Looking Back — The Idiot Kids Process Past Trauma and Life Lessons on “Instants” Album

Jon-Mikal Bartee of The Idiot Kids. Photo – Kasper Ray

On Instants, Jon-Mikal Bartee didn’t plan to write from a deeply personal perspective.

Initially, the Detroit vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist wanted to take a fun and intuitive approach to writing and recording The Idiot Kids’ latest album.

“As I was working on this record, I was running with the initial ideas for the music and the riffs,” said Bartee, who fronts the punk/garage-rock band.

“I thought, ‘Just keep going. Take the demo and run with it,’ but the songwriting ended up being just as introspective and autobiographical as anything else I’ve written. I was trying to have fun with [the album], and then all of a sudden, I was writing more songs about addiction, suicide, and super heavy topics.”

What resulted is a cathartic album that explores acceptance, authenticity, and recovery. The nine tracks on Instants serve as a finite point in time for Bartee to process and heal from past trauma.

“These songs are about … what’s happening with me, or it’s me addressing old feelings, but from the perspective of [last] year. I can look back at it as a time capsule,” he said.

“It was all written here, and everything was finished in [that] year. Almost all of it was recorded in my apartment, and then it was mixed and mastered by me [there as well]. It’s an unintentional, very personal album.”

Outside of his home studio, Bartee brings the songs from Instants to life on stage with Andrew Maslowsky (drums, backing vocals), Jarrett Koral (bass, backing vocals), and Carmel Liburdi (bass, backing vocals). Together, they make up the live edition of The Idiot Kids.

“The Idiot Kids is still a band and not just a solo project,” he said. “Andrew Maslowsky has been with the band since 2017, and the other members rotate live, including Jarrett Koral, Carmel Liburdi, and other guests.”

I recently spoke with Bartee about the album and its creative process.

Continue reading “Looking Back — The Idiot Kids Process Past Trauma and Life Lessons on “Instants” Album” →

Round and Round — The Dangling Participles Find a New Direction on “Carousel” Single

Austin Kaufmann, Tamiko May, and Tim Patterson of The Dangling Participles. Not pictured: Noah Cameron. Courtesy photo.

The Dangling Participles embrace change and find a new direction on “Carousel.”

“Sometimes, when we try to make changes in our lives, we feel stuck, helpless,” said Tamiko May about the Lansing band’s new indie-folk single.

“‘Carousel’ explores this idea of how—consciously or unconsciously—we sometimes find ourselves going ‘round and round’ in circles, in a pattern that doesn’t allow for change.”

Backed by contemplative instrumentation, May sings, “Face the fear of losing out / On some dream that’s preprepared / I’m not used to loose reins / And I’m feeling kind of scared / To leave the organ music and / The brass sleeves behind / As we gallop towards a future / That we ourselves define.”

“I wrote ‘Carousel’ a month after my mom died in 2023,” said May, who also plays ukulele on the song. “I had just joined an online songwriting community and had been given a prompt word, which was supposed to be the focus for writing a new song. However, the ‘Carousel’ song kept nudging me to come back to it, and I wasn’t able to focus on the ‘prompt’ song until ‘Carousel’ was finished.”

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Gaining Perspective — Jan Krist Gets Candid About the Past and Present on “Since You Asked Me” Album

Jan Krist. Photo taken from Jan Krist’s Facebook page.

Jan Krist doesn’t mind sharing different perspectives.

The folk singer-songwriter gets candid about religion, politics, history, and relationships on Since You Asked Me.

“It does feel cathartic to be able to go ahead and say some of this stuff,” said Krist about her latest album. “It feels a little scary, too, to say what you’re thinking.”

The album’s title track explores having an honest conversation with an acquaintance about being banished from a church.

“I said, ‘Tell me about your experience with the church,’ and he said, ‘Well, since you asked me …,’” said Krist, who had the conversation at a writers’ retreat in Washington.

“And then he launched into this story about when he was young, he had a relationship with a young woman there in the church, and they both made mistakes. But he ended up getting banished, and he lived in Alaska in a little town. It really was hurtful for him to feel this heavy judgment every time he walked into a local place.”

