For the September “Soundcheck,” I assembled a collage of new releases that represent a season of change. Whether it’s being resilient, overcoming heartbreak, reflecting on the past or entering a new dimension, each release introduces a different chapter and the possibilities that come with it. I invite you to explore these sonic offerings and see how they relate to your own experiences.

Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, “Bullet Proof”

Detroit’s Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils acknowledge the power of resiliency on their latest single, “Bullet Proof.” The soulful, bluesy ballad celebrates being yourself, standing your ground and moving forward despite receiving negative feedback from others.

Alongside bold electric guitar from Dylan Dunbar, Westwood sings, “I’ve heard it all before / I’ve given my best and more / Been locked out / But I just beat down the door / It’s not like me to fade away / Oh baby, I’m bullet proof.”

Those strong words inspire us all to regain our self-confidence and deflect criticism from our detractors. I can’t think of a better song to play when I need some extra encouragement after a tough day. (Plus, Westwood offers strong words of wisdom and support daily for Detroit musicians through the Playing in the Detroit Area Tonight – Music News Facebook group.)

Westwood and husband Dunbar truly shine with top-notch bandmates Chuck Bartels (bass), David Below (drums) and Evan Mercer (piano) on the first track from their forthcoming album. They’re working with Royal Oak producer Bunky Hunt of WhistlePig Music Group and recently completed some additional recording sessions at Memphis Magnetic Recording.

Brian Perrone, “When Did It All Go Wrong”

Brian Perrone contemplates the demise of a longtime relationship on the tender piano ballad, “When Did It All Go Wrong.” It’s one of the standout tracks from the Livonia pop-rock singer-songwriter’s latest album, Brand New Day.

Somber piano, drums, electric guitar and keys reflect Perrone’s despondency as he sings, “If you leave today, yeah, my heart would surely break / Although it’s barely beating / You’d always laugh and say, “Look at them, that will be us when we get much older” / Hand in hand, stood the test of time / Guess that’s not you? It’s not me …”

Perrone also released a fun, quirky video for “When Did It All Go Wrong” in partnership with Making Shapes’ filmmakers John Coates and Steve Spencer. It chronicles a guy trying to distract himself after a difficult breakup by cooking over-easy eggs, eating ham at a table set for two and exercising to workout videos.

Plus, he’s haunted by a bunch of people wearing black bodysuits. Here’s to leaving the past behind and starting over with someone new!

Perrone performs Sept. 12 as part of the “Singers in the Round” live music series with Tom Alter, Apropos, Hannah Rose Graves and Jason Farlow at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe in Detroit.

Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets, “Trying”

Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets plead to save a failing relationship on their twangy new ballad, “Trying.”

Backed by lonesome pedal steel, frontman Pete Atkinson sings, “If it would make a difference / I’d put that bottle down / It’s been my own prison / The only comfort that I’ve found / Every morning I wake up / I reach for the bottle or you / Whiskey helps to ease my pain / Cause I’m always thinking of you.”

“I wanted to be ‘country,’ and I thought ‘country’ was getting drunk, fighting and dying young,” wrote Atkinson in a recent Facebook post about the Detroit alt-country group’s new track.

“I looked at folks like Hank [Williams] Sr., George Jones and Keith Whitley as legends not because of their music, but because they were severe, depressed alcoholics who made great music and ‘partied’ all the time—like that’s something to strive for, right?”

Atkinson also credits Oklahoma singer-songwriter Casper McWade with inspiring him to finish the track in 2019. The two met after McWade performed one night in Detroit and Atkinson shared the first couple lines of the song with him. After their hangout, Atkinson later finished the track and shared it with his bandmates.

“It took me about two weeks or so to sit and gather the rest of the song pieces, but I’m very thankful I was able to spend the time I did with Casper and learn from him,” wrote Atkinson in his Facebook post. “Ultimately, [it] influenced me to write this song the way [that] I did.”

Earlier this year, the band finalized “Trying” at The Clarkston Roost with Atkinson (vocals, acoustic guitar), Danny Kimosh Jr. (drums), Dave Geezay (lead guitar), Ken Pesick (bass), Wiz Feinberg (pedal steel), Ben Brown (keys), Avery Reidy (backing vocals) and Keaton Butler (backing vocals).

Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets plan to release a new video soon for “Trying” and are recording a new album, which will drop next spring.

Marty Kohn, New Year’s Eve Waltz

Marty Kohn weaves reflection and humor into his latest EP, New Year’s Eve Waltz.

The Detroit folk singer-songwriter and “recovering journalist” ponders the passing year on the melodic title track, which features thoughtful acoustic guitar. He sings, “The old year is ending, a new one begins / A time to consider our losses and wins / Could we have been kinder, our words less severe? / Could we have done more? Well, there’s always next year.”

