By Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist Published Jul 14, 2013 at 5:36 PM

When you consider comedy albums, you have a lot of tradition and greatness to live up to. That’s truer today more than it has ever been.

One great reason – hipsters.

Or, just old people.

You see, there’s a resurgence in vinyl records. And, there’s always a need for a laugh.

So, if you are a hipster who likes comedy, finding a new record, with material from some of the top stand-up comics of our time, may be something you’d be into.

Or, if you are one of those people who still have a record player, here’s something to put on the turntable.

Maybe you like digital downloads, they have you covered there as well.

So, with this, I, as your writer on all things media, will be offering periodic reviews of comedy albums. And, apparently, lots of small sentences with commas. Enjoy.

Hostile Corporate Takeover - JT Habersaat & The Altercation Punk Comedy Tour

Format: Digital download and vinyl record

Release: March, 2013

Label: Stand Up! Records

WARNING: Explicit Lyrics

Length: 59:41

Comics: Joe Staats, Mack Lindsay, Billy Milano, Mike Wiebe and JT Habersaat

Purchase/Download Links: Stand Up! Records | Amazon

Review

For an ensemble record, this one flows like you were in attendance at a small-venue comedy club. The host intros the comic, they get their minutes, and then Habersaat anchors the production at the end.

Joe Staats opens the set and has a few nice bits. He sets up a few stories and is able to bring them back around near the end of his time. His best part of the set is his observation of hipster chicks, and his only reason for seducing them is to get them out of their stupid clothes.

Mack Lindsay is the next up, with rainbows, gay pride parades and medical prostitution in a 12-minute rant that’s only available on the vinyl version. Billy Milano, the former singer, guitarist, and bassist of crossover thrash band M.O.D., and singer of Stormtroopers of Death, riffs off on some of experiences. He has a New York run-in with Fozzie Bear of Muppets fame offering an F-bomb greeting when he was 14. He also remembers being nervous talking with Luciano Pavarotti in a deli.

Mike Wiebe offers a great warm-up set for Habersaat. His best story comes from a backstage meeting with the Boss himself, and what he does with a picture moment with Bruce Springsteen.

Haberstaat, who has earned his right as the spotlight performer, delivers on classic diatribes of human behaviors. I loved his hatred for Hollwyood remakes of classic films we grew up on, and his wanting to recast the remake of "Clash of the Titans" with iconic singers and Crispin Glover.

Overall, a nice set of laughs with a mix of blue topics, pop culture references and mashed together in a laugh-at-yourself set of social observations.

Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist

Media is bombarding us everywhere.

Instead of sheltering his brain from the onslaught, Steve embraces the news stories, entertainment, billboards, blogs, talk shows and everything in between.

The former writer, editor and producer in TV, radio, Web and newspapers, will be talking about what media does in our community and how it shapes who we are and what we do.