Chris Shoemaker

Cellist · Pianist · Programmer

Notes on music, listening, and the odd bit of code.

I’m Chris. I’ve played cello since I was seven (now in the Oakland Civic Orchestra) and piano since nine, studied computer science at Carleton, and still believe the best playlist is the one you’re about to hand to a friend.

On Music

All writing →
  1. No. 02The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross: First (sort of) impressionThirty-odd pages into Alex Ross on the twentieth century: Strauss, Mahler, and the art of the frenemy.
  2. No. 01IntroductionWhy this page exists: a cello at age three, a flat refusal to be taught, and a bootleg Planxty CD on the road to Louisville.

Listening

A rotating playlist of whatever has been on repeat lately. Currently spinning: October ’26.

Last heard“Shrimp Shack”Viagra Boys

Ratings and reviews of everything else live on RateYourMusic, and every play gets logged on Last.fm.

October so far

242 plays across 116 artists

  1. PugnelloGilla Band26 plays
  2. Mussorgsky: Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky21 plays
  3. In Search Of...N*E*R*D17 plays
  4. Audit In ProgressHot Snakes12 plays
  1. 01Gilla Band28
  2. 02Modest Mussorgsky21
  3. 03N*E*R*D17
  4. 04Hot Snakes12
  5. 05Torche8

This week, years ago

  1. 2025Aspect — Seventeen Years Old and Berlin WallAlso Kyuss, Japandroids · 78 plays that week
  2. 2024abasement tapes — semiwesternAlso HighSchool, Viagra Boys · 105 plays that week
  3. 2023Most Normal — Gilla BandAlso Mitski, Soft Blue Shimmer · 174 plays that week
  4. 2022Good Faith — MadeonAlso Arkells, Silversun Pickups · 96 plays that week
  5. 202122, a Million — Bon IverAlso Sleep Token, Swans · 66 plays that week
  6. 2020Conatus — Zola JesusAlso Daughters, M83 · 55 plays that week
Show all 12 yearsShow fewer
  1. 2019Immunity — ClairoAlso JPEGMAFIA, Kanye West · 110 plays that week
  2. 2018BALLADS 1 — JojiAlso my bloody valentine, Pinegrove · 117 plays that week
  3. 2017SATURATION — BROCKHAMPTONAlso Vince Staples, Kygo · 27 plays that week
  4. 2016Oh My My — OneRepublicAlso Francis and the Lights, Arvo Pärt · 107 plays that week
  5. 2015Sprained Ankle — Julien BakerAlso Fink, Helios · 146 plays that week
  6. 2014Cerulean — BathsAlso Starfucker, Frightened Rabbit · 277 plays that week

Counted from Last.fm · 66,525 plays since 2013 · synced Oct 27, 2026