An Album a Day #2026-16

Notes

Good music moves. It does something. It goes somewhere, and it takes you with it. Great music does something unexpected. It goes somewhere new. It creates a new world, explores new possibilities. I hesitate to call any music "bad." At worst, it is not good. By that, I mean it stands still. It doesn't do anything. It doesn't go anywhere, and leaves you in the same place you started.

Listening to music is not a passive exercise. Like other senses, our brains play an active role in shaping what we hear. Environmental factors, age, tiredness, and mood all influence our perception. In other words, all music is live music, and each listener is an instrument participating in the music making.

I first listened to Stand On My Shoulders by native Alaskan artist Ya Tseen at night after a long day of work. My first day back to work after a month-long vacation, in fact. It did not move me. I listened again the next morning, well rested and well caffeinated. I may have felt a nudge.

Listen

What is "An Album a Day"?

Each day in 2026, I'm listening to an album that:

1. I've never heard before
2. Was released in the last six months (from the time of listening)