Regardless of the type, structure or niche, it’s difficult to sustain any sort of independent business. This can definitely be said for an independent record label with so many things working against the vision and progress of it right from the get-go. Even though this fact is true, local musician Matt Maggiacomo, who is the lead vocalist and guitarist of the wizard rock act The Whomping Willows, decided to give it a shot when he started Pitch & Prose in Cranston back in 2019. Through the COVID-19 pandemic and other trials and tribulations, the record label released an abundance of albums and singles from artists & bands from right here in Rhode Island, other parts of the United States and even other areas around the globe. They put on shows in Providence showcasing some of these artists as well.

The sad reality of any great thing is that someday it has to end and unfortunately Pitch & Prose met its conclusion by announcing the ceasing of operations via their Facebook page back in October. I’ve had the pleasure of covering the record label and the music from their roster for the past couple of years, so I figure the best way to give Pitch & Prose a proper send off is by writing one last article. This said, here are some of my favorite releases from them.

Moroz - “Sunken People” EP

I remember when I first gave this record by the Long Beach, California singer-songwriter Moroz a listen that I really gravitated to the hooks. This release that came out on November 26, 2021 has a guitar-driven foundation with a variety of other instruments being blended in. This is exemplified through the songs “It’ll Be Over Soon”, “Showing Up” and “Blueberry Mascarpone”.

Castilho - “Today We’ll Be The Lucky Ones”

Portugal-based indie pop act Castilho have a musical approach that’s somewhat laid back but also rhythmic, which is evident in this full-length album they released nearly two years ago on January 22, 2022. If you’re a fan of ‘70s singer-songwriter stuff as well as the soft rock music from that decade, then you should check this record out. I suggest starting with “Come Back”,

“Numbers” and “Looking For Ways”.

Olivia Dolphin - “Lion-Hearted Blood”

One of the local artists who teamed up with Pitch & Prose to release their music was Olivia Dolphin with this full-length album that came out on April 8, 2022. Dolphin is a stellar songwriter and this record is a prime example of why. If you give “Too Deep”, “In The Dark” and “We Wrote The Book” off of it a listen, then you’ll probably agree with me.

Ariel Hill - “Moonstruck”

I was absolutely blown away when the Houston based pop artist Ariel Hill released this album back on May 12, 2022. I really dug her fusion of neo soul, R&B, trip hop and electrofunk along with her stellar vocal range. Tracks like “First”, “Made Up” and “Dark Room” are excellent and this album could very well be the best record Pitch & Prose put out during their existence.

Knightingale - “Big Wave” EP

An example of Pitch & Prose’s global reach is their collaboration with the Singapore punk rock act Knightingale and this EP they put out on August 29, 2022. A power trio consisting of dual guitarists and vocalists Ashwin Rao and Ben Ho and Rajiv Singh on drums, they have a hard-hitting and energetic sound that I absolutely love. Both “Gina” and “Beatle Boy” are my favorite tracks off of this record, but you should listen to the whole thing.

To tune into all of these records and everything else Pitch & Prose has released, log onto their Bandcamp page at pitchandprose.bandcamp.com. Cheers for giving artists a well-deserved spotlight and for starting out in the face of difficult obstacles.