Maritime’s new album, Human Hearts, is out today. And not only did the band allow Buzzgrinder to stream the whole thing, but the guys were also kind enough to take over posting duties for the day. Gives us time to prepare for our IFOCE fantasy league draft.

This may come off as some sort of PSA, but after thinking about it, I don’t really care if it does. I’m a dad, so sometimes I should just sound like a windbag. I want to say a few words about trends. Trends or fads can seem to pass so quickly these days that it’s likely whatever it is won’t be cool long enough for the majority of us to catch on before it’s considered passé. I’m fine with that.

In fact, the less I have to think about “cool,” the more time there is for things that are truly important to me. What’s really been bugging me lately, though, are the kinds of trends that require a commitment to becoming knowledgeable about something specific and then using that newfound knowledge to point out others ignorance about said subject. Beer is the latest that comes to mind. Now I don’t want to say that different beers aren’t good or being into beer is a bad thing. I just want people to take themselves less seriously when it comes to their hobbies or interests.

I’ve always tried to talk about music in an accessible way, so as not to alienate people that may not have the same type of vested interest or passion that I have. Music, I’ve thought, is always a different experience for everyone. The way we hear things, like the way we taste, is unique to each of us. That said, I just want everyone to know that it’s OK not to be a beer nerd and still like beer, just as it is to still love your favorite band or song, even though you may not have the English degree to describe just what endears them to you.

Photo courtesy of John Blyberg, via Creative Commons license.

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