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Sometimes you look across the way at your lover and admire who they are. Sometimes you also look across the way at your lover and admire what they do. Jason Zavala of Monkeys of a Bygone Era knows the feeling, and his Boston-based project’s latest effort, “Naked Heart,” is an infectious little love song that aims for two goals: Seeing his wife naked, and also raising money for NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Health).
Monkeys of a Bygone Era’s fall 2017 EP This Way To The Exit helped pull coin for the Greater Boston Food Bank, and now this new single, out today (March 26), will direct all proceeds from Bandcamp to NAMI. And for Zavala, the subject matter crosses a few streams.
“I don’t have any direct affiliation with NAMI, but in a way the song is related,” he tells Vanyaland. “‘Naked Heart’ is a love song I wrote for my wife. It’s hard for me to completely sugar coat a song so I made it as real as love is. Through the good times, the great times, and the really low, low times, she’s been there with me and we’ve gone through it together. In addition to all that, my wife is a clinical psychologist developing new treatments for anxiety and depression. Reducing stigma and increasing access to care for mental illness is a cause that is very close to her heart. NAMI is a great grassroots organization.”
The charity adds some added context to the music of Monkeys of a Bygone Era, though Zavala admits not all their songs are related to a cause. But this one made sense on a few levels. “It also just feels great to use our music for the power of good,” he says.
Listen to “Naked Heart” below.
Featured Monkeys of a Bygone Era photo by Tim Oxton, courtesy of the band.