Kudzu Creep: A Southern Gothic Playlist

Photo: Alec Soth

I've been on a playlist-making kick lately. I've always thought it would be a total dream-job to be a music supervisor for movies, tv, stores, workout playlists of exhausted celebrities, etc. When my friend April mentioned a Southern Gothic theme, I jumped the gun and maybe went a little overboard :) I thought about True Detective season 1 a lot while making this playlist (as always.) I read a definition of Southern Gothic as "atmospheric, dark, and funny" and chose these songs with that in mind.

Speaking of Southern Gothic, be sure to check out this New York Times photo essay by Alec Soth I came cross while looking for images for this post.  I really liked these photos. I've been a bit annoyed lately by a lot of writing/media about the South that puts it through a pristine Kinfolk-filter or speaks in a high-brow trying-to-impress-your-college-professor voice. That kind of style seems incongruent with the subject, and feels like it overlooks the oddity and vulgarity that make the South so unique. To me, the south is rich with idiosyncratic weirdness and wildness, and I thought these photos were a striking glimpse into that aspect. Southern culture is more than pimento cheese in a new cafe with great natural lighting and exposed brick. And a Southern Gothic playlist is likewise just one small facet of a big feeling.

Enough rambling. Enjoy the tunes, and as always, let me know if I left something out that I should hear.

And here's a direct link to playlist. Might sound better on shuffle anyway.

Flannery O'Connor

Photo: Marcus Kenney 

Photo: Bill Emory

Credit: unknown

If I Made The Soundtrack For: Inherent Vice

I loved the Inherent Vice soundtrack, and had some fun last night thinking about what I would have put on there. A couple tracks are from the official soundtrack, since I thought they were really perfect for it. I'm also really digging what comes up if you turn this playlist into radio on Spotify. 

Enjoy! 

Playlist: October Part 1

So many press releases full of good music land in my inbox, and I have no time to do anything with most of them, because I'm too tied up sending press releases for my clients to other inboxes. I plan to start posting round-up style playlists of new tracks one to two times per month. I do most of my listening on SoundCloud now, which seems to be the simplest way for publicists, labels, and musicians to share downloads and embed code, and their playlist feature sure is convenient. Think of it as your new music roundup. I open all the press releases so you don't have to. Or so you have more time to open mine. I never said this was a selfless gift. 

You can stream the full playlist below, and some tracks allow downloads. 

This first installment includes new music from Scott & Charlene's Wedding, Hand Sand Hands, Easter Island, DMA, White Lung, The Men, Elf Power, The Dream Scene, Estrangers, and more. 

February Mix: Goodbye to Romance

Romance? More like... no mans, amirite? Uhh.. err.. nevermind.

This month's mix has bands I'm  currently working on publicity for like Airstrip, Blank Realm, and Scott & Charlene's Wedding, and artists I've been listening to a lot like Parquet Courts, Metz, Iceage, Majical Cloudz, White Laces, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Lust for Youth.

You can stream it below, or open it in Spotify here.

September Mix

This month's playlist is heavy on Jaill (Sub-Pop) and Fergus & Geronimo (Hardly Art) since they were in town last weekend. What a great group of guys. Jaill even made us tacos, left us coffee and records, and walked our dog. Talk about good house guests!

I also got some good news last week: Critical Heights, a London label I handle US publicity for, signed Scott & Charlene's Wedding, and will be re-releasing Para Vista Social Club. Jangly Aussie slacker-pop. There are a few tracks from a split EP on this mix.

Enjoy.