Ah, Hank Green. Not only has he proven himself to be one of the coolest nerds on the Internet, but he’s also one of the best musicians out there. With his past two amazing albums out (So Jokes and I’m So Bad At This: Live!), I had high expectations for his new album, This Machine Pwns n00bs. And I’m very happy to say it doesn’t just meet them; it greatly exceeds them.
Green’s music is completely flexible; you’ll be laughing at man-eating squirrels, crying about his love life (don’t worry, it all makes sense in the end), and even pondering your own life. There’s something for practically everyone, from the Harry Potter fan, to the comedy fan, to the serious music listener. It’s one of the many beauties of the album; it can fit with anyone’s lifestyle, and anyone’s personality or situation.
The crown for catchiest and clever lyrics goes to Green, for, though the melody and theme of each song is different and enjoyable, my favorite songs are the ones with lyrics that are easy to remember and fun to sing, such as “I Know” (which only uses ten words throughout the entire song), or “A Song About An Anglerfish”. Filled with quirkiness and comicality, while also containing some seriousness and thoughtfulness, Green’s created an atmosphere in This Machine Pwns n00bs that can’t be defined, but makes the encounter very soft and likable.
The album is an extreme accomplishment for Green, for it allows the listener to escape this world, a world of hate and disappointment, and enter a land where everything is calmer, and just forget about how terrible our lives are. It’s a satisfying trip into what you wish the world could be, and an even more satisfying getaway from our normal lives. Green is able to take normal lives, the Internet, and even fictional tales, and weave them into a repeating sequence of fun and joyfulness.
At the heart of This Machine Pwns n00bs is Green’s community, the Nerdfighters. Since 2007, Green and his brother John have been communicating to each other via video blog as the vlogbrothers. Within almost three years, they’ve founded a society of nerds, proudly fighting for the better of society. From getting Young Adult novels to be New York Times bestsellers, to promoting videos about charities to the top of the YouTube charts, the Nerdfighters represent the positive side of the Internet, the side that’s there to help, and not to hurt.
Green’s songs have been published throughout this entire year on the vlogbrothers’ YouTube channel, for feedback from his fanbase, and Green’s even used tools like EtherPad to write songs with his community, some of which are on This Machine Pwns n00bs. Green’s use of community involvement in music show the power of groups and, overall, is a lesson for all musicians on how to attract fans: by giving them what they actually want.
Overall, I had an extremely delightful experience while listening to This Machine Pwns n00bs. If you’ve enjoy musicians like “Weird Al” Yankovic, or They Might Be Giants, you’ll feel familiar with a lot of Green’s songs, and the styles in which they’re produced, and if you’re just a casual listener, you’ll still be able to be entertained by the cleverness and humor contained within the album. If you’d like to purchase This Machine Pwns n00bs, you can order a physical copy from DFTBA Records (co-founded by Green himself), or purchase it off of iTunes or Amazon.
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