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ItsTheReal Blurs the Line Between Serious Hip Hop and Parody with 'Urbane Outfitters Vol. 1'

by | April 1st, 2013

Many musicians moonlight with comedic output, and vice versa. From follow-worthy Twitter accounts to viral videos and other projects, Rimshot is a regular column highlighting some of the most interesting crossovers between the worlds of independent music and comedy.

Whether or not they're always intended to bring laughs, the set-up and delivery of hip-hop lyrics often bear a comedic resemblance. Add in larger than life personas, out-there lifestyles and a lifetime supply of cultural tropes, and the world of rap is ripe for humorous endeavours.

New York brothers Eric and Jeff Rosenthal have made viral videos lovingly lampooning the movement since 2007 at their site http://itsthereal.tumblr.com/ ItsTheReal. Now, they're performing as a duo with the same name.

ItsTheReal release their debut mixtape Urbane Outfitters Vol. 1 today via DatPiff, and it's another project that toes the line between super serious rap culture and winking comedy. Just take a look at the guestlist: along with Hannibal Buress, they've called in favours from the likes of Bun B, Maino, Freeway, Lil Jon and even mixtape mainstay DJ Drama, who hosts.

We caught up with the duo to find out more about Urbane Outfitters and just how seriously they take this joke rap shit. READ MORE

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John Ross Bowie Talks '90s New York Pop-Punk

by | March 11th, 2013

Independent musicians are often thought of as self-serious crybabies, holding their craft to the highest imaginable standards and scoffing at anything resembling fun. Often, that's not the case, however, as many musicians moonlight with comedic output, and vice versa. From follow-worthy Twitter accounts to viral videos and other projects, we're here to point out some of the most interesting crossovers between the worlds of independent music and comedy.

Snotty, goofy and distinctly North American, the subgenre hyphenate known as pop-punk often gets a bad rap. Decidedly self-aware and often self-deprecating, however, hardcore's dorky little brother is also home to some of the most subversive, hilarious and heartfelt songwriting in independent music.

John Ross Bowie is a long-time staple of the Uprights Citizen Brigade, a regular on Childrens Hospital, and a  recurring actor on The Big Bang Theory. He's nailed bit parts in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Happy Endings and The League and is currently working on Dark Minions, an animated show he's developing for Amazon. Before he became a comedic powerhouse, however, Bowie spent the mid-'90s as the frontman for New York pop-punk trio Egghead. READ MORE

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Charlyne Yi on Retiring From Acting and Comedy to Focus on Music

by | February 25th, 2013

Independent musicians are often thought of as self-serious crybabies, holding their craft to the highest imaginable standards and scoffing at anything resembling fun. Often, that's not the case, however, as many musicians moonlight with comedic output, and vice versa. From follow-worthy Twitter accounts to viral videos and other projects, we're here to point out some of the most interesting crossovers between the worlds of independent music and comedy.

If anyone fits the role of “creative” as noun rather than adjective, it’s Los Angeles-based artist Charlyne Yi. From turns in Apatow comedies like This is 40 and Knocked Up (not to mention her incredible Step Brothers DVD featurette) to a left-field role on Fox’s dad favorite House and Paper Heart, her fascinating 2009 meta-rom-com, she boasts a respectably diverse IMDb profile.

Her resume goes way deeper, however, as she’s also spent years as a fixture at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles as well as a comedic YouTube champion. And none of that includes her various musical endeavors, from her charming, often intimate solo work and countless Los Angeles bands, including the art-damaged post-punk of Keychain, her mid-2000s Paul Rust collaboration as The Glass Beef and Broken Eyes, a recent group with XBXRX member and video director Vice Cooler. READ MORE

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Nick Flanagan's Brutal Knights and Brutal Nights

by | February 11th, 2013

Independent musicians are often thought of as self-serious crybabies, holding their craft to the highest imaginable standards and scoffing at anything resembling fun. Often, that's not the case, however, as many musicians moonlight with comedic output. From follow-worthy Twitter accounts to viral videos and other projects, we're here to point out some of the best secret comedians in the world of independent music.

While Phil Elverum and Mac DeMarco are full-time musicians who happen to have humorous side projects, Nick Flanagan is a different story. A former Canadian punk frontman with a penchant for live antics, he’s channeled that momentum into a respectable comedy career.

Some know him from his impeccably maintained Twitter account (is it just me, or does he write the perfect amount of tweets?), while others may have heard his fantastic album I’m Here All Weak or his Tumblr blog. Still, Flanagan’s biggest claim to fame is that he fronted the rock ’n’ roll-tinged hardcore punk outfit Brutal Knights.

The group came up alongside Fucked Up and Career Suicide in Toronto’s mid-2000s punk scene. There, they combined raw aggression, live terror and Flanagan’s twisted sense of humor, channeling punk’s rich history while remaining entirely of the moment. READ MORE

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The Endearing Goofiness of Mac DeMarco's Weird Web Videos

by | January 28th, 2013

Independent musicians are often thought of as self-serious crybabies, holding their craft to the highest imaginable standards and scoffing at anything resembling fun. Often, that's not the case, however, as many musicians moonlight with comedic output. From follow-worthy Twitter accounts to viral videos and other projects, we're here to point out some of the best secret comedians in the world of independent music.

Last year was an enormous one for Montreal-via-Vancouver-via-Edmonton singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco. After years of perfecting his demented pop craft as the frontman for Makeout Videotape, he went solo, signed with endlessly hip, tastemaking Brooklyn imprint Captured Tracks, released two deservedly hyped LPs and toured the world.

If you only heard 2, the second DeMarco LP and one with the most hype, you might expect an entirely different frontman. After all, it's a collection of smoothed out yacht rock anthems with, for all intents, serious, respectable songwriting. Then, however, you might notice that one of the songs is quite literally an ode to cheapo Quebec cigarettes Viceroy, complete with its own video. READ MORE

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Mount Eerie's Phil Elverum is Funnier Than You Think

by | January 14th, 2013

Independent musicians are often thought of as self-serious crybabies, holding their craft to the highest imaginable standards and scoffing at anything resembling fun. Often, that's not the case, however, as many musicians moonlight with comedic output. From follow-worthy Twitter accounts to viral videos and other projects, we're here to point out some of the best secret comedians in the world of independent music.

To the untrained eye and ear, Phil Elverum may come across like an incredibly serious dude. The Anacortes, Wash. based musician has built a career making experimental rock music under the monikers The Microphones and Mount Eerie, among others. Associated with Calvin Johnson's K Records label before taking an in-house approach to releasing music with his P.W. Elverum & Sun imprint, he's released some inarguable classics like The Glow Pt. 2 and last year's one-two punch of Clear Moon and Ocean Roar, among many others.

A nature-obsessed and often confessional songwriter with a penchant for complex recording techniques and a respectable knowledge of black metal, the immediate perception of Elverum would be that he's a serious nerd who'd scoff at your dick jokes and belittle your Twitter feed. Thankfully, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Without self-promoting, Elverum has spent over a decade creating the fantastically absurd webcomic Fancy People Adventures. Crudely drawn with an equally crude sense of humor, he's established a messy, laugh out loud world packed with wacky characters, fast food references and ice cold BJs. READ MORE

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