B.C Landrum; A Fresh Face in the Slowcore Genre

The San Antonio music scene is rich with talent. The few house shows I’ve been to could tell you that much. There are countless unique artists you’ll see in passing on a random Saturday night. Everyone has something to offer, but there’s one budding talent that you won’t want to miss next time you see him playing.
B.C Landrum is a San Antonio born musician who has recently been signed on to local record label: Vulgar Records. His music can be described as infectious and addicting with entrancing melodies and lyrics that will get stuck in your head upon first listen. He plays with an oxymoronic mellow intensity that is only fueled from the passion he has for his craft. Landrum does all of his own work on his in-studio recordings, keys, vocals, guitar, you name it, and it’s incredible the skill he possesses in each one. The melodies in his songs carry a weight that will leave you wanting more, with every strum of the guitar and every note he sings you can hear the care that pushes it forward. I was lucky enough to meet with him near his studio to discuss his work further.
The first indicator of the love he has for his work came up within the first few minutes of our conversation. I was inquiring about the release of his new EP Walk coming in late February, and asked if he had any big plans. He responded that he just wants to start playing shows. “[He] want[s] people to hear the songs live”, but ultimately, “[He] just want[s] to start the next thing”. Landrum told me that he is “constantly writing” and that “it’s something [he does] habitually”. To many this may sound like it’s become a routine, but it’s not, it’s a genuine passion and thirst for the next step in his musical journey. He emphasized the positive effect his music has on him, conveying that the reason he writes is for him and him alone. He wants people to hear his music, but at the end of the day, he does it because it’s something he loves, not something he feels obligated to do.
I then questioned his origins as a singer-songwriter, asking what drew him to play in the first place. He explained that, “Deep down [he’s] always wanted to [play music], but there was a long period of time when [he] was younger that [he] felt it was untouchable.” He explained it as an “I could, but I never would” situation. When he began though, he wasn’t able to stop. He “just started playing and kept playing”. The unique thing about Landrum is that he started out knowing he wanted to go his own direction with music. He told me that it “was always [his] own thing, [he] never picked up an instrument and wanted to learn someone else’s song.” He was constantly asking himself: “What can I do?” He doubled down on this, emphasizing that he’s “not trying to make anyone else’s music”. This is evident in his songs, as I would consider his style nearly unattributable to any specific artist. He brings a freshness to the table that is hard to find in an era full of artists that seem to be replicas of their idols.
Despite the fact that his artistry is unique, he, like all musicians, has inspirations. Some of the names that kept getting repeated were Elliott Smith and The Microphones. Hearing these names caught me off guard, as I never would’ve gathered that from his music, but when questioned about that, Landrum said that “influence comes in weird ways”. He made a specific note of the layers in Smith’s music: “It’s always the little things, the small pieces of the song that add onto it and make it great. You can have a great melody, but without the little layers, it isn’t what it could be”. Nuances are abundant in his music, and he manages to provide a complex listening experience. He also mentioned that The Microphones were a driving force in pushing him to make music in the first place. He said that he “like[s] The Microphones because when [he] first started listening to them, [he thought]: ‘It’s just this guy with his instruments and his recording equipment, if he can do it I can too’.”
His new EP is entitled Walk, and consists of five songs, engineered by Oscar from Vulgar Records. I asked about the origin of the name. Landrum told me he’s particularly bad with naming things, and the title he landed on was one of many options he considered. The meaning of the title relates to his music as it’s heard by others: he was “told that [his] music can be calming in nature,” which is something he’s always liked about his style. He considers it to be relaxing, or somewhat of “a cathartic release” he goes on to describe it titularly “Like a walk, clearing your head.” I’d say this title is fitting, despite his lack of a knack for titling works. His music has the ability to make a listener forget everything except for what’s in front of them, putting out slow-burn, melodic, pieces that make a person want to pay attention.
As we were wrapping up, I asked him about his connections within the music scene in San Antonio. He mentioned a distinct tie to the band Herlovebeheadsdaisies who play music that, if placed into a specific genre, would be screamo or hardcore. Landrum says he’s “known Kai [who does vocals and guitar for] Herlovebeheadsdaisies” for a while. “[They] used to play music together when [he] was a sophomore in high school—[he then] got closer to Gavin [who plays bass] and James [who plays the drums],” and they’d get together and play music frequently. He said that they helped him grow in his own art, despite their vastly different styles of music, and that “it’s been beautiful to watch them make their art,” mentioning that “they’re incredibly talented and they all play with a lot of feeling and passion.” Landrum also threw out a piece of advice for people wanting to start branching out locally with their work. Though he says he’s awful at giving advice, he urges people to “just [start playing], and do it with other people… just do it and have fun—put yourself out there, and be open. Above all just care about music.”
Though Herlovebeheadsdaisies is seemingly his closest connection, he also wanted to make it known how thankful he is for other people that have helped him pursue his music career. He, of course, thanked Vulgar Records, explaining how excited he was to be working with them and noting that everyone under the label “sound[s] cohesive,” and that “the future is bright for [them], [and he’s] happy to be a part of it”. He also mentioned a few other local artists he believes readers should look into: Phonefoot, Cassidy, Foster Pettit, loudermilk, and Killing Seasons, some of which (the latter three) are signed with Vulgar Records as well. Landrum also told me that he was especially grateful for his mom for supporting him as he continued exploring his creative endeavors.
B.C Landrum has a talent very few people are lucky enough to have. His music seems seamless. The production quality is impeccable for a first wide release, and the substance of the EP is incredible. The tentative release date for Walk is February 22nd, but it isn’t set in stone, and he says a lot of things are still subject to change. All that being said, if you’re looking for a new and up and coming artist to add to your playlist or see live, be on the lookout for him, you won’t want to miss it.