By the time you read this post, I will be airborne and floating somewhere above continental Europe at great speed. Do not worry, however, dear reader. For I have paid real human currency to use a contraption known as an “aeroplane” to make sure I don’t hurl towards the ground with all of God’s indifferent grace and become an unwilling meat pile somewhere in the Alps.

Okay, so what I mean to say is that my wife and I are currently in transit to the UK for a long overdue holiday. This means thatThe Pitch will be paused for a few weeks and return to our regularly scheduled programming on Monday, September 12th. Until then, here’s the part where I am *obliged* to do yet another freelancer “Call to Action” thing. If you enjoy what I do here, you can upgrade to a paid subscription to the newsletter and get more bang for your hard-earned bucks!

Subscriptions are currently $5 per month or $50 annually, which roughly works out to be less than $1.25 per week or around $0.14 per day—so we’re hardly breaking the bank.

The Pitch of Discontent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Paid content includes stuff like:

Wayback Machine

This is where I pull together a throwback list of records/songs.

Wayback Machine: Remembering Trevor Strnad
On May 11, 2022, Michigan metallers The Black Dahlia Murder announced that co-founder and frontman Trevor Scott Strnad had passed away at the age of 41. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Trevor Scott Strnad. Beloved son, brother, and Shepard of good times, he was loved by all that met him. A walking encyclopedia of all things music…
The Pitch of Discontent

The Nu-Normal

My monthly op-ed column, where I write long-form essays on scene-adjacent culture and/or whatever happens to be trending on Twitter in that week.

The Nu-Normal #13: Swing and a Mitski
In this week’s column, we’ll take a look at some Music Twitter Drama™, the rigours of culture writing, and the philosophical implications of ever-increasing technological advances disrupting previously sacred artistic zones. It’s going to be fun—I promise!—and I’m also going to gleefully put on my “Big Brain” hat (gotta put that philosophy degree to wor…
The Pitch of Discontent

Astral Auguries

My recommendations of new—well, new to me anyway—records that are actually old as shit.

Astral Auguries: Coué Method
As a budding philosopher/music journalist, I’m often struck by how the unconscious mind manifests thoughts from the murky firmament of memory, dredging things up and stitching them together in a stream-of-consciousness that (to outsides appearances) has no real connective tissue apart from vague likeness and casual suggestion.
The Pitch of Discontent

Ecstatic Ephemera

My assorted selection of playlists with a vague theme. (They’re good. Trust me.)

Ecstatic Ephemera: Under Covers
Synchronicity is a crazy thing. Psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961) described the phenomenon as “circumstances that appear meaningfully related yet lack a causal connection.” In other words, coincidences. Earlier this week, I saw that metalcore OGs Evergreen Terrace
The Pitch of Discontent

In Review

Best Of’s, AOTY lists, and other things of that nature.

In Review: Best of 2022 (So Far)
Once again, it’s that time of year, folks! Publications big and small are throwing their hats in the List Game and, here at The Pitch, I’m certainly not going to pass over a good opportunity for curated recommendations. At present, my Weekly Roundup playlist (follow that one
The Pitch of Discontent

Byte Size

Mini-reviews of film, TV, streaming media, and generally all things film and television.

Byte Size: Idiot Box – Part I
I started tutoring some university courses this semester, and while it’s great and I’m enjoying the work, it’s devastated my planned reading list for this year. Which, I have to confess, has kind of bummed me out. I really do love my little tree squares. *sad face*
The Pitch of Discontent

Deep Cuts

Monthly album retrospectives for hidden gems and some of my personal favourite records.

Deep Cuts #15: At The Gates – 'Slaughter of the Soul'
Artist: At The Gates Title: Slaughter of the Soul Release: November 14th, 1995 Label: Earache Records Listen here: Bandcamp | Spotify
The Pitch of Discontent

Alternatively, if you think others would like what I do here, you can share my work and help me spread that good word!

Okay. That’s it. That’s the newsletter. Thank you again for your time and support.