John Carroll Kirby's new album, Blowout, was written during a recent trip to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Between 5 am wake-up calls from oropendola birds and psychedelic sunsets, he wrote Blowout, inspired by the local people, music, and nature. Although the songs are joyful, that joy is tinged with melancholy. According to Kirby, "Blowout is about indulging yourself even if life is hard, before the candle burns out".