The 'State Of Bloody Good Music' Address

My fellow music fans...

This year was an odd one in every sense; personally, culturally, and musically. You may have noticed that manifesting in the work we do here, which underwent a few shifts in both tone and format. We covered fewer new albums than possibly ever, as the release schedule did not offer up as much fascinating new music for us to talk about. Some of the albums that did pique our interest did so in ways that didn't lead to in-depth discussion, so the 'Quick Reviews' series became more of a focus. It was a way of covering albums that didn't test our sanity by making us try to come up with 800 or 1,000 words to say something was merely adequate.

Statistically, this year saw me listen to the least new albums since we started out on this journey. The number has been declining for a couple of years now, and I fear it is a lagging indicator of an uncomfortable truth. My concern is that I have hit that proverbial wall, wherein I have heard so much music over the course of my life I don't have room for much more to occupy the important slots. That isn't to say there isn't still great music, or that I don't enjoy some new albums immensely, but I would be lying if I said more than two or three records from the last five years will even be a thought the next time I re-organize my list of all-time favorites.

What that has meant for you, the reader, is an increased focus on the esoteric and philosophical aspects of music. This autumn, I have been writing more about older records, and the way music and life interact as both cause and explanation. To be quite honest, that writing has been far more interesting to me than worrying about having thoughts for the latest melodic rock album that sounds like every other one. I am an over-thinker by nature, and the dearth or worthy new music has given me even more time than usual to dig into the depths of music's meaning.

I say all of this as preface for the future.

I don't know what the next year holds for us here at Bloody Good Music. By no means are we giving up, but I cannot make a promise that new albums will once again become the vast majority of what we talk about here. That will be up to the bands and artists, and is out of my control. I will discuss any record that catches my attention, but the days of having weeks with three new reviews may be a thing of the past. It isn't burnout in the sense that the work of writing is too much to handle, but rather an ennui that I don't have enough music I am feeling passionate about. I don't want to talk just for the sake of talking.

Instead, what seems likely is a continued mix of content. We will have our traditional new album reviews, and our roundup of the latest singles. We may venture back into making a few more lists of various topics, and hopefully we can manage a larger collaborative effort or two. I would also like the latitude to continue writing about the philosophy and sociology of music, because I think there are still things to learn about ourselves by taking time to examine the choices we make in soothing and entertaining ourselves. I have certainly been one who has made realizations through this kind of writing. They are perhaps more necessary now than ever.

We are at an inflection point, where many of the bands we have spent our lives listening to are slowing down if not over, and we are waiting for the next generation to take charge and demand our attention. I don't know if that divide will ever be bridged, or if perhaps music is beginning to pass me by. What I can say is that I will still be here chiming in where I can, and hopefully having something worth listening to.

I don't want to become one of those people who only talks about the past, but I also realize we may be the ouroboros beginning to swallow its own tail, re-setting the timeline. It will be interesting to see what that looks and sounds like.