlude: "Will you drink to that?"
Of course they will. These boys will drink to anything!

Track 7: Jonathan Coulton – "I Feel Fantastic"
Didn't Matt do a great job introducing this song? Seriously. If I paid him he'd totally get a raise for that.

Track 8: Beefy – "Minimum Wage Slave"
Beefy no longer works two shitty minimum wage jobs, but he's still down for the common man.

Track 9: Doug Stanhope – "He's Just Drunk" / Computerization – "Collars"
Wait, are we implying that it's oaky to get drunk at work?

Track 10: Fountains of Wayne – "Bright Future in Sales"
Yes, I believe we are.

Track 11: Dual Core – "Unplug"
Nobody sings the programmers blues quite like int eighty.

3rd drunken interlude: "There were a lot of work songs in that set, wasn't there?"
Can you tell we're getting sloppy here?

Track 12: Eddie Murphy – "Drinking Fathers" / PC Speaker – "Scheduled Rhymes"
According to PC, nerds have the best drugs.

Track 13: Severely Snaped – "Petrified"
It's like a Black Sabbath cover band fronted by Severus Snape. Don't gimme that look; you're just pissed 'cause you didn't think of it first.

Track 14: No Kill I – "Tranya"
A repeat from episode 20.

Track 15: Eddie Murphy – "Drinking Fathers (cont.)" / myf – "Homebrew"
I am amazed at the number of people who don't know how to pronounce myf's name. It rhymes with "stiff."

Track 16: Catchlove – "Legacy of the Fallen Wizard"
Let it be known: there is no "the."

Final drunken interlude: "Y'all are now my official unofficial co-hosts."
They are. For realsies.

Track 17: nYgel – "1to3for" / Space Ghost Coast to Coast dialog
Feist + YTCracker? You wouldn't think it would work, but it does!

And there you have it, folks: my first official Drunken Podcasting Month podcast. I'd like to make this a yearly celebration, but only time will tell whether or not the concept strikes a chord with the general populace.

I'm hoping to get in another drunkcast before month's end, although my vacation plans may complicate matters. Still, if you want to hear more of my friends and me swearing, making gross generalizations, and otherwise babbling incoherently, just let me know.

We'll be glad to oblige.

Either way, thanks to Church and Matt for pitching in. Gentlemen, it was a pleasure!