When I'm listening to new music I have several neurotic criteria for immediately placing judgment on an album. While some of my rules may be considered trite, they usually hold true for mainstream music. Such as, if the album starts off with the title track (being the same name as the name of the album) then the album is going to be terrible. However, I don't review a lot of mainstream music. So the rules get bent a little bit and there is more wiggle room. One of my rules is the "first listen" rule. If an album doesn't impress me in some way on first listen, that's an immediate strike. More on that in a moment.
When Shael Riley messaged me asking to check out his new album, I have to be honest, I wasn't bursting at the seams to give it a listen. I have listened to a lot of his music in the past and like some of it (the Grammar Club being some of his most excellent work) but it never really grabbed me. Shael is a nerdcore chiptune rock artist, using not only live instruments but chiptunes as well. Only recently has this particular brand of music caught on with me. Some of his songs I've liked, some I never listened to again. So with moderate expectations I downloaded Ultimate Songs from the Pit from Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire (Shael Riley & Ty Guenley). The album immediately slapped my expectations around like a four-year-old in a ball pit during an earthquake.
In person, Shael is unassuming and genuinely polite. His lyrics and music, for the most part as well. There is a deep sarcastic tone in many of his words, with a not so typical slant on reality of day to day situations. The feel of the album and the lyrics is as if you are living a life less ordinary and Shael is narrating it through song. This kind of association is what makes nerdcore so appealing to many people, and why it is a growing genre. There is no reason to think that an album such as this won't be considered mainstream someday. Until then, us geeks will simply have to keep listening and supporting these independent artists through our sharing and donations.
The album kicks off with a speculative song about learning new things, something we've all thought of before. "How to Fire a Gun" is a great tune to start off the album, and immediately drew me into Shael's world. A great foot tapping beat with the chiptunes providing depth (as an orchestra would) permeates many of the songs on the album. Shael's control of the chiptunes, using the multitude of Nintendo styled noises as an accompaniment rather than an overwhelming smack in the gob creates a delightful playground of sound. All the gaps in between chords, the outros and intros are dotted with well composed chiptunes.
There is a breathy emotion in some of Shael's vocals, which speaks to the production values and his dedication. Ultimate Songs from the Pit was an album two years in the making, and you can feel the requisite blood, sweat and tears that went into its production. Especially in songs such as "Publishing Rights" (featuring Shaffer the Dark Lord) and "Hipster Hoax," the next two tracks on the album, the emotionality adds to a certain frustrating tone in the lyrics. Not that he's frustrated, just that the subject matter (unassumingly fictional) seems to twang that chord in your head.
With songs such as "The Other Side of Memphis" (written by Ricky Henry), "Haters Unite," "Area Dolls Guy" (featuring Mega Ran) and "8 Bits to Loneliness" there is no reason a stranger to the nerdcore chiptunes genre would recognize this as not a pop rock, unrequited romance album. Shael has his own creative twist on the modern romance though, such as stating during "8 Bits to Loneliness" that "there are no single girls at the chiptunes show/there is love in the world I think I know/but there are no single girls at the chiptunes show." I dunno. I've been to chiptunes shows. I think all the girls there were single.
I particularly liked the pseudo title track "tip eht fo mottob," a delightfully creepy song about spending life at the bottom of a pit at the whim of an evil wizard. Again, great use of the chiptunes and a catchy song to boot. The song "Asian Kids Have All the Best Moves" might be one you have heard before, focusing on the stereotypes that surround Asian kids such as their early mastery of many languages and badass ninja moves. It's another tongue in cheek twist on a reality that we are all familiar with, though sometimes too timid to say out loud.
My favorite song on the album though (as I always have one) is "Boot Straps." Featuring Brian Mazzaferri from I Fight Dragons on the chorus. This is a great song about working the daily grind. Speaking of I Fight Dragons, Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire is the perfect companion group for any kind of upcoming tour. They are very similar in their approach to nerdcore chiptune rock, both groups have been in heavy rotation on my playlist. I think, though, where I Fight Dragons is stronger in the rock department, with chiptunes playing a smaller part, Shael pulls in the chiptunes to complement his vocals and lyrics.
There is really only one song on the album that deserves any sort of warning. Even though there are some curse words sprinkled throughout, "Rarest of Elements" (featuring Billy the Fridge) is about a girl in a room. A room with 40 guys. It gets a little explicit from there. Strangely though, I would almost call this tune a love song even considering the content. Or at least an appreciation song. Either way, it's not for kids. So keep that in mind. The rest of the album is fine for the most part, nothing is as explicit. However, it's still another great song on a great album.
I do have to mention the song "Actual Conspiracy" which was written by fellow nerdcore artist Benjamin Bear. If you know Benjamin Bear and are a fan of his music, as I am, you can almost tell without knowing that the lyrics were written by him. Shael has a great delivery of Benjamin's paranoid theories in this track, one of my favorites on the album by far. It comes late in the album, and keeps the 16 track album from falling apart late as many albums do.
So back to the "first listen" rule. Ultimate Songs from the Pit provided the best first listen of any album this year. I immediately put it on full rotation and started writing this review. Then I slacked off for a week and came back to it. Not only was it a great first listen, but according to just my media player at work, it's been a great double digit listen as well.
WIRED A fantastic album in all aspects of production, from lyrics, vocals and the instruments. Whether you are a fan of nerdcore, chiptunes or just great music you should enjoy this album. In a mainstream world flooded with the same pop crap over and over, this is a refreshing change.
TIRED Shael Riley has a very unique singing voice that might grate on some people who prefer artists with deeper tones. The album does lag a bit in the middle, but comes right back at you.
Rating: 
Check out (and download and donate) Ultimate Songs from the Pit at Shael Riley's Bandcamp page. Support independent artists and make a donation.
