Kitcatt Nohr Digitas

Anthony Fantano is the internet's busiest music nerd. A self proclaimed geek and fitness nut from Connecticut, he’s the host of The Needle Drop a music b/vlog that reviews tracks and albums that you’ve probably never heard of.

I’ve built a pretty special relationship with Anthony Fantano. He’s been my companion during six months of late night baby feeds. Matilda sits on one knee while she drinks her bottle and Anthony balances on my other knee illuminating the scene through my iPad. It's a ritual that I’ve come to really look forward to.

By the look of the stats on his I’m not alone. Anthony has built an impressive sized fan base- his most popular review for Cee Lo Green’s F**k You, attracted 222,000 views and most others average around 10,000. And it's not hard to see why. 

His music tastes are adventurous and eclectic. Reviews range from obscure Afrobeat compilations to black metal opuses. This can be difficult terrain but Anthony’s lack of pretension, humour, and infectious enthusiasm make him the perfect guide. 

Everything is in glorious web-fidelity. The videos look like they’ve been shot in Anthony’s bedroom through a webcam and sub Max Headroom special effects and corn ball comedy skits punctuate the monologues. This homemade quality gives The Needle Drop the feel of a Skype chat with a mate- intimate, relaxed, friendly, trusted.

It’s his descriptive powers, however, that make Anthony’s reviews more than just entertaining. Watch, for example, how he gets under the skin of Gonjasufi’s album, or describes the experience of listening to the noise assault of . His narratives are so vivid that you know exactly what that album is going to sound like, how its going to make you feel, and most importantly whether to go and check it out.

The Needle Drop is the perfect blog- insightful, provocative, generous, content rich, and powered by a tireless, charismatic leader. Its also the perfect recommendation tool- your switched on mate doing all the hard work so you don’t have to.