I found it eerie and fortuitous that the last time I really spoke of nerdcore was last 3rd (of June) mayhaps I can maintain a monthly set schedule for blathering about beatmasters and lyricwrights? (probably not, so don't get your hopes up.)
This months Nerdcore Artist is the band Optimus Rhyme. Their site is over
NYAH! and you can buy some of their music
hierNYAH.
Based out of the wet north (hehe, wet . . ) of Seattle, Washington, the Autobeats (yes, they embrace their theme) seek to destroy all Wackacons. With tight guitar tickling, steady bass rhythms with some phunky skank on em, steady crashes from the drums, all give a garage band feel to set Wheelie Cyberman's rapid-fire clean and clear lyrics against.
Honestly, this is one of my favorite artists. Wheelie has a wicked flow, can keep the words pounding and bouncing like a cheap . . . well, and he keeps his voice running the scale like high school bleachers.
If there's one thing that will start to turn me off about most nerdcore rappers is the monotone, one note, speaking fast, bull. Yes rapping is heavily comprised of dense verbage, but its also a MUSIC style, which means, unless you're as good as
Cake (which in my opinion, still matches the little variation he has to the overall songs) get some music theory in your spit, j0!
aright, back on to Optimus Rhyme . . . I'm also a bit of a sucker for things that stick to a theme and do it well. O.R. does this. The pseudonyms the band uses when they're performing are amusing, as well as a greater portion of the catalog uses the transformers theme as song content. Another selling point is that although they embrace the theme, they dont nessecarily beat you over the head with it. Not every song is literally "we autobots, hur, hur, wackacons esplode when we play, yay!" well, one or two are like that, but by and large the songs accept that they exist in this reality and don't beleaguer the point. At least for me.
As mentioned before, I love the guitar. Powerthighs lays it down by keeping a steady back drop, but definitely keeps the strings taught and tickles them mercilessly. He can drop down and meld with the group to create a harmonious sound, but brings it right back up for fast fingered audio filigree.
Stumblebee, the bassist, do what a bass do. Sets a steady line that the rest of the band may walk, but when you walk, you gotta have a swagger if you're as bad ass as an autobot. When not keeping it steady he throws down and rumbles the speakers, dancing the chords with an ease and skill that would make the fleetest of fingered lesb . . . what? Music is sensual. well, actually, the bass, its so phunky. I'm shaking my own head typing this at how this doesn't even begin to describe it.
As for Grimrock, honestly, he does what any good drummer needs to do. Plays so well you don't realize he's there. Honestly! A lot of nerdcore is geek rap, right? Most of it is back beats and samples with an MC in front of it. For someone to be a live beat machine, and stay in sync with a live band, AND stay steady with a repetitive beat setup, is a challenge. Its a mix of paying attention, staying IN the music and keeping tempo. Not a task for the flippant and lame. Serious kudos to the kicker/thumper of Optimus Rhyme.
Choice songs include -Anxiety- off the album "TransF0Rmed" - Powder Blue Egg Hatch- & -JZ75- off their self titled EP, "Optimus Rhyme" (in case you didint realize) and also -AUTOBEAT AIRBUS- off "School The Indie Rockers"
All of those are very high energy songs, but that's one of the reasons I enjoy them so. That should wrap it up for now. Nerdcore 4 life, microsoft-WERD!
