As I’m sure has been pretty obvious I have really lost my blogging inspiration since the last election. I have seen lots of things from creative types who have found it hard to do their thing in the past few years because everything is so distracting, depressing, and anxiety producing. It’s particularly hard to write a blog that’s focused on the good things in life when you don’t see a whole lot of good in the world anymore.

I quit Twitter about 5 months ago because that had turned into a non-stop pile of anxiety and depression producing garbage. I miss what it once was. I met a number of people who became IRL friends there, and there are a few people I still miss interacting with there on a regular basis. But for the most part I don’t miss what Twitter had become by the time I left. It’s still the best way to keep up with concert announcements so I have one list of music related accounts I still look at, but that’s it. I haven’t even felt the slightest bit tempted to look at anything else.

All that is to say that I thought when I quit Twitter I might start to feel more inspired to write here not to mention the fact that I should have more time to write since I’m no longer mindlessly scrolling through Twitter all the time. But it has now been 5 months and that inspiration hasn’t arisen, so I’m trying to jump start it a little by starting to write about new music on Fridays. My music posts were always my least read ones, so obviously it’s the perfect thing to write about, something no one who reads this blog cares about. Good thing I’m doing this for me and no one else.

There has been lots of music over the past year that I’ve thought about writing about and then just never gotten the will up to do it, so hopefully this will force me to actually write more instead of just thinking about it. New albums are released on Fridays now, which is still weird to me after Tuesday being the album release day forever until a couple of years ago. So I figure that’s a good time for me to talk about new releases I’m excited about or if there’s not something brand new that week at least something newish that I’ve been enjoying.

Now after that long preamble let’s get on with the music.

First up this week is “Nina Cried Power” by Hozier featuring Mavis Staples. Hozier just released a 4 song EP as a teaser to his new album due out in 2019. It’s an anthem and an homage to others who have used their voices to fight for justice. And hello Mavis Staples. This world does not deserve her. I love how much she has been collaborating with younger generations of singers in recent years. Her presence in this song takes it to a whole other level.

I was both excited and saddened to open my email this morning and see that the new album I had preordered by The Stray Birds, Let It Pass, was waiting for me. I am very happy to have a new album by them, but also sad because I know it will be the last music I will ever get from them. Two of their three members were married and are now divorced. They miraculously managed to record this album together after their breakup and were planning on continuing on as a band even announcing a tour to go with it. I think they figured out pretty quickly that was not going to work and canceled the tour shortly after announcing the album and the tour. I will relish the last beautiful folk music they’re going to put out into this world. Not to mention I’m also really digging some of the more rock vibes going on in this album than previous ones.