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GeekDad HipTrax #60 Oct 05, 2010

Show notes

The first of this year's Halloween-themed October editions of GeekDad HipTrax pays homage to one of the greatest videogame series of all time: Castlevania . While obviously steeped in gothic horror and hardcore platforming, the series is also renowned for its eclectic and atmospheric soundtracks. This has made it a favorite among the videogame remix community, which, in turn, makes it an excellent candidate for a special Hiptrax tribute!

Relish the musical creepiness of:

"Fear of Haze" by Joshua Morse
Castlevania: Sonata of the Damned marks Joshua Morse's second Castlevania tribute. The former is a free download offered from our friends at OverClocked ReMix, while the latter is another amazing freebie from the Bad Dues VGM collective. Cop both to supplement your all-important Halloween playlist.

"Froggy Mosh" by goat
The mysterious guitar-slinger known only as goat also paid proper tribute to the music of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse in a free album of his own. Unchosen Paths: The Music of Castlevania is a beautiful beast, and you desperately need to experience it for yourself.

"Once Upon a Time in Transylvania" by virt
Closing out this edition is another amazing piece from Jake "virt" Kaufman. You can hear more of virt's original work in recently released games like Shantae: Risky’s Revenge and Batman : The Brave and the Bold: The Videogame.

The GeekDads Episode #77: Jar Jar is a Replicant Sep 28, 2010

Show notes

Ken, Matt, Chuck and John chat about Star Wars on 3D, and over-engineering your toaster. Enjoy!

GeekDad.com is the parenting blog at Wired.com, edited by Ken Denmead, Matt Blum and Chris Anderson. It is a community of like-minded geeky parents writing about our experiences raising our kids in the digital age, and about our obsessions with technology, family-friendly projects, and pop-culture. The GeekDads podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of anything and everything that impacts us as geeks and parents.

GeekDad HipTrax #59 Sep 21, 2010

Show notes

We at HipTrax take our mission – to provide our fellow GeekParents with amazingly nerdy music they can actually share with the kids – very seriously. So much so, in fact, that the only thing that thrills us more than unearthing three brand new geek-jams for you every other week is spotlighting music that's available at the very reasonable price of free. As such, each remarkable song presented in this edition of the podcast comes to your from an equally remarkable album that is offered gratis.

Submitted for your perusal:

"Hilltop Zone" by Vernian Process

Have you ever wondered what the music of Sonic the Hedgehog II would sound like if performed orchestral style by San Francisco's preeminent steampunk pioneers? Me neither, but Vernian Process and VGM blog Game Music 4 All provided an answer anyway! Check out volume 1 of their Retro Gaming Retrospective series Sonic Symphony: An Orchestral Tribute to the 16-Bit Sega Classics, as well as additional volumes themed around the Final Fantasy and Castlevania series.

"Vessel of the Void ~Theme of Exdeath~" by zircon

The newest project from our friends at OverClocked ReMix is a celebration of Nobuo Uematsu's classic score for Square's Final Fantasy V. The Fabled Warriors is a five-album set, and Volume I: Wind was just released earlier this month. The remaining four albums will trickle out over the next two to three years, thus assuring that you always have something to look forward to.

"Alternate Ending (Untested Methods remix)" by The Grammar Club

New Orleans-based producer Untested Methods puts the closing track from The Grammar Club's stellar debut release trough his own unique musical filter in this fantastic remix. It's available as part of the recently released Remix Casefiles Vol. 1 – Nerdcore collection from Scrub Club Records. Be sure to give the whole album a listen, but beware that there's a content warning for several of its tracks.

The GeekDads Episode #76: Bacon on a Stick Sep 14, 2010

Show notes

Ken, Matt and Jonathan chat about all the amazing games at PAX, and work on ideas for some new Great Bacon Odyssey posts. Enjoy!

GeekDad HipTrax #58 Sep 07, 2010

Show notes

As summer draws to a close and the faintest bite of autumn appears in the air, we at GeekDad choose to reflect. Today, for example, we focus on the waning convention season, beer and Chris Isaak. Y'know, the important stuff!

This edition of GeekDad HipTrax features:

"CONtact" by Mega Ran & K-Murdock

Conventions are serious business, and personal hygiene is no laughing matter! Just ask poor Random, a cat who's done his time amid the (literally) unwashed masses. Why not brighten the man's day by contributing to his Kickstarter campaign? You'll be glad you did. Because of the hip-hop.

"Beer, Beer, Beer" as interpreted by Marc Gunn

I'm sure some parents would argue that a song about beer isn't an ideal choice for a child-friendly podcast, and I would agree. Of course this one's about the discovery of beer. That makes it educational! Lovers of Celtic-folk and free stuff are encouraged to leave a comment, as a random poster will receive free copies of both Marc's Kilted for Her Pleasure and The Bridge.

