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Mary Strand's "Annunciation" is about a difficult subject, but it is done with a clear sense of purpose. The tune mixes grief, indignation, and determination as it tackles violence against children, particularly.
This is not a sit-with-melancholy song. “Annunciation” carries the weight of sadness and moves beyond mourning to the necessity for meaningful action. Its emotional premise is the contradiction between the destruction of violence and the will to believe that change is still possible.
The best thing about the music is that balance. There is rage here, but it is not an aimless anger. There is mourning, but it is not the end. Instead, Mary Strand turns such sentiments into a broader call for people to reject indifference and to consider what can genuinely be done to make a difference.
The subject matter of “Annunciation” makes it an inherently serious listen, but an underlying sense of hope keeps it from being overwhelmed by despair. The notion that, together, we can make the world better than it is provides a vital counterbalance to the darkness surrounding the song.