Eight Reasons Supernatural Sounds IS NOT A Production Music Library
On August 15, 2025 Supernatural Sounds hit a milestone. We released our 30th studio album Western Skies. Of course, we’re incredibly proud of this album and of making and releasing 30 albums for film, TV, video games and trailers. It’s at moments like these that one tends to pause and reflect. One thing I’ve been reflecting on is the kinds of conversations I have with producers, directors and showrunners—or what I call creative leaders.
Crucible: Cinematic Metal For Cinematic Moments
Have you considered the impact of heavy metal on modern visual storytelling? Films, TV shows, video games, advertising and even trailers all now use metal and probably a lot more than you might realize. In fact, I encourage you to engage in the same exercise I did when conceiving of this album. Spend 30 days with your ears tuned to heavy metal in visual storytelling. You’ll probably find far more instances of metal than you might suspect. I know I certainly did. It was quite surprising.
Funkalicious: Dancehall Grooves For Modern Storytellers
Have you seen the film Roll Bounce? It’s one of my favorites. A Black family in 1970s Chicago struggles to deal with the loss of their mother. Chi McBride (incredible actor by the way) plays a bereaved father trying to raise a little girl and a teenage son, played by Bow Wow. McBride tries to prevent his son’s oft-times wayward friends from running amuck, played by the likes of Nick Cannon, Rick Gonzalez, Mike Epps and Khleo Thomas.
Noir Cocktail: Job And The Power Of Lament
I love the Job narrative. A good man tries to do right and horrible things happen to him. His payment for being good is divine punishment. His children die all in one day. His livestock are stolen. His properties are ransacked by raiders. His body breaks out in such horrible boils that dogs come to lick them.
Mystic Wood: My Summer In Narnia
I have long believed in the mystical power of ancient texts. When a manuscript has been around for centuries, when it has been protected from alteration and decay, when it has been faithfully translated into numerous languages, when it has given people guidance and a sense of purpose and an understanding of their reason for existing—a text like that simply cannot be ignored. It is inherently powerful. It contains mystical properties.
Up Yours: For Surly Characters That Just Don’t Give A Puck
Shameless is one of my favorite televisions shows. I’ll admit it. It’s a guilty pleasure, seeing all of these crazy antics. Maybe it reminds me a bit of my own childhood and family? Maybe? I grew up in a household with 7 children, 5 of whom were boys born back-to-back. It seemed like there was never enough money to go around and we were always dreaming up crazy ideas to entertain ourselves. Some of those ideas were pretty dangerous. Part of me is still amazed that we all lived to see adulthood.
Passionate Acoustics: Complex Emotions Sensitively Conveyed
I love instrumental music. Always have. Don’t get me wrong. I also love music with lyrics and strong vocal performances. I acknowledge the preeminence of the human voice, our most powerful instrument. But there’s something about the simplicity and purity of a great instrument, well played, beautifully recorded and passionately performed. I have no words to describe that.
Treachery: Plumbing The Depths Of Dark Human Emotions
History teaches us that few experiences are more painful or debilitating than betrayal. Traitors make the short-list of the worst human beings ever. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, with a kiss no less. Guy Fawkes betrayed his English countrymen by trying to blow up the House of Lords in the failed gunpowder plot. Benedict Arnold betrayed his fellow soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Brutus betrayed Julius Caesar, stabbing him on the Senate floor.
Cali-Coast: Eagles, Seger And Browne Distill That California Sound
Picture this. It’s the summer of 1977 and the days are warm and long. School’s out, so me and my younger brother spend the long afternoons completely by ourselves. Mom doesn’t want us in the house, so we park ourselves on the front porch with a jug of iced tea. At our feet, there is a transistor radio we got for Christmas.
Once In A Blue Mood: When Jimi Hendrix Kissed The Dark Side Of The Moon
Jimi Hendrix changed my life. I grew up in a conservative Christian home. My dad was an Army vet who held little love in his heart for hippies. He, his brothers and many of his friends had served in the military and several of them saw combat in WWII and Korea. Sex, drugs and rock and roll had no place in our home. Until…
Lonesome Highway: New Horizons In The West
John Steinbeck’s Grapes Of Wrath is, quite possibly, the single greatest road trip narrative in all of American literature. His incredible story about a poor family looking for new horizons and new opportunities in the West, particularly in California, is really a tale of heart-wrenching beauty. The dust bowl and farm foreclosures push them off their land. This family from Oklahoma—Okies as they came to be called—just need a break. They need a fresh start. But instead, their grandmother dies, their car breaks down and their luck runs out.
Welcome to Music: The Heart Of The Story
Great storytelling is something we feel in our bones. It’s as natural as breathing. Yet, creating highly impactful stories is hard—especially for visual media. That’s why this newsletter exists. I want to help you tell stories more powerfully, more effectively, more viscerally than ever before in your career.