Without resorting to the type of cheap Mayan calendar reference that… well shit, that I just accidentally conjured starting this sentence (OOPS LOL), 2012 will certainly be a year of change. At least for me. And maybe John Cusack. So happy new year… let’s get to it!

Since I started this silly project with the ill-conceived pun in June 2008, The Decibel Tolls has provided a resounding sense of fulfillment for me, and hopefully, for some of the readers and artists we’ve championed. When I launched the blog, I found that a few serious niches needed filling – namely, a music site dedicated to past and present weirdo DIY artists outside the general music blog conversation, complemented with a little bit of sardonic humor and shitkicking. Between then and now, I’m happy to say that times have changed and this community has been dutifully served. I mean, look at Altered Zones, an avant garde Pitchfork-related collaborative that I was very proud to be a part of. Its rise demonstrated a movement. As a by product of that though, this shift toward the weird has gradually become better documented by writers and music seekers much more adept than myself, whom are more properly aligned with the sensibilities of the general blog-reading audience. There are some amazing sites out there I can’t even fuck with. As well, I realized that throughout these past three years, I’ve neglected many other interests of mine outside of music, as well as some personal life goals, due to the time commitment involved in maintaining an outlet of a caliber that’s acceptable to me. After much consideration, it seemed clear that it’s time for The Decibel Tolls to hang it up… at least for the foreseeable future.

Also… and I write this with some reservation, I’d be disingenuous if I didn’t mention that I, ya know, got a little burnt out existing within the hyperactive world of music in the digital and the hype wakes that trail it. There were certainly clues that I felt this way even before I recognized them. My Twitter, for example, rarely discusses music. It’s a weird mix between hard news and humor so bizarre that an anthropologist would have a field day deciphering it. I haven’t posted on the blog regularly either. Last month there were, what, like five posts? This realization spoke volumes to me. My vigor in writing exclusively on defined, often niche music had waned, as well as the mechanics behind it.

Truth be told, as a student of journalism, I was trained to find value in a vast array of the human experience. It seemed logical, when I created The Decibel Tolls, to write about music since it’s always been my most intimate interest. But I also truly love politics, news, cooking, graphic design, beer brewing, environmentalism, local businesses, photography, urban sustainability, general thinkpieces, satire, etc. The strict parameters I placed upon The Decibel Tolls at its origin to establish an esoteric voice – guidelines I held true to for three years – stifled me, disallowing (for the most part) an exploration of these other realms that I’ve felt more compelled to write on as time goes on. As such, it seemed best to shut the lights off and offer a solid wave goodbye, rather than release the site from its tether and float away, letting everyone wondering whether I’m just too lazy to update the thing.

But I’m a writer. Ergo, I’m not done writing. As I’ve alluded to… I’m not going anywhere, I’m simply starting some new projects! And this shit’s gonna rip!

First, I’m launching Distonal, an online magazine spread across an anchored open source WordPress home and an accompanying Tumblr that will cover… well, whatever I feel like writing about. It’s the opposite of TDT in that regard, and it’s hard to say what will end up there, which excites me. The thread that binds everything, though, will be thoughtful and attitude-laden writing from myself and others (to be announced) that reaches toward broader universal topics, as well as articles that retain a strong commitment to the happenings of my native Louisville. I’ll still be reviewing records and photographing shows, but I may also drop some secret Bloggins curry recipes, March Madness picks, gastropub critiques, absurd manifestos, and my thoughts on the body politic. Distonal promises to be fluid and freeform, while brandishing a distinct voice all the while. It should go live sometime in late February, or early March at the latest. It’ll be a fun ride, and I hope you’ll follow me over there.

Please like Distonal on Facebook for updates, and if you follow me on Twitter, you already follow Distonal (since the name will switch over shortly, boom goes the dynamite). And we’re throwing a sick launch party in Louisville shortly before SXSW. Beyond the new site, you’ll also see me freelancing on a couple different websites and publications in the near future that I’m equally elated about. Hope you’ll meet me there too.

So, this is goodbye… for now. However, and this is important – it’s not inconceivable that The Decibel Tolls may be revived in the future. We’ll see. It’s also worth mentioning that the dot com will still exist here for anyone looking for older reviews, photos, mp3s, and whatever else you seek. And if you’re looking for the musical fix TDT once provided, I encourage you to sift through our blogroll… you’ll find lots of treasures curated and discussed by bloggers who truly do this gig better than me. Before The Decibel Tolls signs off though, I – as well as TDT contributors past and present – will publish our own best of the blog list. We’ll gather up our favorite record reviews, photos, asinine pranks, and all the great nuggets of Decibel Tolls culture that, I’m proud to say, seemed to make this strange digital corner engaging. Look for that in the coming weeks, either here or in the new digs. More soon.

Finally, and in a rare show of sappiness, I’d be remiss not to give a very heartfelt thanks for all the support and stimulating conversation from the artists, music biz hacks, fellow bloggers, and readers that has provided me friendships across the globe. It’s meant a lot, for real. Until then, namaste. And Vampire Weakend still fucking blows.

- Kenny Bloggins