As you might have guessed, this is the third solo effort from Backburner crew member Wordburglar. The Canadian emcee isn’t switching anything up on this album, but that’s fine, because it means we get another fun record for all the nerds to bump this summer.

First and foremost I have to give props to Wordburglar for his introductory skit, “Pre-Show Routine.” Usually, when hip hop albums have introductions, they usually fall into the category of either “fine, but forgettable,” or “way too long and pointless.” Burglar actually gives us an introduction that sets the tone for the album, as a doorman has a humorous rhyming exchange with Wordburglar as he tries to enter the venue he’s playing that evening, and it plays out with good pacing and ends before the joke gets old. Things then kick into gear with “Crocque Monsieur,” which immediately puts us in Burglar’s wheelhouse, with a big beat from fellow Backburner member Beatmason to raise the energy level. He gives Wordburglar plenty of room for clever turns of phrase, which if you didn’t know, is what the Burglar does best. This continues for the next two tracks, even bringing in More or Les for some great back-and-forth trade-offs on “Rhyme O’Clock.” “Fred Broca,” taking it’s title from a G.I. Joe character, gets a little bit darker and aggressive with the production, which doesn’t entirely work, but I appreciate the effort to switch things up. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about “Sneaky Neighbors,” with Timbuktu, which is far and away the weakest lyrical work on the album, as the two emcees basically take liberty with the plot to The ‘Burbs, but don’t do anything fun with it, often getting way too broad and obvious. The good news is that we get right back on track with “Sufficiently Suffonsified,” which features some great Canadian-specific sports references, and “Drawings With Words” a great tribute to the comic books that Burglar grew up on. “Dude, Where’s My At-At At?” with The Garthim-Master comes up next, which is a decent song, but it already appeared on The Garthim-Master’s album Ghosts of Nostalgia last fall. It’s a much better fit on that album, and I’m not exactly sure why it was included here as well. Lest you think it’s only fun and games here, Wordburglar drops the moving “Point of Departure,” a poignant reflection on a lost love from his youth. It’s a nice change of pace, and the production from Barebeats provides a really gentle backdrop for some quiet introspection. Things get right back to being funky with the crew track, “Steady and Stable (Strange Roads),”” with Timbuktu, MC Homeless, Richard Benjamin and Riddlore. The only part I don’t care for is the emo-ish sung chorus, which feels awkward and out of place. “Your Friend’s Brother” is a humorous account of how this strange relationship can affect you when you’re young, one that often gets overlooked. The album ends on a fun and especially nerdy note with “Yobosayo (Moonbase),” featuring some nice 8-bit score sampling from Fresh Kils that sounds like it could be right at home on a Mega Ran album.

While there are a few slip ups on the album, 3rdburglar succeeds way more than it stumbles. There’s track after track of nerdy, fun rhymes and funky beats, and a few pleasant surprises as well. If you can get down with rhymes about comic book artists, Canadian sports stars, food, and the occasional moment of self-reflection, Wordburglar is your emcee, and 3rdburglar will take you into the summer.