Night Nurse is primarily a concept album that tells the tale of a naive young nurse starting a new job at a psychiatric asylum set in an undefined past. This particular facility is in a dreadful state of disrepair and squalor, and the patients suffer from severe neglect. She quickly becomes overwhelmed and disillusioned, grappling with intense stress and anxiety. Tragically, her situation takes an even darker path when she seeks help.
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This project extends beyond just an album of music telling a story. It is also a social critique of the historic stigmatization, even criminalization of the mentally ill in the United States, and western world. The entire project includes a 20 page booklet with detailed design containing all of the lyrics, and my notes on the project. It also includes an expansive essay on the history of mental health neglect, a video by myself introducing the project, and a second video clarifying how this was accomplished.
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The story and lyrics are from the darkest part of my imagination. The depths of my studies for this also were in greater detail than any other project I have ever completed. Studying the history of asylums, periods of mental health treatment in history, methods, facilities, what nurses jobs were like at various times in such facilities historically. Then all the way to how modern private equity firms have all but destroyed mental health care out of pure greed, completely overburdened and overworked workers, and how in many ways we are nearly as barbaric as we were 200 years ago when we chained people to beds for the most innocuous behavior.
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This album, and liner notes, contain subject matter many may find disturbing and distressing, including references to self-harm, concealed sexual references, mistreatment of others, and suicide.
Night Nurse Album
This album can be streamed, or purchased. Follow the link below for more.
Booklet & Lyrics
20 page booklet telling the backstory, lyrics, plus how the album was created.
Essay
1700 word thesis exploring the history of mental health mistreatment in the US, and western world, as well as a sharp critique of treatment today.
Video introducing the album itself.
Video detailing the process.