Listen: Black Lives Matter

My first week as a freshman at the University of Texas, after an orientation with hundreds of students, they broke us out into smaller discussion groups, and the topic quickly turned to access. I was one of only a couple of white kids in the group, and I remain grateful that 1) the students of […]

Hurricane Harvey: When the Levee Breaks

We are releasing a cover of the 1929 song “When the Levee Breaks” to help benefit the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Download it here: [bandcamp width=100% height=120 track=3828813259 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small] My Hometown I was born in Houston, Texas, and lived most of my life there until I moved to Los Angeles in […]

Hollywood vs. Online Dating

This morning, NPR Morning Edition ran a story called, “Why Hasn’t Online Dating Made it Onscreen?” Of course, as the story discusses, online dating has made it onto TV screens, and studios have made tons of tech-that-kills sci-fi and horror movies. But, the story points out, “[T]here’s one movie genre that’s still struggling to incorporate […]

RIP Chris Cornell

In 1992, I had a page cut out of a magazine hanging on my wall with a picture of Chris Cornell onstage with Soundgarden, and the caption, “It takes a big heart and a healthy set of lungs to be the voice of a generation.” This one hurts a lot. Chris Cornell pretty much got […]

A Letter to Trump Voters

You won, and everybody in America wants to know what happens next It always feels good when your side wins, and you won big. You now control the White House, both houses of Congress, your guy will appoint potentially several Supreme Court justices, and you’ve got a big lead in state governors and legislatures. You’re […]

The Couch Abides

A few weeks ago, Couch by Couchwest, the online music festival for everybody who couldn’t or didn’t want to go to South by Southwest, called it a day. They started in 2011, and they were recommended to me just before we released The Ghost of John Henry in 2012, so Sci-Fi Romance participated in every […]

Trumptation Blues

“South Carolina is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum.” – James L. Petigru, former South Carolina Attorney General, 1860 [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2198238095 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=1064607167] As the 2016 presidential campaigns got going and professional loudmouth Donald Trump achieved “frontrunner status” among the field of GOP candidates, […]

Valentine’s Playlists…For However You Feel About Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is one of those rare greeting card holidays that actually engender feelings in people. If you’re lucky in love, Valentine’s Day can be a lot of fun. I’m not above admitting it. So if you’re feeling Valentine’s Day this year, I put together a Sci-Fi Romance playlist for you: spotify:user:vkotrla:playlist:6CT7ezPBkjHgOQmnO2xy0b However. (There’s usually […]

Horror Movies to Watch This October

It’s hard for me to believe that it was a year ago today that — without fully realizing what I was doing — I started work on the Sci-Fi Romance October EP. For those not familiar, every October I watch as many classic horror movies as I can cram into my eyeballs, and last year, over […]

Six Reasons Why Fall is Inarguably the Best Season

Today is the Autumnal Equinox, otherwise known as the first day of fall, otherwise known as the beginning of the best season. This is not an opinion. Fall is the best season. There are plenty of reasons why, but here are a few off the top of my head: 1. The Halloween It seems like […]