Your host, that’s me, Tricia Halloran
I’ve been curating, DJing & obsessing over indie rock & pop since I began hosting Brave New World at (influential L.A. radio station) KCRW in 1992. I believe indie music is art, songs can heal, and a well-written lyric moves mountains.
Brave New Brief
A monthly-ish dispatch where I dive headfirst into a tidal wave of new releases and rescue the ones you actually need to hear. No, really, you *need* to hear these. They’re mandatory if you love indie music. No filler, just the gems. With one-line reviews and one-click access to all platforms, you’re always just a few seconds aways from finding your next favorite artist or album. Out of thousands of new releases, I refine a monthly listening shortlist of about 40–50 albums, and then—because I’m snotty as hell—I cut it down to the essentials. Because I’m pretty sure you don’t have time to listen to 50 albums per month.
Why subscribe?
Subscribing supports the indie spirit on all fronts: indie music, indie media, and indie me. Plus, seriously—would you rather have my picks pop into your inbox or go digging yourself?
It’s a give-what-you-can model, starting at zero, because I’m apparently a glutton for punishment and raised on NPR values. To quote Hamilton Nolan, “This is socialist media: The people who can afford to pay a little bit all pay a little bit, and everyone, regardless of wealth, can read the publication.” (He further explains the philosophy here, far better than I ever could: Hamilton Nolan’s blog on subscription journalism)
So apparently its entirely up to you what/if I should be compensated for my time and skill … I believe the decision is in good hands. If you’re able to pitch in, fantastic; if not, well, I’ve got you covered, or rather, the other music-loving readers do. Zero commissions, zero ads—just music for music’s sake.
On that note (ha ha), coming soon, the Best of 2024 list where I get to be even pickier than usual, culling down my favorites to an even more elite list. Its a little like choosing between my children, kind of a hellish exercise if I’m being honest but for you, I’ll do it. So what are you waiting for, get on board already!
Thank you for reading. And if you subscribed, thank you for that. And if you pledged a donation, thank you a million more times. ~tricia