Backed by somber acoustic guitar and cello, Krist sings, “You can’t claim the higher ground / When you’re pushing people down / And barring mercy’s door / And what are we thinking?”

“I have not had that experience, but I’ve had many experiences being in churches,” said Krist, who recently relocated to South Lyon from Fort Wayne, Indiana. “I’ve been Christian since I was 16, and I was a worship director at a church. And I’ve been to all kinds of churches, from high church to evangelical.”

The title track is one of 17 songs on Since You Asked Me, which features emotive instrumentation, narrative lyrics, and serene vocals. Each track immerses listeners in a different time period and provides compelling characters against a rich backdrop of folk music.

To learn more, I spoke with Krist about select tracks from the album and the creative process behind it.

Continue reading “Gaining Perspective — Jan Krist Gets Candid About the Past and Present on “Since You Asked Me” Album” →

One Track Mind — North Ingalls, “North Ingalls Street”

From left: SC Klein, Em Spencer, Elena Bressler, Liam Charron, Jack Harris, Corazon Szell, and Andres Soto of North Ingalls. Photo taken from North Ingalls’ Bandcamp page.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

“One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County artist or band discussing one song from their latest release.

Standout Track: No. 1, “North Ingalls Street,” from North Ingalls. The seven-piece band’s debut release, To Be Loved Back, is about finding love through different relationships. On “North Ingalls Street,” singer-songwriter Corazon Szell finds refuge and community at a house on 213 North Ingalls Street in Ann Arbor. A U-M alumna and a player for the women’s rugby team, she lived there with the team for two years before graduating in 2025. “Before I even lived there, it was a place that always had its doors open. A place where I could go to escape my dorm and hang out with my friends that I had made on the team. And when I moved in, I wanted to continue the idea that all are welcome. ‘North Ingalls Street’ was inspired by that idea. The idea that no matter what is going on in your life—good, bad, happy, sad—there will always be a place for you to come and share, and to feel safe doing so. The memories that I have in that house with my roommates, my friends, and my family, hosting potlucks, board game nights, movie nights, bonfires, and more, are some I will never forget.”
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Meaning of Life — Sonic Distance Finds Purpose and Hope on “Everything Outward” Album

Sonic Distance’s Connor Parent at The Blind Pig in August 2025. Photo taken from Sonic Distance’s Facebook page.

In eighth grade, Connor Parent had an epiphany.

The singer-songwriter and guitarist sat down at a middle school lunchroom table with friend Elliot Walker and pulled out his composition notebook.

“I said, ‘All right, we’re gonna make an album, and it’s gonna be called Everything Outward,’” said Parent, who hails from Walled Lake, Michigan. “It really just came to me.”

Parent spent the next eight years writing and recording 15 tracks for what would become his debut album, Everything Outward, under the artist moniker Sonic Distance.

“I started writing at the age of 14, going through high school, even a bit of college,” he said. “Those are the ages when your mind expands, and you’re learning a lot about the world. I’m still learning a lot, and I feel like I do have more to say.”

What resulted is an introspective alt-rock album that explores the quest for finding one’s purpose and understanding the world around us.

“When it comes to this collection of songs, the sequencing is very intentional. It tells the story from start to finish of a character who starts out angry at the world. The track, ‘Fire Trail,’ takes a spooky, haunting turn to the album,” Parent said.

“It has these mood swings to it, and then it goes into a silly [section] with ‘Chicken Fight,’ ‘Avenue,’ and ‘Jet Lag.’ Then, you get into the introspective meat of the album with the last three songs. It has this personal resolution at the end. A lot of it is fictitious, but a lot of it did come from [real life].”

I recently spoke with Parent about the inspiration behind Everything Outward.

Continue reading “Meaning of Life — Sonic Distance Finds Purpose and Hope on “Everything Outward” Album” →

One Track Mind — Rik Strange, “West Park”

Rik Strange. Photo taken from Rik Strange’s Bandcamp page.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

“One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County artist or band discussing one song from their latest release.

