Tickle Me Emo
Like punk rock and emo-style melodic hardcore? Like cute college-aged boys singing without accompaniment? You'll love Emocapella, a punk rock-proficient a capella group at George Washington University. Their rendition of Mr. T Experience's "Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend" is probably the best among the handful of MP3's I've downloaded, which seem to be heavy on the left channel, but I have a couple of concerns.

One, a capella is still geeky. I'm a geek's geek, but there's just something wrong about a capella, especially its subculture status among the college clutch. If you add punk rock and emo, does it make a capella any less disturbing? How unpunk is a capella? Also, this project, while slightly charming, has joke written all over it. Is it an earnest a capella project? Is it an ironic commentary on emo? Is this a punk band without instruments? Still, fun for a rainy Wednesday morning.

If you get giggle fits while listening to Atom and His Package or James Kochalka Superstar, this'll probably give you a grin.

Thanks to Metafilter.

Music to My Ears XVII
Josh Benton works as a reporter for a newspaper in Dallas that I probably shouldn't mention or link to. On the side, he runs a project called the CD Mix of the Month Club. The deal is simple -- and similar to other mix trade projects I've participated in via the Well or Echo. You send Benton a mix CD; he sends you a mix CD. He goes so far as to post the past playlists so you can get a sense of how his tastes run, and after looking at the October 2002 mix, I'm thinking I need to send him a mix of my own.

Inspired by Benton and reminded of past mix exchanges, let me offer this. If you send me a mix tape or CD, I will reciprocate. My address is on the left-hand side of this very page. During the CoF Roadshow, I snagged all sorts of great local music between Richmond, Virginia, and Burlington, Vermont. Let's trade tuneage!

Thanks to Just One Thing.

These Links Were Made for Breaking? VI
Earlier this month, MTVi severed its employees' access to peer-to-peer file-sharing services such as Kazaa and Morpheus. An internal memo indicates that the step was taken because of the proliferation of copyright infringement within the services.

But I wonder: How can MTVi and other large media organizations -- particularly those that focus on music and pop culture -- continue to be relevant if they cut themselves off from the grassroots sources of their information and ideas? How can MTVi continue to be of use to file-sharing fans if the employees of said organization are not allowed to use file-sharing services at work? Seems to be a case of putting your foot in your mouth, shooting yourself in the foot, and biting the hand that feeds you all in one awkward physical spasm.

Another argument for the ongoing evolution and maturity of parallel media networks. Share away, folks.

Music to My Ears XVI
John Shirley, author of the prototypical cyberpunk novel City Come a Walkin', was also in several punk-rock bands in the '70s. His musical groups included SadoNation and the Panther Moderns, and you can now download MP3's of his musical makings.

Thanks to BoingBoing.

Animation Nation II
The Big Cartoon Database is a wonderful animation resource, combining news about upcoming cartoon and animated film features with episode guides for more than 4,000 cartoons. The cartoons are organized by studio, so if you're a fan of Rankin-Bass, you can quickly find relevant listings. The Cartoon of the Moment isn't that interesting currently, but if you click on the year, you can get a directory of every cartoon produced during that time -- extremely useful for chronology buffs.

Thanks to Blogdex.

Mention Me! XVII
Joe Germuska is one of the smartest, most interesting, and nicest people I know. At the end of October, Joe began a blog entitled Through the Wire, which focuses on blogging, Chicago, democracy, language, literature, music, and other topics. I like Joe's categorical organization, and I look forward to adding Through the Wire to my list of daily reads. Welcome to the blogosphere, old friend.

Event-O-Dex XI
I'm now back in Boss Town, just in time for another stellar Handstand Command blow out. Originally, this show was going to take place at the Abbey Lounge in Somerville, but the venue fell through, so we've relocated it to the Dilboy VFW Hall on Davis Square.

Thursday, Nov. 7: Spoilsport, Swizzle, and Handstand Command karaoke

The show starts at 8 p.m., and the karaoke portion will feature three-fourths of the Anchormen backing up various collective members performing cover songs. Should be a hoot.

Where is the Dilboy? 371 Summer St. in Somerville, on the corner of Summer and Russell streets, across from the Rosebud Diner. It's in the same building as the Winter Hill Savings Bank. By T, take the Red Line to the Davis Square stop. Exit and walk down Elm Street toward Porter Square. Bear left at Summer Street, and the VFW's on that corner. If you drive, there is a parking lot at the VFW and metered parking/municipal lots scattered around Davis Square.

Hope to see you there!

Products I Love IV
I've yet to buy or use Verbatim's digital vinyl CD-R's, but if you burn CD's, why wouldn't you burn these? Verbatim has combined the sheer convenience of CD-R's with a classic, 45-rpm record format-like design, producing what might the most retro-cool CD-R available. Very nice.

Animation Nation
I'm in Burlington, Vermont, talking to Gahlord Dewald, and it turns out he does a blog, too. N0d3 is an animation blog, and Gahlord describes how to make an animation station for less than $300, as well as how to do some simple animations, such as bounce. He admits that he doesn't keep it up, which is true, but if you're just getting started in animation, it might be worth a look.

Tomorrow: Breakfast with James Kochalka, and then I head home!

On the Road Again IV
In about 12 hours, the CoF Roadshow will officially be over. Since Sept. 23, I've visited 18 cities and driven more than 3,000 miles. Burlington, Vermont, is where I am today -- the final stop! Tomorrow morning, I point the Passat back south to Boston and my Magazine Street home. Media Diet will most likely resume its usual activity later this week.

Comics and Commentary II
A friend of mine is studying at New York University with a fellow named Scott Rosenbaum. Rosenbaum's online comic, the History of Mortimer Pyle, riffs slightly on the Scott McCloud school of online comics -- perhaps it's a Scott thing. Regardless, Rosenbaum's starting to look into publishers for his comic, and my friend touched base to see what I thought.

The book is conceived as a 5"-by-5" book, with four panels per page. It doesn't really strike me as Highwater Books, Top Shelf Comics, or Alternative Comics material, much less Fantagraphics or Drawn & Quarterly. Maybe the folks who publish Helen, Sweetheart of the Internet and other online -- and related -- comics?

My initial reaction is that the comics might best be left online given their look and feel, but feel free to email Rosenbaum with your own comments and suggestions.

Pulling the Plug VII
From a couple of recent emails sent to the Boss Improv mailing list, which concentrates on Boston-area jazz and improvised music, it seems that Mama Gaia's, a cafe on Central Square, might have closed recently.

Ken Field reports that Friday night, Mama Gaia's was locked up, as was the performance space next door. On the door of the performance space was a sign saying something to the effect that the property had been seized by the Middlesex Sheriff. Another list member reports that the cafe was open earlier in the day, so it seems that the closing was sudden.

Does anyone have any information? I don't get back from the CoF Roadshow until Tuesday night, so I can't even check out the space.