Shaking things up in #SpookySZN 👻

Find at least one great horror movie to watch this season! [READER]( The Daily Reader I'm working on a Halloween story that's engineered to make me watch a bunch of horror movies, a practice I'm usually engaged in during October anyway. Whenever I watch a movie for work I feel like I'm getting away with something, largely because it's not my routine beat. I love music and love that my job provides me the space to learn more about it than I could in my free time. But the unintended consequence of turning something you love into your job is making otherwise enjoyable tasks a form of labor. On days I feel a little crunched, listening to a new album can feel like a chore, or something to check off a list. My forthcoming story has given me the chance to shake up my work routines. Which, in turn, has rejuvenated the sense of wonder I still have when I find a new album I love. When [Nnamdï]( dropped [Please Have a Seat]( a couple weeks ago, I threw on a pair of headphones, grabbed a basketball, and walked to a park to practice my shot. Though I'd listened to Nnamdï's album before it dropped, I felt like I could hear it anew away from my routine work environment. And I haven't stopped thinking about his song "Smart Ass" since then. All of this is to say, I hope y'all find at least one great horror movie to watch this season—it might help you find newfound appreciation in your routines too. If you're still looking for some unfamiliar scary movies, well, my next story may have some recommendations for you. Now, I just need to finish writing it ... Sincerely, "[How Cortex's 'Troupeau Bleu' Became Hip-Hop's Favorite French Jazz Album]( by Arielle Lana Lejarde (Rolling Stone) "[Matt Skiba Is As Excited As You Are About the Blink-182 Reunion]( by Justin Curto (Vulture) "[These 10 Latin American Sound Artists Are Expanding What Ambient Music Can Be]( by Isabelia Herrera (Pitchfork) crash830, [floor]( Courtney and Brad, [A Square is a Shape of Power]( Demo Division, [Wish You Were Here]( Joshua Virtue, [Rama]( [Chicago’s Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir honors its own traditions with its first album release in two decades]( by [Robert Marovich]( [Dance-music maverick James Marlon Magas drops an all-star album]( Plus: Skin Graft Records releases a monstrous Halloween-season compilation, and Mario Luna hits La Esquina to push his new book of vintage house-music flyers. by [J.R. Nelson]( and [Leor Galil]( [His name is Ray]( Ray St. Ray, the Singing Cab Driver, is a Chicago legend. by [Isa Giallorenzo]( [Lucky Plush helps two artists deal with their Unfinished Business]( Kurt Chiang and Mindy Myers finally collaborate; plus a new artistic director at Writers and the Jeff Awards by [Kerry Reid]( 👇 It's officially hoodie season This autumn, rep your love for us and the city with a [hoodie]( [crewneck]( or [zip-up]( sweatshirt. Need a mug and a good book to curl up with, too? No worries—[we've got it all at the Reader store.]( [Issue of Oct. 13 -26, 2022 Vol. 52, No.]( [Download Issue]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2022 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616