Standout Track: No. 3, “West Park,” from Rik Strange, aka Erika Marlisa. The Ann Arbor singer-songwriter’s debut release, Angelclown, is a five-track EP that explores relationships. On “West Park,” Strange feels hopeful about a new partner and contemplates the direction of her life. At the time, she was living in a house on Huron [Street] that borders the park. Strange often took morning walks in West Park during the fall to process her fear and self-doubt. “This song was my attempt to instead lean into abundance, and yes, to attempt to approach a new love from that same place, instead of getting caught up in what it might become or what might go wrong. Ultimately, at the time, I wasn’t very good at that, and the relationship didn’t last, but that’s another song! That’s what I love about songwriting, the archival effect. Things change, but West Park preserves the whimsical feeling, place, and time—it’s nice there!”

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Live and Local — Sounds of the Zoo Hosts Year-Round Shows to Build Momentum and Support Michigan Music

Jennifer Westwood will perform at the first Sounds of the Zoo Presents: Live. Local. Vibes. show of 2026 on January 24 at Kalamazoo’s Old Dog Tavern. Photo – Chuck Marshall

For Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, Sounds of the Zoo runs all yearlong.

The founder, curator, and director of the Kalamazoo-based music festival is featuring several shows in 2026 to keep its momentum.

“Sounds of the Zoo has reached a point where it’s no longer just an idea or an annual event—it’s a living, growing ecosystem,” Hudson-Prenkert said.

“Lately, I’m motivated by the idea of sustainability: how we build something that supports artists long-term, not just for one weekend, and how we keep evolving while staying rooted in community.”

Billed as Sounds of the Zoo Presents: Live. Local. Vibes., the shows include different Michigan artists sharing the stage with each other and out-of-town guests.

“Creatively, I’ve been inspired by collaboration across scenes and genres and by watching artists support one another in really genuine ways,” Hudson-Prenkert said.

To get things started, Hudson-Prenkert is hosting a January 24 show at Kalamazoo’s Old Dog Tavern. It will feature performances by The Incantations’ Lisa Mackie and Ryan Gladding, along with Detroit’s Jennifer Westwood and Dylan Dunbar, and special guest Ted Russell Kamp.

Kamp is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and a member of Shooter Jennings’ band.

“I wanted artists who are not only incredible musicians but also strong storytellers and collaborators,” Hudson-Prenkert said.

“Bringing Detroit and Kalamazoo artists together with Ted Russell Kamp from Los Angeles reflects what Sounds of the Zoo is all about—connection across regimes and scenes. Ted has deep roots in Americana and songwriting, and pairing him with Michigan artists creates a really special, shared musical conversation rather than a typical headliner format.”

Longtime friends of Kamp’s, Westwood and Dunbar are eager to perform with him in Kalamazoo.

“Ted called, and we decided it was a great chance to get our pumps primed for the road again,” said Westwood, who performs with husband Dunbar and their band, The Handsome Devils.

“I wanted to treat our friend to some good experiences here. We wanted a date on the west side of the state. I love Jennifer [Hudson-Prenkert’s] vision, we enjoy Kalamazoo, and saw it as an opportunity to work with someone with a real vision versus looking to add a date to a calendar.”

I recently spoke with Hudson-Prenkert and Westwood ahead of the January 24 show.

Continue reading “Live and Local — Sounds of the Zoo Hosts Year-Round Shows to Build Momentum and Support Michigan Music” →

Darkness on the Edge of Corktown Celebrates Bruce Springsteen and Supports Motor City Mitten Mission During January 10 Benefit Show at Detroit’s Lager House

Mike Ward, Downtown Judy Brown, and Steve Taylor perform at the 2025 edition of Darkness on the Edge of Corktown. Photo – Nick Juno

A group of Metro Detroit artists is channeling the spirit of Bruce Springsteen.

The local musicians are performing together at Darkness on the Edge of Corktown, a Springsteen-themed benefit show that’s taking place January 10 at Detroit’s Lager House.

The show benefits Motor City Mitten Mission, a St. Clair Shores nonprofit that supports the homeless.

“After the success of our 2025 show—raising nearly $5,000—there were so many artists from Southeast Michigan who asked to be part of it if we held it again,” said Mike Ward, a folk singer-songwriter who’s organizing the show with his wife Angie Ward and singer-songwriter Nick Juno. “So it was a no-brainer.”

