Meet Carl the Collector, the PBS Kids Show with “Synth and Soul"

A Deeper Listen

Max Perla and Vincent John make up Eraserhood Sound, the duo that scores the animated PBS Kids series Carl the Collector."

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Max Perla and Vincent John make up Eraserhood Sound, the duo that scores the animated PBS Kids series Carl the Collector. In the spirit of Vince Guaraldi’s signature sound in Peanuts cartoons, show creator Zach Ohora says that Eraserhood’s “synth and soul” formula provides the perfect soundscape for the everyday happenings of an autistic raccoon and his neurodiverse friend group in Fuzzytown.

KEXP’s Roddy Nikpour spoke with Perla, John, and Ohora to learn more about the show, their shared interest in collecting vinyl, and how their pride as fellow Philadelphia-based artists led them to creating the show’s low-stimulus soundtrack.

“You know that opening scene from Reservoir Dogs when they’re walking down the alleyway?” Ohora says in the interview, describing one of the music cues. “It’s like that for four-year-olds. It’s like, ‘This is my gang that I want to hang out with, and they’re the cutest, nicest, fuzziest animals.’”

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