Newsletter - Are we planting seeds or playing slots? + A killer new signing 🌱

Gardeners, not gamblers, folks.

This week I'm diving into something that's been eating at me - our adherence to the traditional press cycle and that "build & burst" mentality where records either hit big or get tossed into "dead stock" purgatory.

It's creating this disposable approach where we're all chasing the next hit rather than nurturing what we've already created. Why do we treat albums that didn't "pop" in their 2-4 week window as failed experiments? Some of my cornerstone releases from 3-5 years ago should be growing taller, casting shade for the new seedlings - not gathering dust.

I've been guilty of this slot-machine thinking too (maybe more than most), but I'm trying to shift toward seeing each release as something to cultivate over years, not weeks.

Oh, and I'm BEYOND excited to share a first listen to the Verdin Brothers - an out-of-nowhere submission that absolutely floored me. These brothers create this stunning pan-Americana that could sit comfortably on VHF or even….Sub Pop? The have an avant approach to Americana that doesn't shy away from sounds the underground hasn't "approved of" yet. It's catchy enough that my son's been singing it around the house. Can't pre-order yet, but consider this record’s seed planted.

Want to see more? Video Newsletter Playlist