Where should I send CDs to be considered for review in No Depression?
For starters, it’s a good idea to send a copy to one (or both) of our co-editors:
Peter Blackstock
No Depression
112 Briarcliff Dr.
Mebane, NC 27302
Grant Alden
No Depression
477 N. Wilson Ave.
Morehead, KY 40351
Blackstock and Alden make the final decisions about what gets covered in the magazine, but generally write few reviews themselves. Blackstock assigns the new review section; Alden assigns reissues. To that end, you might also consider sending a copy of your disc to one of our contributing editors, all of whom have different areas of focus. Here are their e-mail addresses, if you’d like to contact any of them about sending a disc their way:
SENIOR EDITORS:
David Cantwell (Kansas City, MO)
Bill Friskics-Warren (Nashville, TN)
Barry Mazor (Nashville, TN)
Don McLeese (Des Moines, IA)
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS:
Paul Cantin (Toronto, Canada) --
John T. Davis (Austin, TX)
Robert L. Doerschuk (Nashville, TN)
Silas House (Lily, KY)
Roy Kasten (St. Louis, MO)
Rich Kienzle (Greenburg, PA)
Jesse Fox Mayshark (New York City, NY)
David Menconi (Raleigh, NC)
Joe Nick Patoski (Austin, TX)
Linda Ray (1107 N. Camilla Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716)
Kurt B. Reighley (Seattle, WA)
Lloyd Sachs (Chicago, IL)
Allison Stewart (at-large)
INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS:
Sophie Best (Melbourne, Australia)
Ed Ward (Berlin, Germany)
Lastly, if there’s another writer whose byline you’ve seen regularly in our magazine that you’d specifically like to send a review copy, e-mail peter@nodepression.net to inquire about how to contact them.
What are the chances of my record getting reviewed in No Depression?
We have space to review about 5-10%, at best, of the discs submitted to us. We try to strike a balance between major-label, indie-label, and self-released albums. We do not review demos, nor are we able to give you personalized feedback.
Will you listen to MP3 files, or follow links to our website?
As a practical matter, there are so many CDs already in our offices waiting to be listened to that it would be grossly unfair to jump electronic submissions to the head of the class. Blackstock might; Alden won’t.
How can I find out whether a review is running in the magazine?
The best way is simply to check the magazine when it comes out, or look up the new issue’s table of contents as soon as it’s posted on our website. Sometimes it may take us two or three issues to get around to reviewing a record; any longer than that, though, probably means we’ve decided not to review it.
You’re welcome to follow up after sending a record; best way to do that is to e-mail peter@nodepression.net and just ask if it was received. We keep a log of all releases which arrive at our offices, and we’re happy to confirm receipt of submissions. The heavy volume of mail we get and the changing space needs within any given issue make it impossible for us to offer specific information regarding the status of potential coverage in the magazine. Suffice to say that we’ll write about the record if the music inspires us to do so, and we’ll get in touch with you if we need further info or assistance.
Will you review my record if we buy an ad?
No such guarantees are made, ever. We take our ethics seriously, and the separation between editorial decisions and advertising sales is and should be very much like the Constitutional separation of church and state, in our view. We do, of course, review plenty of records that are also advertised in ND; but the purchase of an ad has no influence whatsoever on our consideration of which records we choose to review.
I’m interested in writing for No Depression. How should I proceed?
We have a fairly extensive crew of regular contributors, though we still occasionally bring new writers into our ranks. A good place to start is sending a few clips (a half-dozen or so) to our co-editors:
Peter Blackstock
No Depression
112 Briarcliff Dr.
Mebane, NC 27302
Grant Alden
No Depression
477 N. Wilson Ave.
Morehead, KY 40351
Hard-copy clips sent by postal mail are preferred over e-mailed clips or web links to online clips.
I have a specific record or show I’d like to review. What should I do?
You’re welcome to pitch reviews or articles to us; it’s best to e-mail peter@nodepression.net and grant@nodepression.net with a relatively brief account of what you’re interested in writing. Keep in mind that Peter assigns reviews of new releases and live shows, while Grant assigns reissues and book reviews.
Do you accept unsolicited submissions?
We’re happy to take a look at anything you care to write up and send along, but keep in mind that we rarely run articles that were not assigned beforehand. Such unsolicited submissions do, however, give us a chance to take a look at your writing, so even if we don’t end up running a piece, it’s a good way to offer a "tryout" if you don’t already have previously published clips to show us.
I’m an illustrator or photographer. Where should I send my work to be considered for assignment?
Illustrators and photographers should send samples of their work to:
Grant Alden
No Depression
477 N. Wilson Ave.
Morehead, KY 40351
Or e-mail grant@nodepression.net with a link to your portfolio. That seems to work well enough.
What kind of work are you looking for?
The design philosophy behind No Depression is meant to reflect aesthetics in vogue from the late 1940s through the early 1960s. Illustrators working in one or more of those styles are encouraged to apply, but please don’t trouble us with work that looks as if it were generated on a computer. And please don’t propose comic strips or gag panels.
Photographers with strong black and white and color skills, adept at live performance shots and documentary-style portraiture are also encouraged. (Think Imogene Cunningham and Charles Peterson, for starters.) We have a strong prejudice toward photographers who print their own images; or, in this digital age, toward photographers whose work reflects that level of care and craft. We are also interested in the work of photographers who have been shooting relevant acts for a number of years and can draw upon their files to help document careers. We are not interested in cross-processed color work, PhotoShop trickery, or other contemporary affectations of the moment.