Kohn also revisits his father’s philosophy of “taking good care of all things and they’ll take care of you” on “39-Cent Hanger.” It’s heartwarming to hear him sing about the everyday items—ties, shoes, coats, hats, sweaters, hangers and hairbrushes—that stand the test of time. We could also use more “lifetime guarantees” for the people, places and things in our lives.

The EP’s other three tracks—“Suction Cups, “Life’s a Bitch (And Then You Die)” and “The Newspaper Alphabet”—make me smile and chuckle. We’ve all used suction cups that don’t work and spent time with someone who’s given us a reality check. It’s hard not to laugh and sing along with those tracks on Kohn’s storied, acoustic EP.

The best reality check appears on “The Newspaper Alphabet,” which summarizes the life of a journalist by referencing different parts of the profession through each letter of the alphabet. As a longtime journalist, I love every reference on this track, especially “B is for Byline. Hey look, Ma! It’s me!”, “J is for Jump. It means reading in stages” and “Z it’s a Zoo … but we love it a lot.”

Kudos to Kohn and Home Street Studio engineer/mixer Dan Hazlett for a truly fun listen! Kohn plans to celebrate the release of New Year’s Eve Waltz with a Sept. 17 show at Berkley Coffee & Oak Park Dry in Oak Park.

Grooblen, A Wormhole is a Freeway to the Stars

Last year, I interviewed Grooblen lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ellie Stokes about the band’s cerebral, multifaceted debut album, One of Four. The album vividly chronicled Stokes’ diagnosis and recovery from a rare optic nerve condition in her left eye.

Now, the San Francisco experimental rock band returns with their otherworldly, contemplative sophomore release, A Wormhole is a Freeway to the Stars. The cathartic album travels through different sonic portals—ranging from jazz-pop to prog-rock to psych-cabaret—to explore change, heartbreak, recovery and growth.

The soaring opener, “Hello Again,” accepts closure from a past relationship and wishes the person well alongside atmospheric synth. Stokes sings, “I’ve been fine, too, can’t say I’m doin’ too bad / Except as I sing this I’m cryin’ / Cryin’ on …”

Grooblen shares that vulnerability throughout the album’s seven remaining tracks, which include references to reptiles, mollusks and amphibians. On “Gastropod,” Stokes mentions spending “another day inside my shell again” while “Twiggy Molts” pays homage to her late gecko and the vision troubles it experienced.

After commemorating “Twiggy,” Grooblen feels comforted by an amphibian on “Salamander Finds Herself (The River),” a dreamy psych-rock jam that slowly conquers fear and uncertainty.

Stokes sings, “Swam naked for the first time in a swimming hole / And I felt safe while being at my most vulnerable / Never thought that’d happen to a human like me / But I was happy, protected by the trees / Protected by the trees.”

Finally, Grooblen acknowledges the ongoing struggle of balancing anxiety with tranquility on the energetic album closer, “It Costs $0 to Be Kind.” Stokes sings, “I said too much again / I sold my life again / It’s never all that bad / It’s never all that / Bad.”

A Wormhole is a Freeway to the Stars reveals that turbulent times won’t last forever and that hope is on the horizon. Stokes’ courageous mindset permeates the entire journey and reminds listeners they can “become something to grow and pave the way.”

Johanna Beekman & Ben Leinbach, Yoga Soundtracks Volume 2

Johanna Beekman and Ben Leinbach unite mind, body and spirit on their enchanting kirtan album, Yoga Soundtracks Volume 2.

The Corvallis, Oregon singer-songwriter, chant/kirtan artist and yoga teacher and San Francisco producer, composer and engineer immerse listeners in a breathtaking sonic paradise that eases the soul.

Filled with rich vocals, serene world soundscapes and atmospheric instrumentation, the album seamlessly glides from one track to the next and provides 45 meditative minutes of rejuvenation. It also features spellbinding collaborations with yoga vocalists and multi-instrumentalists, including Sheela Bringi, Hans Christian, Girish and Benjy Wertheimer.

The aerial opener, “Love Lives (Flow Mix),” radiates calm, positive energy and conjures vibrant images of a glistening desert sunrise. Beekman’s soulful vocals rise above the heavens while Leinbach’s soothing electric guitar and percussion solidify the track.

Another standout track includes the majestic instrumental, “Wonderlust,” which features captivating Celtic-inspired violin and percussion. Hearing the track makes me feel like I’m headed for a life-changing adventure in the Emerald Isle.

After experiencing the wonder of Ireland, Beekman and Leinbach uplift listeners and send them to another dimension on “Take Me in Your Wings.” Floating electric guitar and percussion open new worlds of possibility and offer a divine seven-minute escape.

Hearing Yoga Soundtracks Volume 2 is the optimal way to destress and discover new terrain in your headspace.