Whole Lotta Road

Exciting! Brady O’Callahan invited me to create a mixtape for June 2023. Here’s the result and a clip from his newsletter:

Buckle Up, Buckaroo

I just got to spend a long weekend in Cleveland and I feel pretty rejuvenated. The midwest is absolutely gorgeous in the summer, and I haven't seen Cleveland like that in over a decade. There are few things better than driving around with the windows down on a beautiful day, listening to some good tunes.

And folks, this month's mixtape, a collab with my buddy Pat, is exceptional driving music. Though we're both enormous fans and advocates for Brazilian tunes, Pat hit me up with a desire to explore country. Readers, I was thrilled. This one's got some all-timers, deep cuts, and new favs.

Like the mixtapes? Help me spread the love by throwing a few bucks my way via BuyMeACoffee. Thanks to everyone who has already supported me there. This really helps me not rack up a stupid amount of debt while making this passion project for you all.

And hey, if you like it, why not share the mix or this newsletter with a friend? If they want to sign up for the newsletter, they can do that here.

Whole Lotta Road

Created in collaboration with Pat Cartelli
for the highway and the range.

Listen on Apple Music // Listen on Spotify //
Listen on Mixcloud // Listen on YouTube

A few words from Pat:

Being from the NYC suburbs, country was never really a "thing." I couldn't name a Garth Brooks song, just that he had an alter-ego. I only knew who Roy Rogers was because of a fast-food restaurant. Country as a whole, not just a pop culture thing people liked to dunk on, only popped up on road trips when our local FM stations faded to static.

For me, Country music became synonymous with rolling through Georgia at sunset because you're stuck in traffic, but maybe it's not so bad because you're singing along to new-to-you old songs. Music is one of my favorite ways to explore people and places, so why not learn about the genre by making a road trip playlist?

This is a playlist of songs for big skies and roads you've never driven down. It's also about moving on and getting past the shit.

A negligent landlord and a burglary (everyone's okay!!!) made these lyrics almost autobiographical - "I'd like to stay, but I might have to go to start over again" and "I need this shit like I need another hole in my head." The honesty, twang of the guitars, and self-deprecating humor is cathartic. During our move, I joked "I'm paying these guys when someone just took all my stuff for free." Yeah, things aren't great, but that's not gonna stop me.

What started as a way to "just find some new songs" was heavily influenced by a move to a new home to a new town in a new state. It's all about the new stuff, even if it's old. Maybe it's time to blow up your tv, hit the road, and see what's out there.

Eliminadorzinho

Some Other Things That Pat Loves

(that you might love too!)

Fonts In Use - I really love this site. As the name suggests, it's a site that documents fonts for everything from album art to brand identities. Click on a font to see a collection of images using that font! I knew I wanted a Western look for the playlist image, so I scoured this site until I came across Cowboy Slang.

Eliminadorzinho's Rock Jr. - A few years ago, I went to Brazil and went to a shoegaze show. Eliminadorzinho (Little Eliminator) were listed as "thrash shoegaze" and Rock Jr. sells me on that description. It's an energetic ball of controlled chaos that ends on a song about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

Trrpln's Olhar Pra Trás - Terraplana also played and just released their first album Olhar Pra Trás (Look Back). It's beautiful and reminds me of how immense a Mogwai album can sound. I bought a shirt from them, and a cab driver, not knowing it was a band, checked in to make sure I knew it meant "Flat Earth" and that I hadn't been duped.

Adorável Clichê's Gelo Fino - Notice the trend yet? Adorável Clichê closed out the show with dreamy songs to a crowd in a big group embrace, singing the roof off of the venue. Gelo Fino is a newer single, and I've got my fingers crossed there's an album coming soon. Their songs are beautiful, and their CD has lived in my player since I got it.