Welcome to this blog’s newest feature, The Sound Abounds, where I talk about the weird, wonderful world of nerd music! These posts will feature and discuss musical acts that have performed songs that touch on (or squeefully embrace) some aspect of geek culture.
In this opening installment, after the cut: The Doubleclicks!
Genre: Nerd comedy folk, though their lyrics often touch on more serious subjects.
Who They Are: Angela and Aubrey Webber, a sister duo based in Portland, Oregon. Angela does most of the singing, plays guitar and ukulele, and is generally seen as the face of the duo. Aubrey plays cello and provides backup vocals and the occasional lead. Both write songs and play cat keyboard.
What They Do: Songs that are often nerdy, sometimes sweet, sometimes angry and always smart and/or funny. They like Star Trek, boardgames, dinosaurs, superheroes, cats, smashing the patriarchy, and burritos. They release new CDs regularly, tour every year, and have a monthly livestream show on YouTube where they preview new songs, play (advance) requests and bring on special guests.
I first picked up on the Doubleclicks when Neil Gaiman, of all people, shared their video for “Nothing To Prove”, their anthem inspired by online attacks on female comic fans and cosplayers. They slipped from my mind for a bit, but a few months later, when I went on my annual Christmas music kick, I thought of them. It turned out they had released a holiday EP, Christmas Isn’t About Me. When I played “Happy Holidays Too”, which opens with the lyric “On the day before the day before Christmas”, I was officially hooked.
Beyond the great music, though, is another factor: The Doubleclicks were my gateway drug to nerd music. They have always been supportive of other acts, and friendly with more than a few. Through their livestream shows, I discovered new acts – Meri Amber, Lucia Fasano, the PDX Broadsides, and others. They also retweeted two tweets about Kickstarters, and those led me to the Misbehavin’ Maidens and Freezepop.
Where To Start: Dimetrodon is probably their most consistent album, though all of them have their charms. For real exploration, though, head to their YouTube channel, where you can find dozens of song videos and almost all their livestream shows. Then, try to see them in person (they’re loads of fun), or catch a livestream as its streaming live (a certain author with a nice hat can be found in the chat).
Find Out More: Their website, their Bandcamp page, their Patreon, their Facebook group, and their Twitter feed.