Category: Albums

Mission Possible — Amanda Chaudhary Explores Experimental Sounds and Styles on Meow Meow Band’s “January Suborbital Denomination” Album

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Amanda Chaudhary explores a diversity of sounds and styles on her latest Meow Meow Band album.

As a sonic explorer, Amanda Chaudhary ventures into uncharted musical territory.

The San Francisco keyboardist-composer embarks on a genre-bending adventure through experimental sounds and styles on January Suborbital Denomination.

“There are a lot of different styles on this album, and I always want to try new things,” said Chaudhary about her latest Meow Meow Band album.

“I wanted to try the psychedelic ones and the older jazz forms in addition to the funk and experimental electronics that I traditionally do.”

Filled with avant-garde instrumentation and snappy, curious, and playful lyrics, January Suborbital Denomination encompasses big band, jingle, soul, jazz, funk, electronic, experimental, and psychedelic music across nine imaginative tracks.

The album also invites listeners to experience the album’s subject matter—ranging from radio broadcasts to chocolate oak milk to bridges to cats.

“There is a symmetry in the way they are arranged on there. The bygone era ones are at the two ends of [the album] and then it’s big, small, big, small in between there,” said Chaudhary, who also runs CatSynth TV, a YouTube channel that focuses on electronic instruments.

“It became clear once I knew what was going to be on the album and what wasn’t. A sonic adventure is a good way of putting it, and it’s a sonic adventure for me making these songs. I like the fact that it is that way for other people who are listening to it. It’s filled with puzzles.”

I recently spoke with Chaudhary to decode and digest her second Meow Meow Band album.

Continue reading “Mission Possible — Amanda Chaudhary Explores Experimental Sounds and Styles on Meow Meow Band’s “January Suborbital Denomination” Album” →

The Power of Goodbye — Melanie Pierce Finds Closure From a Past Relationship on “Enough” Single

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Melanie Pierce shares messages of self-empowerment and resilience on “Enough.” Photo courtesy of Melanie Pierce

Melanie Pierce boldly reclaims her power on “Enough.”

The Detroit singer-songwriter asserts her true feelings and finds closure from a past relationship on her new emo-pop single.

“‘Enough’ is a song that I’m very proud of, and I’m really thankful to have had music to lean on when the events behind the song were taking place,” Pierce said.

“The song is a reflection of events that hurt or things that at the time I looked at through rose-colored glasses. Then I pulled them off and said, ‘This sucked … and it’s enough for me to get over this and move on.’’”

Surrounded by fearless acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, and drums, she sings: “I poured my heart out and I wrote you songs / You felt awkward, said it’s like someone’s singing happy birthday to you / Someday, I’m gonna find someone who actually deserves all I do / So I reclaim every song I sent you and the magic you had access to / And the girl that would have done anything for you.”

“It’s a song that screams, ‘I don’t deserve this,’” Pierce said. “I hope the takeaway for listeners is exactly that. You don’t deserve the shit you’ve put up with and you’re stronger than this.”

I spoke with Pierce about her latest single ahead of an October 11 show at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion, Michigan.

Continue reading “The Power of Goodbye — Melanie Pierce Finds Closure From a Past Relationship on “Enough” Single” →

Random Connections — Detroit’s Television City Celebrates Chance Encounters With Others on “Lost in Arkansas” Single

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Brian Raleigh, left, performs with Garret Bielaniec during a Television City show at Detroit’s Lager House in 2018. Photo – Erick Buchholz

Brian Raleigh reminisces about a special moment in the not-too-distant past.

The Television City frontman reflects on a chance encounter with a woman in the U.P. and relishes that random connection on the band’s latest alt-country-rock single, “Lost in Arkansas.”

“It was a very innocent sort of meeting where we talked, we got to know each other, and we felt a very strong connection. That’s all there was,” said Raleigh, the Detroit band’s vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist.

Backed by nostalgic electric guitar, pedal steel, and drums, Raleigh sings, “And in the blink of an eye / She was gone as quick as she came / Back to the wind, the Great Lakes / The trees and the rain / And I don’t think I’m ever gonna be the same again / As I was before / But I can remember when.”

“It’s about being lost in that moment,” he said. “It was a few years ago [when I met her] … and we’ve kept in touch a little bit.”

