Tonedeff. Pack FM. Substantial. Session. These are four names you’ve undoubtedly heard at some point in your nerdly travels across the web, and they’re collectively known as Extended F@mm. They’re part of the endless army of underground, talented emcees making a name for themselves with independent releases. Their credits include live battles, popular 12” singles, and some of the most entertaining radio freestyles you’ll ever hear. Unfortunately, most of their peers never realize the goal of releasing a studio-quality CD with actual distribution…instead, continuously paying dues without ever recouping. E-F@mm breaks the mold with their debut effort, Happy Fuck You Songs.

The first thing you notice about this album is the individual strengths of each member. Pack FM is one of the most underrated emcees today, with more dope quotables and punchlines than almost anyone you can name. Tonedeff is already world renown for his breathless, rapid fire flow, reminiscent of an early Fresh Prince and Tongue Twista. Substantial has a ridiculous amount of charisma, with a smirk bleeding through the speakers every time he spits. And Session has a cocky demeanor that fits well over any beat. Their styles come together perfectly on battle-anthems like “The Evil That Pens Do” and “FYIRB (Fuck You I Rhyme Better).”

The formula for incredible music is concept and execution. Few artists have mastered both, which causes most to fall into the category of “good but repetitive” or “creative, but weird.” E-F@mm carve their own niche, making some solid music with invigorating originality. One of the most creative songs this year is “Celly.” The group’s four members all call each other throughout the day on cell phones with bad reception, and the static leads to a number of misunderstandings. As the story progresses, their miscommunication gets worse and increasingly entertaining. The result is an amusing song, but its true replay value comes with the quality of E-F@mm’s song writing. Another marquee track is “Line Drop,” which features Tetris-inspired music, that speeds up every few bars. These guys aren’t short on good ideas, and their execution will impress even the most critical listener.

Happy Fuck You Songs isn’t without its flaws however. The album suffers from the Black Star syndrome: great music, but too many songs for an EP and not enough for an album. With 13 tracks and only 9 songs, one can’t help but wonder how much better this release would have been with more music (they could have started with “Arrogant,” the DJ JS-1 b-side featuring E-F@mm and Rise). If you’re inclined to make mix CDs of your favorite joints, however, this album has plenty of standouts to pick from. Another problem that boom-bap fans may take issue with is the abundance of “keyboard beats” on the album. Tonedeff’s production, while refreshing at times, can also get repetitive and flat, much like the keyboard beats on many Eminem songs. A label boasting producers Domingo (KRS-One, Kool G Rap, Masta Ace) and DJ Kno (Jugga the Bully, CunninLynguists, Braille) has no excuse to release a CD with anything less than stellar production.

With so many albums dropping this season, you’ll probably get more selective about the CDs you decide to purchase. You should seriously consider Happy Fuck You Songs for three reasons: 1) it’s dope hip-hop, 2) supporting independent music makes your dick grow, and 3) unlike a lot of indie releases you choose to sleep on, this one is available damn near everywhere, so you have no excuse.