I wanted to write a OMG have you heard Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, but I may cover that in a separate post unrelated to the Monday Mixtape.

In the meantime, another OMG: Have you listened to Zach Bryan? This guy is taking the music world by storm with fearless and vulnerable songwriting, bellowing tunes many times with just him and his Gibson. He is inspiring me to write again.

Fear and Fridays (Poem)
I'd say I've seen some beautiful days, I've walked countless coastlines, awoken on mountain tops, I've seen death and birth and kissed good lips…
I have ridden in fear, although, I was afraid every single time.
I've learned that every waken moment is enough and excess never leads to better things, it only piles and piles on top of the things that are already abundantly in front of you like breathing and chasing and slow dancing and love making and fighting and laughing.
I am unhinged, unworthy, and distasteful to mostly everyone I meet, however I am loyal to a fault to anyone I find kindness in…
I do not and will not fear tomorrow because I feel as though today has been enough…
And I think fear and Fridays got an awful lot in common, they are overdone and glorified and always leave you wanting.

Tourniquet
You've been playing your guitar from arenas to the bars
Since you were old enough to rhyme a word
But your face is getting thinner
And you're praying for the winter
And I heard you fucked it up with her

I bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days too
Take care of the blood that your love runs through
I know all the damage that some days in this dark world does
You were laughing last evening at something I dreamed of

A bunch of other great tunes to get your week off to the right start. My guy Kojaque is back with “WOOF,” and I can’t wait for his new album.

If you don’t know Bibio, he’s a gem of a songwriter whose been writing good music for two decades now, and has always been under the radar. He’s worth your time!

Speaking of worth your time, I’m diggin’ these newbies, Great Big Cow, and Dana and Alden are a great jazz duo in the mold badbadnotgood.

Enjoy the week!