Raleigh wrote the track shortly after that encounter and shared it with his Television City bandmates.

“I might have written the song the day after that occurred or not too long after. And I put it away, and I thought, ‘I don’t even know if this song is any good or not,’” he said.

“And then I brought it out when we were looking for songs to record this next batch, and [guitarist] Garret [Bielaniec] said, ‘That’s the one.’”

Now, Raleigh is celebrating the release of “Lost in Arkansas” with Television City during a September 28 show with Jim Roll, Mike Galbraith, and Courtney Hurley at Ghost Light in Hamtramck, Michigan.

To learn more, I spoke with Raleigh about the band and single ahead of the show.

Continue reading “Random Connections — Detroit’s Television City Celebrates Chance Encounters With Others on “Lost in Arkansas” Single” →

Homegrown Talent — Steve Taylor Relaunches Monthly Michigan Songwriter Showcase at 20 Front Street on September 19

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As a local music champion, Steve Taylor is eager to showcase some homegrown talent.

The Lake Orion, Michigan singer-songwriter is relaunching his monthly songwriter series spotlighting Michigan artists at 20 Front Street on September 19.

“I’m excited to have a new home to do this series,” said Taylor, who last hosted the series in late 2023 at the now-closed Berkley Coffee & Oak Park Dry.

“I hope it’s something that people will come out and support and help give some love to our local artists who write their own music.”

Known as the Michigan Songwriter Showcase, the first show in the series features Taylor and Metro Detroit singer-songwriters Rebecca Cameron, Dan Cafferty, and Jacki Daniels.

“I’ve done shows with Dan at Trinity House and Berkley Coffee, and he was just getting started with songwriter rounds at that point. He’s such a great guy and talented guitar player, and his songs are upbeat and funny,” Taylor said.

“Rebecca is really talented, and she’s done other shows that I’ve hosted at Berkley Coffee. Since she’s in Clarkston, I thought this would be close by and be a good show for her as well. Jacki also hosts songwriter rounds and she’s been heavily involved in our music scene.”

Continue reading “Homegrown Talent — Steve Taylor Relaunches Monthly Michigan Songwriter Showcase at 20 Front Street on September 19” →

Doomgaze into the Abyss — VAZUM Explores the Darker Side of Life on “Western Violence”

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Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm of VAZUM. Photo courtesy of VAZUM

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

VAZUM didn’t expect a Western film to inspire the title of its latest album.

The Jackson duo of Zach Pliska (vocals, guitars, drums) and Emily Sturm (vocals, bass) stumbled upon the phrase “Western violence” while watching The Quick and the Dead.

“We had some of the songs fleshed out and usually we go with a ‘V’ in the name for our albums. We were watching [the 1995 film] by Sam Raimi and the rating was ‘R,’ and it said two words: ‘Western violence,’” said Sturm about the duo’s doomgaze album, Western Violence.

“We said, ‘Oh my god, that’s what we’re writing about,’ and it just summed it up. And then we said, ‘That’s what we’re living in … This is how our society expresses itself now.’”

On Western Violence, VAZUM reflects on the disintegration and disillusionment of our country and provides a social commentary on the personal, cultural, and political events that impact it.

The album’s dozen tracks explore topics ranging from the opioid epidemic to gun violence to a dystopian future to toxic relationships. It also takes inspiration from VAZUM’s past tours through the southern U.S., the U.K., and France.

“We were driving through Georgia and we went through some areas with houses falling apart,” said Pliska, who’s a University of Michigan alum.

“To see the extent of the poverty and those places you’re driving through, it’s still shocking. Our tours in the U.K. and France were eye-opening with just seeing how different the countries are.”

As part of that perspective, VAZUM brings Western Violence’s themes to life through vigilant lyrics, ethereal vocals, and spellbinding instrumentation filled with goth-rock, post-punk, and shoegaze elements.

To learn more, I spoke with the duo about the album ahead of an August 10 set at Ogma Brewing Co.’s Art Pop ‘24 festival in Jackson.

Continue reading “Doomgaze into the Abyss — VAZUM Explores the Darker Side of Life on “Western Violence”” →

Noteworthy Moments — Dexter Multi-Instrumentalist Brad Phillips on His Work With Patti LuPone, University of Michigan, and His Daughter

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Brad Phillips with his daughter, Alyson Phillips. Photo – Hope Shangle.