In its third edition, Darkness on the Edge of Corktown will feature more than 30 singer-songwriters performing songs from Springsteen’s catalog. The show takes its name from the 1978 Springsteen album, Darkness on the Edge of Town.

It will also serve as a collection site for donating winter clothing, food supplies, and other essential items for those in need.

Show attendees can donate any of the following items—hoodies, sweatshirts, shoes, boots, T-shirts, winter gloves and hats, sleeping bags, tents, backpacks, bottled water, beef jerky, crackers, soup cups, utensils, and more—and receive a discounted entry fee of $5 that night.

“Last year, we had no idea how much we could raise,” said Ward, who first hosted the event in 2022. “We honestly thought if we brought in $700 to $1,000, plus donated items, it would be a success in addition to the awareness for the Mission. We sold out and had to turn people away, and ended up bringing in $4,700, plus filled a few vans with donated items.”

People can also make monetary donations at the show or through Motor City Mitten Mission’s website. All donations and proceeds from the show will go to the nonprofit.

To learn more, I spoke with Ward ahead of the show.

Continue reading “Darkness on the Edge of Corktown Celebrates Bruce Springsteen and Supports Motor City Mitten Mission During January 10 Benefit Show at Detroit’s Lager House” →

Igniting the Future — Echoes in the Iron Champions Small Towns, Local Businesses, and Michigan Music

Echoes in the Iron spotlights small business owners, musicians, and community advocates in Michigan.

In 2021, Bill Arnold and Brandon Still became fast friends.

The Clarkston musician and entrepreneur met through Wiltsie’s, a pop-up listening room that features live performances from Michigan musicians and doubles as a co-working space.

“I started doing shows for Brandon, both solo and then with One Ton Trolley,” said Arnold, who fronts the roots-rock band.

“Had it not been for Wiltsie’s, Brandon and I probably wouldn’t know each other. My whole network changed as a result of Wiltsie’s.”

Arnold and Still also witnessed the instant connections people started making while attending shows at Wiltsie’s.

“My career has morphed into helping small towns build co-working spaces [like Wiltsie’s],” said Still, who works in economic development and runs The Integrated Life Company.

“Our tagline that we’ve fallen into with Wiltsie’s has been transformational music experiences. It’s transforming the places, it’s transforming the people, and it’s transforming the artists in that they actually get to have a connection with people, too.”

That shared love of music, connection, and community struck a chord with Still and Arnold. By March 2024, they started laying the foundation for Echoes in the Iron, a multimedia project that supports small-town revitalization and builds community through music, storytelling, and entrepreneurship.

The project includes a series of YouTube videos spotlighting small business owners, musicians, and community advocates in Michigan.

“The music is obviously the main focal point for drawing people together and having the emotional spark to get people truly engaged,” Arnold said. “But we want to showcase their town, too, along with the businesses and the history. We want to combine everything … and foster community through all of that.”

I recently spoke with Arnold and Still to learn more about Echoes in the Iron.

Continue reading “Igniting the Future — Echoes in the Iron Champions Small Towns, Local Businesses, and Michigan Music” →

Numbing Effect — Julianne Ankley Explores a Breakup’s Icy Aftermath on “Polar Train” Single

Julianne Ankley. Courtesy photo.

Julianne Ankley understands the numbing effect of a breakup.

The Americana singer-songwriter explores that unexpected sensation and its lasting impact on her latest single, “Polar Train.”

“To me, the song is not so much about the pain of dating the wrong person,” said Ankley, who resides in Port Huron, Michigan. “It’s the aftermath ‘numb’ feeling that can follow post-breakup.”

Backed by bluesy electric guitar and driving instrumentation, she sings, “Those things you did turned me on / You cast your spell, now you’re up and gone / Leavin’ me chilled right to the bone / Didn’t realize that I’d soon be one.”

“At the time that I was writing this song, I was curious and drawn to this very attractive person who I thought might not be the best fit for me,” Ankley said. “It was about the inner struggle of knowing what might result if I let them pursue me.”

To learn more, I spoke with Ankley about “Polar Train” ahead of a January 24 show at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion.

Continue reading “Numbing Effect — Julianne Ankley Explores a Breakup’s Icy Aftermath on “Polar Train” Single” →