"Wicked Game" as covered by sadnes

The GeekDad HipTrax audience has already heard Carl Peczynski's phenomenal cover of Weezer's "In the Garage" under his stage name OxygenStar. Now you can also experience his take on Chris Isaak's classic "Wicked Game," from the Fill My Head EP, which was released under the name sadnes. Yet another fine freebie from netlabel Pause!

The GeekDads Episode #75: Old, Grumpy, and Eccentric Aug 31, 2010

Show notes

Ken and Matt chat with David Hewlett - geek, dad and actor - about Apple gadgets, Buckaroo Banzai, and the joy of geeky dad-hood. Enjoy!

GeekDad HipTrax #57 Aug 24, 2010

Show notes

Last week I overstepped my bounds a bit while blogging about the recent decision to ban the R4 and related devices in the UK. I meant to imply that this was an unfortunate and potentially detrimental turn of events for the European chiptune artists that employ such technology to legitimate ends, but instead it simply sounded like I was writing the whole of the chip music community off because of this single movement by Nintendo and that nation's court system.

I apologize to any in the global micromusic community that I may have unwittingly offended by employing such hyperbole, and, to help make amends, allow me to dazzle you with a trio of fresh selections from the still very-much-alive chiptune scene.

This apologetic edition of GeekDad HipTrax features:

"Heart Beeps" by ComputeHer

Michelle Mitchell is one-half of the dynamic American chiptune duo 8 Bit Weapon, but she is also the one-woman sound machine ComputeHer. This selection, from her fantastic new release Modemoiselle, ably showcases ComputeHer's unique brand of lo-fi electronica. The album (as well as a fine selection of t-shirts and other merchandise) is available at her newly redesigned web site.

"Fami-Dance" by Inverse Phase

I have long known know Brendan Becker as the man behind Virginia's annual Music and Gaming Festival, and now I also know him as chip artist Inverse Phase. His new album Retrocovered boasts 12 tracks of brilliantly realized classic electronic covers of everything from pop hits to cartoon theme songs. It's available at Bandcamp for a mere $5, and a number of tracks are up for free download for the chronically cheap.

"Float On" as covered by Tetrastar

Tetrastar is Oliver Hindle and Jaylyn Coffin – one the well known artist behind trailblazing UK chiptune act Superpowerless, the other a former member of Florida nerdcore outfit Emergency Pizza Party. Their newly released debut is also a charming collection of covers, this one entitled Songs We Didn't Write, and it collects fantastic chip-punk renditions of tracks originally performed by The Postal Service, Jonathan Coulton and Dio. The entire disc is freely available via the band's official site.

And fair warning: the mix is hot this week, because so is the music!

GeekDad HipTrax #56 Aug 10, 2010

Show notes

Since folks seemed to dig our video game themed episode from last month, we've decided to do another show in a similar vein. This time around we're touching on a trio of game-focused songs from a bit outside the traditional VGM scene.

Somehow, amid crushing technical difficulties, we manage to feature:

"crimson dreams (feat. Beefy)" by Doctor Popular vs. crashfaster

From the riveting soundtrack of browser game Knifetank – an album entitled, fittingly enough, Knifetank (The Albumhole) – comes this reinterpretation of the game's theme. Building on crashfaster's original composition, Doctor Popular provides appropriately murderous vocals, as does our old friend Beefy. Snag the album from Bandcamp, and play the game at the official Knifetank site.

"Limit Break" by Dale Chase

Weighing in at a healthy 12 tracks worth of hip-hop-flavored awesome, Dale's Limit Break is as fierce as the name implies. Intelligent, soulful and uplifting, it's an amazing effort that showcases the artist at his best. Better yet, it's available as a name-your-own price download from Bandcamp!

"If I Had a Rocket Launcher" by Insane Ian & Possible Oscar

From the new Insane Ian and the MusicIANs album The Last Arcade, "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" is a parody of Barenaked Ladies' "If I Had a Million Dollars." Thus it is not, I must explicitly point out, a cover of the Bruce Cockburn tune of the same name. If Ian's brand of humorous geek rock floats your boat, be sure to check out his extended musical family at The FuMP.

GeekDad Special: Bacon Flavored Ice Cream - the Interview Aug 04, 2010

Show notes

GeekDad's own Matt Blum is interviewed on 99.1 The Whale, in Bunghamton, NY about his adventures in bacon!

The GeekDads Episode #74: Sir Doug the Infrequent Aug 03, 2010

Show notes

The GeekDads talk about Star Wars Celebration V, Harry Potter World, and the Jon Stewart Action Figure. Enjoy!