Another New (Covid) Year
Play this one in order if you can — or else you'll really be in random world. After a number of requests from friends for "new music," here's twenty five songs that helped ease the disconnection and isolation during these seemingly endless Covid times. All over the map. And there’s not a ton that’s “new” here if we are talking new releases (there’s a few though.)
What there is however are some new all-time favorites, songs from artists that just came on my radar over the last couple of years, or new songs from old artists, new discoveries that popped up randomly or were recommended and caught my ear, etc. The 25 songs that defined that last 365 days for me, that stuck out, for whatever reason, are here for you. In these times of limited connection this is my gift to you, one that I hope will be an annual tradition. If we haven’t gotten together due to Covid, due to sickness, due to quarantine, due to WHATEVER, here is the musical joy that helped me get through this year. Why these songs? Who knows really, that’s a question for another time.
What I can tell you is that there’s likely a song here that is a dedication to each and every one of you in some strange way — old cherished friends, colleagues who I’ve barely seen in person since March 2020, new friendships forged online, rural neighbors who we got to spend more time with. Most importantly the songs represent the time we didn’t get to spend together — at shows, at clubs, traveling, hanging, driving. It’s a soundtrack for all the time we haven’t been able to spend together and, shockingly, fairly optimistic if not a little melancholy. I know we’ll all pick back up right where we left off.
