Yesterday we celebrated the intrinsic ingenuity of human creativity, but we didn’t touch on one of the most important aspects: writing your way through trauma. It’s a healing property that goes all the way back to the ancient storytelling tradition of African percussion, but for Austin-based singer-guitarist Jeremy Nail, the weightiest wounds were his 2012 cancer diagnosis and subsequent amputation of his left leg. Nail worked through that pain on his 2016 Alejandro Escovedo-produced LP My Mountain, after which he seemed to hit a new stride. However, as with the rest of the world, Nail was confronted by the uncomfortable isolation and disquiet left in COVID’s wake.

Because of that, Jeremy Nail’s created yet another piece of fulfilling folk therapy for his fifth full-length, Behind The Headlights. Behind The Headlights heralds the importance of being in the moment, giving yourself space to be alone with your thoughts, reflecting over loss, and planning for the future. The album rolls out next Friday, the same day that Jeremy Nail performs in-store at Waterloo Records. He’ll also be playing Saturday the 27th at Cactus Cafe with opener Kevin McKinney. But before you dive right back into live music, heed Nail’s mission to improve mental health with the soothing respite that is Behind The Headlights‘ serene central bulb, “Open Door”.