Month: August 2026

Head Over Heels — Kelsey. Chronicles the Cycle of a Passionate Relationship on “LOVE HARD” Album

Kelsey. Courtesy photo.

Kelsey. follows her passion on LOVE HARD.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist embraces that intense emotional state on her full-length debut album.

“It was written about one relationship, and it’s very dynamic,” said Kelsey. (pronounced Kelsey period), aka Kelsey Detering.

“There are a lot of layers to it, and every relationship is kind of like mini relationships all in one. It was one epic encounter, and that’s why I felt the need to write this whole album about it.”

On LOVE HARD, Kelsey. explores the intimate cycles of a volatile relationship—love, heartbreak, and longing—and its trajectory across 16 tracks.

“It was more like my own therapy when this happened to me,” she said. “I had to communicate my feelings about all of this … and whatever was going on with it, a song would just come out.”

Featuring a detailed storyline, LOVE HARD is an immersive, multigenre release that lands somewhere in between a concept record and a double album.

“I wanted it to be a cohesive piece of art that you sit down and listen to, and you immerse yourself in,” Kelsey. said.

“It has those segues, instrumentals, and things to really keep you in there. It’s very much for the music lover, especially if you’re the kind of person who wants to put your headphones on and really immerse yourself in something.”

Kelsey. also plans to recreate that immersive experience live on August 21 during her album release show at The Arboretum in Saline.

“It’s going to be a cool format, and I want to play [the album] by side,” she said. “We’ll play a side, and then we’ll talk to the audience for a minute. Then, we’ll play the other side, and it’ll literally be like you’re listening to the record.”

I recently spoke with Kelsey. about her new album ahead of the show.

Continue reading “Head Over Heels — Kelsey. Chronicles the Cycle of a Passionate Relationship on “LOVE HARD” Album” →

Ongoing Evolution — Annie and Rod Capps Embrace Self-Improvement and Lessons Learned on “Never Done” Album

Rod Capps, Annie Capps, Ozzie Andrews, and Jason Dennie. Photo – Jen Prouty.

For Annie and Rod Capps, self-improvement is a lifelong process and commitment.

The Chelsea, Michigan, couple explores that concept and the lessons they’ve learned on their latest folk album, Never Done.

“I’m always trying to do better, be better,” said Annie Capps. “I don’t always succeed, but the best kind of growth is that which creeps up on you after a long time of doing a lot of inner work.”

As part of that inner work, the duo examines the impact personal growth and wisdom have on them over time. They also reveal epiphanies about past behaviors, decisions, and actions that surfaced while writing the 10 tracks for Never Done.

“It’s almost as if a light bulb goes off and those self-improvements start to show themselves in real ways,” said Annie Capps. “I write what I’m feeling, and my lyrics often reflect a combination of reality—the kind of person I am—and the kind of person I want to be.”

Annie Capps (songwriting, vocals, guitar) shares those self-reflections through lyrics that range from personal and anecdotal to conversational and humorous.

“Part of the healthier version of self-reflection is not to take myself so seriously, especially when lamenting the mistakes of my youth,” she said. “I guess I’m in the season of life where reflecting on the past is natural, but I’m also looking at it through a more compassionate lens.”

Through another lens, Annie and Rod Capps (guitar, viola, vocals) view Never Done as a milestone of sorts—it’s their 10th studio album.

They recorded the album in their Chelsea home studio and at Ann Arbor’s Big Sky Recording with bandmates Jason Dennie (mandolin, vocals), Dan “Ozzie” Andrews (bass), and Michael Shimmin (drums, percussion).

“Fast forward, I think we have gotten very comfortable with certain musicians and certain ways of recording,” Rod Capps said “I think we’ve learned what we can do and what works and what doesn’t.”

To learn more, I spoke with Annie and Rod Capps about their album ahead of an August 27 show at The Ark in Ann Arbor.

Continue reading “Ongoing Evolution — Annie and Rod Capps Embrace Self-Improvement and Lessons Learned on “Never Done” Album” →

Community Climb — Big Sky Company Rallies to Unite People on “Walk Up This Hill” Single

Big Sky Company’s Mike Ward, Annie Bacon, Kristi Davis, and Dave Boutette. Not pictured: Neil Donato and Jim Latini. Photo courtesy of Mike Ward.

No mountain—or hill—is too big for Big Sky Company to climb.

The Ann Arbor-Detroit collective explores that notion on its new folk single, “Walk Up This Hill.”

Featuring singer-songwriters and musicians Mike Ward, Dave Boutette, Neil Donato, Annie Bacon, Kristi Davis, and Jim Latini, the hopeful song serves as a rallying call to unite people and build community in divisive times.

“There are plenty of songs out there that people are writing and singing that are calls to action, but then, the action to me is not always what I’m looking for,” said Dave Boutette, who co-wrote “Walk Up This Hill” with Mike Ward.

“Mike’s songs have a unifying air about them; they have a unifying core, and frankly, that’s why he’s part of this project is because he brings people together, and his songs do that, too.”

Eighteen months ago, Boutette recruited Ward to pen the single after Geoff Michael, the owner-engineer of Big Sky Recording Company, suggested writing a social-commentary song.

“In our local music community, he felt like something was missing,” Boutette said.

“Given the tone of our times, there wasn’t enough social commentary and protest stuff out on the airwaves to the level that he would like. He tapped me to make it happen, and I said, ‘Well, I know the guy who’s going to write the song—Mike Ward.’”

Continue reading “Community Climb — Big Sky Company Rallies to Unite People on “Walk Up This Hill” Single” →