With 2011 Half Finished...

Normally my reaction to a Canada Post strike would be one of serious inconvenience, given how Skeleton Crew Quarterly receives a few shipments of physical product to review each week. However, regular readers may be unsurprised to read that SCQ is somewhat relieved by that brief nation-wide strike, as it has afforded this website a chance to catch up on what has been a slow year productivity-wise. A few reasons can readily explain SCQ’s reduction of content (by nearly 50% in 2011 so far), including regular contributions to another music criticism site, increased work hours and a renewed focus on creative writing. Collectively, these worthy distractions steal hours from days traditionally held for SCQ-writing and yes that sits uncomfortably with me.

Since a weekly percentage of my writing has been featured on other platforms, I thought this occasion might warrant a peak at some of those reviews. The vast majority of my contributions at Coke Machine Glow have been track-reviews, which Skeleton Crew Quarterly doesn’t really indulge in, but below I’ve included two album reviews written recently.

As far as the creative writing is concerned, I’ve become entrenched in my first poetry collection in nearly two years. When writing about music has dominated your free time for nearly three years, it’s difficult to ignore a fruitful, prolific period of honest writing that stands on its own - independent of bands, labels, the blogosphere, whatever. I’m aware of the risk; that by dedicating more time to those creative pursuits than I am to SCQ, I’m choosing a non-existent readership over a somewhat established one. Obviously it’s difficult to make peace with that.

Despite multiple, ongoing changes that 2011 has set down, Skeleton Crew Quarterly will continue to separate the best recordings it comes across and review them thoroughly. We're still accepting and listening to promos for as many hours as possible each day. Hopefully, as commitments settle into patterns, SCQ will be able to take up some of the opportunities offered (interviews, press passes, expansive features and lord knows what else). But for now, I wanted to let everyone know the scoop and affirm that all is well here. Just a bit quieter than usual.

Thanks as always for reading,

Love SCQ.