It's been a while since I just posted a regular post and not an album review, show review or best of list.
I turn 60 this week, and I'm in a pretty good place with it. Last year at this time, my health was terrible, I was depressed, and I was just feeling no enthusiasm for music. This year, I'm in a whole different place. My weight is down, my blood sugar is down, and I'm feeling 100% better. I'm not only listening to and enjoying music, I'm writing about it, almost compulsively, and I feel like it's some of the best critical writing I've ever done. And while last year, I didn't go out for any live music until three quarters of the year was over, this year, I've already been to my first live show, I've got tickets for three others, and I'm planning to buy tickets for another one plus a musical theater presentation at a local theater before the end of the weekend. And while the hours are still pretty sparse at my old job (even now, in what is usually our busy season, it's the slowest busy season I've ever seen), I've started working for the adoption agency we worked with to adopt our children, and it's some of the most fulfilling work I've ever done. So life is good.
I've got my first batch of music for the new year out in my car this week, and that's always exciting. (The artists are Japandroids, Julia Byrne and Dot Hacker, if you're interested). And there are some interesting releases coming up. I've already got the new Eisley CD, a band I really love, and they'll be going into my car in the next batch. The new Magnetic Fields 5-CD set comes out next week, and while it sounds a little overwhelming, hell, I'm game. There's a new Blondie CD coming out in a few months, a new Aimee Mann album coming out at the end of March, and in April, Procol Harum, of all people, will be releasing their first new studio album in 14 years.
On the local (or formerly local) front, I know that Jeremy Gilchrist is working on a new album he hopes to release before the end of the year. And He Bird, She Bird, a project that includes another old friend Todd Evans, is working on one as well. And I'm sure there will be some other surprises this year also.
Last year saw a number of fine albums by local artists, including Rorie Kelly, Roger Siverberg, Hitman Blues Band, White Spider, Lex Grey and the Urban Pioneers, Night Verses, Toby Walker, Amanda Jayne and Miles to Dayton, and those are just the ones I know of. So you can bet that 2017 will be exciting year too.
I plan to enjoy 60. I'm going to listen to a lot of music, write a lot of reviews, and start raking in those senior citizen discounts. (Had my first one last week. Saved a sweet $2.50 at IHOP on breakfast for my son and I). So keep reading to see how it turns out.
