The Nerdy Dozen: 12 Must-Hear Songs of 2011

This has been a banner year for geeky music. From Anthrax's epic zombie-slaying anthem to one of Weird Al's finest efforts to date, 2011 has come correct with the musical magic. But despite breakthrough releases by acts like I Fight Dragons and Jonathan Coulton at long last capturing imaginations on the more studious side of the mainstream, many other artists still managed to stay under the pop culture radar.

And since I cannot, in good conscience, allow these most notable of efforts to go unnoticed, I've compiled a handy list of 12 more phenomenal tracks that may have unwittingly passed you by.

The OverClocked Plaid Muffins – "Ska Buffet (All You Can Eat)"
OverClocked ReMix
Trying to pick a standout track from a musical community as eclectic, prolific and heavily peer-reviewed as OverClocked ReMix is a tough call. Still, even taking into consideration special projects like their epic tribute albums, 2011's most pleasantly surprising OCR cut was easily the Kirby Super Star-inspired "Ska Buffet." A labor of love by no fewer than eight community ReMixers, The OverClocked Plaid Muffins represent another in a long, proud line of virtual bands to crank out amazing tunes using the interconnectivity afforded by the digital age. And the best news? Level 99, the group's conceptual center, hipped me to some early mixes of forthcoming OCPM tracks at this summer's Nerdapalooza, and they are every bit as tasty as this debut!

The Garthim-Master and DJ Extend – "Dude, Where's My AT-AT At? (feat. Wordburglar)"
Bandcamp
There's something undeniably unique about Canadian hip-hop, and this is especially true of rapper The Garthim-Master. His 2011 full-length Ghosts of Nostalgia – backed up by German producer DJ Extend – skillfully blended the verbally impressionistic with the thematically sentimental, and tracks like humorous Star Wars narrative "Dude, Where's My AT-AT At?" provided the sometimes intimidating sounds of the hip-hop underground with distinct nerd appeal.

Supercommuter – "It is Splendid!"
Amazon – Bandcamp
For whatever reason, chiptune music always seems to be a bit of a hard sell to new listeners. (Even more so than, say, a pair of Canadian underground hip-hop staples rhyming about Star Wars.) Yet on their sophomore release Products of Science, Seattle chip-hop trio Supercommuter managed to bridge the gap between experimental lo-fi electronica, nerdcore rap and engaging robot rock. It's easily one of the year's best albums, and "It is Splendid" is an early standout.

Swagberg – "Pony Swag (fear. Maros)"
CosmicDuck
Swagberg has, under a myriad of different stage names, made a name for himself as one of nerdcore hip-hop's most recognizable voices, not to mention one of its greatest critics. With a bigger-is-better production style and a lyrical slant as heavily focused on sharp diction as its well-honed wordplay, he is both innovator and home-grown detractor. Still, as severe (if generally well-reasoned) as his attacks against nerdcore hangers-on may be, his lyrical tribute to brony life released this summer is as honest and well-meaning as it is tuneful and engaging.

Kirby Krackle – "Booty Do Math (feat. Adam WarRock)"
Amazon – Bandcamp – iTunes
There are songs about math and then there are songs that command the listener to shake his/her moneymaker, and never the twain shall meet. Well, okay, maybe just this once. Kirby Krackle's Super Powered Love takes a break from its overarching theme of life in a comic book world to unleash what is likely the most perfect piece of pop songwriting heard in 2011. Suggestive but never dirty and funny but never unintelligent, it's a new musical high point from the already revered songwriting team of Kyle Stevens and Jim Demonakos.

melodysheep – "The Science Rap"
Bandcamp
Though the DJ is often revered as the epitome of dance club cool, mash-up and cut-up artists are, by simple nature of their craft, pretty damn geeky. Making songs from carefully recycled material is a peculiar form of digital collaging that requires patience, dedication and, above all else, intelligence. Nowhere is this clearer than in the work of John Boswell, the musician and producer behind the Symphony of Science. In 2009 his "A Glorious Dawn" gave Carl Sagan's trademark poetic language new musical life, and this year's "The Science Rap" continued to spread the good word of science through the unlikely words of Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G under the guise of John's other moniker, melodysheep.

Sci-Fried – "Geek Rock"
Amazon – iTunes
For those who wonder what exactly constitutes "geek rock," the fine fellows of Florida's Sci-Fried have at last provided an answer. Blending the pop sensibility of their early parody work with the band's dark and aggressive heavy metal heart, it does an excellent job of highlighting the true strength of this eclectic and unlikely assemblage of nerd musicians. It also offers a rare glimpse of the crew's live energy in a single studio track, with Dr. Vern's crushing vocals playing well off Chuck Silver's blistering guitar lead.

Mega Ran – "Lookin' Up"
Amazon – Bandcamp
Fans who think that Black Materia is the be-all end-all of Random albums have likely not yet heard Mega Ran 10. Announced as the swan song of the Mega Ran persona, it's a hodge-podge of new and re-released material that somehow still maintains proper thematic and musical cohesion. It also boasts "Lookin' Up," the ultimate Mega Ran joint. It combines skillful chiptune backing with Random's boundless lyrical positivity and even tosses in an infectious soul-pop hook for good measure.

MC Frontalot – "I'll Form the Head (feat. ZeaLouS1 and Dr. Awkward)"
Amazon – MC Frontalot
Frontalot's Solved was, in the grand tradition of his previous releases, a glorious heap of disparate styles, concepts and guest stars all married by the shared task of crafting another memorable nerdcore hip-hop outing. "I'll Form the Head," for example, employs not-so subtle allusions to Voltron and a jazzy backing that belies Front's roots in musical theater to create an epic tale of mecha hubris and the unfortunate destruction of Michigan by an intergalactic space worm.

Adam WarRock and Mikal kHill – "Objects in Space"
Adam WarRock
Adam WarRock and Mikal kHill's own ThoughtCriminals crafted, individually, some of my favorite releases of 2011, but nothing can compare to the emotional impact and unabashed fan service of their collaborative Browncoats Mixtape. Applauded by everyone from Mal himself (minor swear warning) to those rabid hip-hop heads at Reader's Digest, it was as smooth and beautiful a ride as the show that inspired it from its punchy "Intro" to the melancholy refrain of closer "Objects in Space."

Chipocrite – "Bizarre Love Triangle"
Chipocrite
Cover songs are tricky; they must both capture the attention of an audience likely unfamiliar with the performing artist and incorporate enough of said artist's own unique style to entice these new listeners into sticking around for the originals. Chipocrite's 8-bit take on New Order classic "Bizarre Love Triangle" did both while simultaneously adding a new musical level to 2011's most inspired and enjoyable video game-centric movie parody, YouTube sensation "The Legend of Zelda (1987) Trailer."

The Doubleclicks – "This Fantasy World"
Amazon – Bandcamp – iTunes
The greatest sister act since the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg vehicle of the same name – I'm kidding, folks; they're way better than that – Portland's nerd folk duo of Angela and Aubrey Webber spent 2011 carving out their own perfect niche in geek music with the help a charming love song about D&D (that was, admittedly, originally released in 2010) and its equally excellent accompanying video. Along the way they joined forces with other esteemed musical lady-dorks like Marian Call and Molly Lewis, but truth be told I love them twice as much as their compatriots. Which works out mathematically, as there are two of them.

(minor swearing and brief nekkid talk)