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

It’s a bittersweet time in Brad Phillips’ life.

“My daughter Alyson is off to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts next month, and I’ve been weeping big dad tears on and off all summer,” said the Dexter singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Alyson is a singer, and she’ll join her dad for a special show at The Ark on August 8 along with bandmates Chris DuPont, Drew De Four, Brennan Andes, Keith Billik, and Mike Shea.

Brad has also been busy as a lecturer at the University of Michigan, a resident artist at The Purple Rose Theatre Company, touring with actress and singer Patti LuPone, and featuring on her new album, A Life in Notes, playing violin, mandolin, guitar, octave mandolin, and U-bass.

“Patti is an icon and it’s no accident. She’s a legend for a reason and to be on stage with her in front of her adoring fans is electric,” Phillips said. “Summer has been both chaotic, emotional, and wonderful all at the same time! It’s been a big year around here.”

To learn more, I spoke with Phillips about his work and tour with Patti LuPone and his family’s artistic accomplishments.

Continue reading “Noteworthy Moments — Dexter Multi-Instrumentalist Brad Phillips on His Work With Patti LuPone, University of Michigan, and His Daughter” →

After the “Fallout” — Major Murphy Processes Past Struggles on New Indie-Rock Album

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Major Murphy’s Chad Houseman, Jacob Bullard, and Jacki Warren. Photo – Brett Carlson

For Major Murphy, the best life lessons come in retrospect.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan trio of Jacob Bullard (vocals, guitar), Jacki Warren (bass, vocals), and Chad Houseman (guitar, keys, drums, percussion) learns from past struggles and finds a way forward on Fallout.

“I think that was a conscious goal or intention of mine to create something realistic but wasn’t wallowing in despair,” said Bullard about the band’s new indie-rock album released via Winspear.

“There’s a quote in ‘The Water’ from the Tao Te Ching, and it says, ‘Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it.’ I read that when I couldn’t see a way out, and it was a difficult time and I didn’t know what to do.”

As part of that introspection, Major Murphy discovers a renewed sense of purpose and seeks clarity for the future.

“Thinking about that softness also being something that could dissolve rock was an idea for me that I found incredibly empowering in the sense that you don’t always need to meet resistance with more resistance,” Bullard said. “Sometimes you have to soften and flow.”

On Fallout, Bullard and his bandmates process change, uncertainty, and growth across eight reflective tracks. The album’s philosophical lyrics, soaring harmonies, and emotive instrumentation provide a cathartic and impactful listening experience.

“The album came together organically from a writing perspective, but at a certain point, those themes became evident to me as well. There are more songs than what ended up on this album, and I curated the selection to be super cohesive,” Bullard said.

“It’s a bit more stylized from a lyrical perspective, and it’s less prose and more poetry from my vantage point. I thought of the music, too, as being more contemporary compared to stuff we’ve done in the past. I wanted the lyrics to be more minimal.”

To learn more about Fallout, I spoke to Bullard about the album’s thematic elements and creative process.

Continue reading “After the “Fallout” — Major Murphy Processes Past Struggles on New Indie-Rock Album” →

Feeling Seen and Validated — Moonwreckers Examines the Trajectory of Heartbreak and Grief on “Why Look Here?” Album

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Paul Stiem, Jamus Sumner, Matt Konkle, and Matt Galbraith of Moonwreckers. Photo by Chuck Marshall

After encountering heartbreak and grief, Moonwreckers understands the importance of feeling seen and validated.

The Metro Detroit quartet of Matt Galbraith (vocals, guitar), Matt Konkle (drums), Paul Stiem (guitar), and Jamus Sumner (bass, vocals) explores that emotional need and its evolution on the album, Why Look Here?

“It certainly is autobiographical. At the time, I was married, and we were having issues, and we did eventually divorce. A lot of these songs were written around the time when I was in my early 30s, so shit hit the fan between us and we had been together since we were 18 years old,” said Galbraith about the band’s indie-rock-meets-emo debut release.

“I didn’t know what a world looked like without that, so I was very lost, and it was scary to me what life looked like outside of that relationship. There’s some coming-of-age stuff in there, too, but a lot of it has to do with that relationship, the struggles and the attempts of trying to reconcile things, and then failing and rinse and repeat.”

