Today is the turn of Lanny Lieu, the person behind the new(ish) Portland-based PR entity Chill Chill Publicity (who brought Foxall and Mrs. Hopewell to our attention). PR companies are a divisive part of the music industry, at best clogging up our inboxes and at worst governing who and what gets heard in a way major labels can only dream of these days. People like Lanny are important because they show that PR can independent and tailored too, giving voice to artists who otherwise might not get heard without throwing money around or sending a zillion emails. Basically, PR can be done by people in it for the music.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, PR is only one of the musical pies in which Lanny has her fingers. She is also the current Music Director at KPSU (where she hosts her own radio show), and writes for UK blog Drunken Werewolf.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera
by Lanny Lieu

I first stumbled upon Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera in English class when I was 17. It’s probably the only assigned reading I’ve truly enjoyed. Despite it being one of my favorite books, I’ve only read it once (if only you could see my room of untouched books I’ve accumulated over the years…). I, however, still remember the magic that came along with it. I was blown away by Marquez’s vivid imagery, remarkable storytelling skills, and his ability to get inside his characters’ heads and realistically describe their motives and intentions.

I’ve always found Love in the Time of Cholera to be especially intriguing by the way it depicts all sorts of relationships ranging from a halfhearted marriage to lust-filled hookups and everything in between – some darker and more disturbing than others. The playlist I’ve provided as a part of the Quiet, Constant Friends project includes everything from a 1996 Backstreet Boys single to my favorite 2014 lo-fi gems to convey the different aspects of love and heartbreak in this beautifully written novel.

Tracklisting:

You can find Chill Chill Publicity on Twitter and Facebook. The Quiet, Constant Friends compilation is for sale on the Wake The Deaf Bandcamp page.

Cover art by Pamela Guest

The post Lit Links: Lanny Lieu appeared first on Various Small Flames.

His first song is ‘Listerine’, a lo-fi bedroom pop number about moving too little and thinking too much, an ostensibly sad song cut with amusing lyrics and deadpan delivery which hint the whole thing might be a joke (a view furthered by the intro/outro quips). But just when you think you have the track pegged, it evolves into something different, part declaration of love, part plea for help from someone stuck too far away from someone they feel they need.

“I smell like pee and Listerine
I haven’t gotten out of bed since early June
Listen to me I’m blistering
My skin grows pale while outside flowers bloom.
I freeze with fear when you’re not here
and you keep me calm when I feel obscene.”

There are several more Foxall tracks on his Soundcloud page and apparently there will be a Foxall EP sometime in 2016 so keep you ear to the ground.

The post Introducing Foxall with new track, ‘Listerine’ appeared first on Various Small Flames.