“It’s the latest popular song,” declared the phonograph, speaking in a sulky tone of voice.

“A popular song?”

“Yes. One that the feeble-minded can remember the words of and those ignorant of music can whistle or sing. That makes a popular song popular, and the time is coming when it will take the place of all other songs.” - The Patchwork Girl of Oz, by L. Frank Baum

Fortunately, this pithy observation (from one of the most criminally underrated authors in children’s literature) does not apply to the selections featured on Pixel Revolt, the fifth studio album from San Francisco troubador John Vanderslice, out on August 23rd via Seattle’s own Barsuk Records.

I won't presume to speak for the feeble-minded, but I certainly can't wrest the lyric "dressed like that/you are the flag of a dangerous nation" (from "Trance Manual") out of my head, and while I shower tomorrow morning, I plan on humming "Exodus Damage." (You can check out mp3s of both here.) Plus it has an amazing song about what happens when you lose your girlfriend's pet rabbit.