100% off topic: The Mouse and the Mask

Since 2001, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block of absurd, irreverent Sunday night cartoons has grown from zero-visibility hipster to pop-culture linebacker. Kids of all ages tune in weekly for 15 minute updates from characters ranging from the dysfunctional happy meal heroes in Aqua Teen Hunger Force to vapid attorney Harvey Birdman and his "who's who" rolodex of Hanna-Barbera clientele. But the small screen is just the beginning; DVD sales for A.T.H.F. have been so strong that a wide-release film is in pre-production and slated for 2006. It seems the only media entry missing from the eminently marketable Adult Swim product line is a hit CD.

Turns out they may not have to wait long on that one, either.

On "The Mouse and the Mask," DJ Danger Mouse and MF Doom team up as "Danger Doom" for a farcical funkfest inspired by (and featuring hilarious original appearances from) the finest Adult Swimmers: Master Shake, Brak, Space Ghost, the Mooninites, Meatwad, Carl, and others. While it would be easy to assume that it was just another gimmicky concept album, "The Mouse and the Mask" is more like the "Assisted-Living Dracula" of underground hip-hop: really, really good once you get into it.

It should come as no surprise a beatmaker/producer named after a relatively obscure '70s cartoon would have an interest in laying down tracks for an Adult Swim disc. Danger Mouse's trademark staccato beats and infectious instrumental loops provide the album's soul and mesh organically with MF Doom's stick-and-move wordplay. Even if you've never seen an Adult Swim cartoon, you'll keep the CD on repeat for its cheeky attitude and groovy atmosphere. After all, it's not like subject matter is anything other than icing on the hip-hop cake .

That said, if you do happen to be a fan of any of the shows, "The Mouse and the Mask" will almost certainly wind up on your short list for album of the year. Before a single lyric is uttered, Brak questions your intelligence for buying the album and Lois Griffin tells you to [bleep] yourself. Fortunately, other than a few priceless rhymes from Err (of Mooninite fame) and Meatwad, input from the characters is kept at the cameo level; one can only imagine the awkwardness of a sustained Space Ghost rap, for example. This choice, along with avoiding too many overt Adult Swim references in the lyrics, may be the biggest reason the album transcends contrivance and maintains way more cred than you'd expect. Then again, when guest stars like Talib Kweli join the fray, it's hard not to take the music seriously... or as seriously as you should take songs with titles like "Sofa King (Retarded)," anyway. Try saying that one a few times fast and see if you can keep a straight face.

Grab this disc from iTunes ASAP and let the head-bopping begin.