“It’s easier to blame
Everyone who gave me my name
Than admit I can change if I wanted.

We all learn from our kin
How to love and how to sin,
And become the same men we once run from.”

On top of finger-picked guitar and lush, cinematic string arrangements, Josh Fortenbery examines the traits we adopt from those who came before us on his new single, “Heirlooms.”

The Juneau, Alaska-based songwriter — who is preparing to release his debut album, No Such Thing As Forever, on March 8 — acknowledges the undeniable impact of our upbringings, while owning the reality that the potential to break the cycle lies squarely in our own hands

“I’m grateful for so much of my upbringing, but I also inherited, or maybe adopted, certain family traits I wish I hadn’t,” Fortenbery said. “Once I got to the age where everyone started having kids or talking about it, I wondered what I might pass on. At the same time, while it’s certainly convenient to blame our parents for becoming them, I recognize that an explanation for a behavior isn’t the same thing as an excuse.”

“Heirlooms” is accompanied by a music video directed by David Rossow. The video follows Fortenbery as he comes to terms with memories of the past, before resolving to bury the physical reminders of who he used to be in a remote location, symbolizing the journey of a man resolving to start anew.

“I’m just trying to be honest about my grief, anxiety, and carelessness, and hope that resonates with people,” he said. “I think a lot of folks feel disconnected from the world, not only because of the physical isolation over the last few years but also the increasing digital and cultural isolation we’ve slid into over the last decade. I’m trying to remember what ties me to the folks I love and folks I’ve never met.”