Moonwreckers deeply examines that trajectory across 12 personal tracks on Why Look Here? The album’s honest lyrics, plaintive vocals, and evocative instrumentation prompt listeners to process their emotions and struggles alongside the band.

“There are so many universal themes here. Everyone’s gone through the experience of having a relationship that didn’t pan out to be what they wanted it to be,” Sumner said.

“Everyone’s gone through the frustration or the disappointment of misaligned expectations and incomplete communication and the moment someone passes or walks out of your life. There’s unfinished business and you have to work through that—except you won’t get an answer to everything.”

To learn more, I spoke with Moonwreckers about their latest album ahead of a July 26 show at Detroit’s Batch Brewing Company.

Continue reading “Feeling Seen and Validated — Moonwreckers Examines the Trajectory of Heartbreak and Grief on “Why Look Here?” Album” →

Missing You — Detroit’s Twin Deer Explores Loss and Grief on New ‘Underground’ Single

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Twin Deer’s Rob Duncan, Megan Marcoux, Bill Kahler, and Tom Skill explore missing a loved one on “Underground.” Photo – Cassie Pietron

When it comes to loss, Twin Deer deeply understands the grief that remains.

The Detroit quartet of Megan Marcoux (vocals, guitar), Tom Skill (guitar), Bill Kahler (bass, synth), and Rob Duncan (drums) explores that overwhelming emotion and the ongoing struggle to move forward on “Underground.”

“It is a pure description of missing someone immensely,” said Marcoux about the group’s new dream-pop single.

“Sometimes the clarity lies in simplicity, like the line, ‘It’s not right you’re not around.’ And in the second verse, we reference how life is fragile. I find that important to mention—not to cause distress—but to remember to value the time we have.”

Backed by cathartic electric guitar, bass, and drums, she sings, “It would be nice to hear the sound / Of your voice saying you were coming around / It would be nice / If I wasn’t exhaling ice / I’m standing on the frozen ground.”

“I hope others will see that there isn’t always some profound thing that needs to be said,” Marcoux said. “Missing someone is already a lot.”

“Underground” also serves as an introspective B-side to Twin Deer’s “Fever Dream,” which was released in June.

To learn more, I spoke with Marcoux about Twin Deer’s latest singles and past releases ahead of a July 13 set at Alley Fest in Flint, Michigan.

Continue reading “Missing You — Detroit’s Twin Deer Explores Loss and Grief on New ‘Underground’ Single” →

It’s ‘About Time’ — Dexter Singer-Songwriter Jim Bizer Releases First New Solo Album in 20 Years

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Jim Bizer features evocative lyrics and earnest folk instrumentation on “About Time.” Photo courtesy of Jim Bizer

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

After two decades, Jim Bizer realized it was time to release a new solo record.

The Dexter, Michigan singer-songwriter hadn’t focused on his own album since 2004’s Connected and had spent ample time working on several collaborative projects, including a duo with Jan Krist and groups The Yellow Room Gang, Diamonds in the Rust, and Floyd King and The Bushwackers.

“It’s crazy that I’ve taken that long,” said Bizer about his new folk album, About Time. “I’ve done things in between, and the thing I did the most was the duo with Jan, but I wound up in a few different bands and made records with some of them.”

Even as he worked on different projects, Bizer’s songs for About Time started brewing in 2005, and they began accumulating.

He eventually landed on 13 tracks for his third solo album and noticed a theme of time had emerged. On About Time, Bizer brings that theme to life through evocative lyrics and soundtracks it with earnest folk instrumentation.

“Not that every single song deals directly with time, but a fair number of them do. I got a kick out of writing ‘Going Nowhere’ about slowing time down and what that could mean and how that would work,” said Bizer, who produced About Time and played guitar, bass, and guitjo.

“There’s also the fact that it’s been so long since I put out my last record, and time played a piece of that. And I think of these songs as a time capsule of the last 20 years, so time was so much on my mind as I was putting the record together.”

To learn more, I spoke to Bizer about his latest album ahead of a July 7 show at Livonia’s Trinity House Theatre.

Continue reading “It’s ‘About Time’ — Dexter Singer-Songwriter Jim Bizer Releases First New Solo Album in 20 Years” →