The Pitchfork Review was an American quarterly music magazine, available in print only, that included long-form feature stories, photography, and illustrations, and also included selected recent pieces from Pitchfork's online content. The magazine ended after 11 issues[1] in November 2016.[2]
Launch
In December 2013, Pitchfork Media debuted The Pitchfork Review, a quarterly print journal focused on long-form music writing and design-focused content.[3] J.C. Gabel, its first editor, had been the publisher of The Chicagoan and founding publisher of Stop Smiling.[4]
According to the New York Times, Pitchfork Media planned a limited-edition quarterly publication of about 10,000 copies of each issue, perfect bound, and printed on glossy, high-quality 8-by-10¼ paper.[5] It was expected that about two-thirds of the content would be original, with the remaining one-third recycled from the Pitchfork website.[5]
But as impressive as it is, is it a step back in time for a brand more known for looking ahead? Perhaps, but that doesn't mean it's a step backwards; rather, it can be seen as a show of confidence. And there is reason to believe it could turn a profit. Print still has a currency, in terms of perception and ad revenue, and a well-produced print glossy can still resonate with readers in a way that pixels can't.[6]
The Hollywood Reporter quoted the magazine's creative director as saying that moving into print was "not a nostalgic move, because print has never left our lives," adding that Pitchfork's goal was to "create a permanent object of a moment through music journalism and documentation... a compendium of what we'll remember from the last few months and what's going through our minds as music fans right now."[7]
Converse was secured as an exclusive advertising partner for the first four issues, and agreed to sponsor a series of 7-inch records included with the 2014 issues of the publication, beginning with No. 2.[3]
Issues
2013–2014 issues
No. 1 (Winter 2013)
The inaugural issue of The Pitchfork Review included original articles about Van Morrison, Otis Redding, Glenn Danzig, and the history of the jukebox, as well as a retrospective on the glory days of the U.K. weekly music press.[3]
A 7-inch split single was included with the second issue, with two exclusive tracks by Kurt Vile and the Lovetones, "Off with His Tongue!" and "Let's Bury the Hatchet," and a B-side, "Meg's Dreamcatcher," from Philadelphia-based punk band Watery Love.[10][11]
No. 3 (Summer 2014)
The third issue, which went on sale July 18, 2014, featured articles about Jason Molina, Don Drummond and Margarita Mahfood, John Fahey, and Joe Tex, as well as short pieces on Kanye West, Weezer, and others.[12] An oral history of Elliott Smith was reprinted from Pitchfork's online content.[12] The issue included a 7-inch split single by King Tuff and Vermont-based band The Lentils.[12]
Issue five included an extended interview with Björk, an oral history of the band Jawbreaker, and a feature on the origins and "queer legacy" of The B-52's.[14]
Publication of the eighth issue, originally expected by December 15, 2015,[17] was delayed to mid-January 2016.[18] The issue featured a cover story on Prince's Dirty Mind, a guide to musicians' final resting places in Memphis, and articles on Los Crudos, TV on the Radio, Alice Coltrane, and life as a proto-punk in 1976.
^Kurt Vile and the Lovetones & Watery Love (Spring 2014). "Off with His Tongue! & Let's Bury the Hatchet b/w Meg's Dreamcatcher". The Pitchfork Review (Limited edition 7" recording) (2): inside back cover. ISBN9780991399215.