The Pitch’s Infinite Playlist Round 41: Kaylynn Mullins
The Pitch’s Infinite Playlist // Illustration by Shelby Phelps
Welcome to The Pitch’s Infinite Playlist, a forever-growing playlist of songs picked by people in KC. View/follow the full playlist on Spotify, and you can always go back and check out the full run of articles. Throw the playlist on shuffle and enjoy away!
Playlist Guest #41: Kaylynn Mullins
Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m Kaylynn Mullins, a reporter, proud mother of a black cat, a fun little drink enthusiast, and a local astrology girl. I love writing and getting to know Kansas City through the many different people I meet through this gig. In my (very limited) free time, I enjoy walking, playing guitar, going to concerts, and getting overpriced cocktails on a patio.
Where can we support/follow your work?
You can find my articles here or follow me on Twitter at @kaylynnamullins. If you’re way more put together than me, you can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
“Get Gone” by Fiona Apple
Miss Fiona Apple’s pen is always ablaze. She is often stereotyped as “sad white girl music,” but I find her songs to be perfect for when you’re so pissed off at the world that it turns into existential dread. Get Gone quickly landed itself at the top of this list as it shows the phenomenon of the anger and anguish that happens when a forgiving soul finally snaps. The slow, gentle build-up to the cathartic, “fucking GO!” and the change from, “You’re not benefiting” to “I’m not benefitting” backed only by a piano and Apple’s distinct vocals. If you’re fed up with someone’s shit, I highly recommend screaming crying this in your car.
“affection” by BETWEEN FRIENDS
This EP truly is the perfect soundtrack for summer. The bassline goes extremely hard and mentally places you in a convertible going down the LA coast at sunset. This has become somewhat of a “safety song” for me when the aux is unexpectedly thrust into my care, and it has never disappointed me. The chorus is lulling and catchy, and this music duo’s voices blend seamlessly into each other to create a daydream-like sound. Perfect for poolside rotting or in the background of a house party.
“Geyser” by Mitski
If I could add every Mitski song ever created to this playlist, best believe I would. Mitski’s range, musical knowledge, and lyrics are on a different level. For the sake of not flooding the playlist, I decided to choose what I think is the quintessential Mitski track, “Geyser.” Her tracks dip into so many genres, indie, rock, folk, and classical, always pendulum swinging from triumphant to devastating instrumentals. “Geyser” begins with the typical dark, mournful side of Mitski before building up (ya know, like a geyser) to an explosive, joyful conglomerate of horns and strings. The song itself is about her complicated relationship with music, and how she sometimes loathes the fact that she has to create to function.
“Salt in the Wound” by boygenius
Of course, I’m a boygenius fan, I like oat milk lattes, black hair dye, and Doc Martens. When I saw them live last summer in Chicago when they closed out with Salt in The Wound, my brain chemistry changed. The heavy guitar throughout that crescendos into Julien Baker just absolutely shredding while Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus scream layering bridges, like, yeah I ate that the fuck up. Similar to “Get Gone,” this is another cathartic, scream-in-your-car song. I seem to have found a niche musical pocket.
“More” by The Greeting Committee
I am not immune to a good love song, as a matter of fact, they often make me well up more than the actual heart-wrenching music I enjoy. The Greeting Committee holds a special place in my heart because a certain special someone showed me their music, and so their love songs always sucker punch my heart (in a good way). The track’s backing piano melodies and pauses paint a picture of someone beating themselves up for being so whipped (based), and Addie Sartino’s belting sounds like it comes straight from her heart. Just a 10/10 love song, real yearners will understand.
