Category: Videos

Inside Story — Jess Merritt Displays a Bold and Transformative Mindset on “Wild in Me” EP

Jess Merritt sings about self-discovery, growth, and freedom on Wild in Me. Photo – c

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

Jess Merritt no longer silences her inner voice.

The Ann Arbor singer-songwriter follows her instincts and unleashes her authentic self on Wild in Me.

“It’s been a big journey,” said Merritt, aka Jess Oberholtzer, about her new folk-rock-soul EP.

“Over the past five years or so … I went through a divorce, the pandemic, and coming out. It’s been a real transformative time. I look back, and I’m so grateful that I took those steps because I feel so much closer to my true self now. Even though things are a little bit scary as far as what the future holds, I just feel solid in myself.”

Merritt embraces that bold mindset through an honest and inspirational collection of songs about self-discovery, growth, and freedom. The four tracks on Wild in Me come to life through soulful vocals, cathartic lyrics, and soaring instrumentation.

“I tend to write about things that are closely held and deeply felt,” said Merritt, who previously performed as Jess McCumons.

“I feel happier after I feel something intensely, even if it’s challenging. To me, revisiting and sitting in those feelings, even if they’re not sunshiny all the time, actually does feel very healing, cleansing, and empowering.”

Continue reading “Inside Story — Jess Merritt Displays a Bold and Transformative Mindset on “Wild in Me” EP” →

Finding Yourself — Taylor DeRousse Traces Her Personal Evolution on “Running Back to Me” Album

Taylor DeRousse features vulnerable lyrics, heartfelt vocals, and cathartic instrumentation on “Running Back to Me. Courtesy photo

Taylor DeRousse welcomes herself with open arms.

The Metro Detroit singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist embraces her holistic self—both past and present—and the wisdom she’s gained on Running Back to Me.

“It’s a coming of age [tale] where I’m growing up and growing into myself,” said DeRousse about her debut album, which includes elements of indie rock, atmospheric folk, and guitar-driven pop.

“But that’s something that I hold very close to me. I think this record is the experience of trying to find your way through the world, figuring out who you are, and then coming back to yourself after everything and through the noise.”

What emerges are 13 compelling tracks about the evolution of youth to adulthood and back again. Collectively, the songs explore working through self-doubt and heartbreak to find relief and renewal.

“I continue to tell myself those messages and hold them true to myself,” said DeRousse, who released the album via Bird Fight Records. “The oldest song, I was probably 18 when I wrote it, and there’s a line in the song, [‘Outsider’], that says, ‘18 to 27.’ I’m 29 now, it just shows you how long it’s been taking me.”

DeRousse brings those experiences to life through vulnerable lyrics, heartfelt vocals, and cathartic instrumentation.

“I use songwriting as a way to process my experiences, emotions, and thoughts, so it’s super personal,” she said. “I hope listeners can relate to it and take that [away] from it.”

To learn more, I spoke with DeRousse about Running Back to Me ahead of a May 10 album release show at The Loving Touch in Ferndale, Michigan.

Continue reading “Finding Yourself — Taylor DeRousse Traces Her Personal Evolution on “Running Back to Me” Album” →

All “Heart” — Ann Arbor’s Bill Edwards Finds Hope and Purpose on New Country Album

Bill Edwards has a positive outlook on “A Home in My Heart.” Photo – Chasing Light Photos

Bill Edwards isn’t afraid to follow his heart.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist searches for clarity and purpose on his new country album, A Home in My Heart.

“It’s not all autobiographical, but I like to think that it’s all feelings I have had,” Edwards said. “I think the idea of hope is important, even if it’s hard to find in these times right now, but it’s something that you have to hold yourself to.”

He shares that sentiment over 10 introspective tracks, which explore taking risks, overcoming obstacles, and having a positive attitude.

“It’s been 18 months since I’ve released anything, so that seems like a decent interval,” said Edwards, who last released So Far in October 2023.

“It’s not like right on the heels of the last one. It’s only 10 songs—this record. I tried to constraint myself; I actually said, ‘I’m gonna do 10 tracks,’ and then I kept writing and recording. I switched in and out a couple, and I played it for my wife and got her input. I played it for some other people and got some input, so this is where I ended up.”

Edwards landed nicely with A Home in My Heart due to its seamless storytelling, infectious lyrics, and upbeat instrumentation. Sonically, the album includes timeless elements of country wrapped in heartland rock, blues, and folk.

“It’s a limited palette compared to some [previous albums],” said Edwards, who plays all the instruments on the album. “That was another intentional thing. I really wanted the record to have a sound rather than going off in all kinds of different directions.”

I recently spoke with Edwards about the inspiration and creative process behind the album.

Continue reading “All “Heart” — Ann Arbor’s Bill Edwards Finds Hope and Purpose on New Country Album” →

Spring Breakthrough — The 3148s Ditch the Michigan Winter Blues on “Cabin Fever” Single

Jason Seifert, Greg Jones, Tom Jones, and Ian Coote of The 3148s. Courtesy photo

Greg Jones wants to spring into action.

The Metro Detroit vocalist-guitarist is ditching the winter blues after being indoors all season.

“I find, for whatever reason, it feels like it gets worse every year,” said Jones, who performs in The 3148s. “When I was younger, I’d look at snowbirds and think, “That seems like a lot of travel and a lot of hassle.”

While he’s not headed south this time, Jones channels that pent-up frustration, misery, and restlessness on “Cabin Fever,” the energetic, hardcore-inspired single from The 3148s.

Along with bandmates Ian Coote (guitar, keys, mandocello, vocals), Jason Seifert (bass), and brother Tom Jones (drums), he sings: “Sunlight deprived and locked inside / All alone in a crowded house / Grinding my teeth, grinning in agony / Self-loathing in sheep’s clothing / As all the walls keep closing / In on me and my sweet sanity.”

“And now I say, ‘Let’s get these kids to graduate so that I can buy a house in Florida and live there for six months out of the year,’” Jones said. “You feel trapped, and it’s like the walls are closing in by the time you get to this time of year. I just wanna be outside, and I wanna be warm and comfortable. I haven’t seen the sun, and yeah, it drags.”

The adrenalized alt-rock-meets-punk instrumentation on “Cabin Fever” does anything but drag. The band’s fearless electric guitar, thumping bass, and charging drums pulsate alongside Jones’ angry vocals.

To learn more, I spoke with The 3148s about its latest releases and background ahead of an April 5 show at New Dodge Lounge in Hamtramck, Michigan.

Continue reading “Spring Breakthrough — The 3148s Ditch the Michigan Winter Blues on “Cabin Fever” Single” →

Restless Souls — Harry Dean and The Dusty Boys Channels Adventure and Growth on “Feel Alive” EP

Lee Vanderkolk, Tyler Mazurek, and Harry Dean perform at Butcher Block Social in 2024. Courtesy photo

Harry Dean understands the impulsive urge to hit the road.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan singer-songwriter explores the desire for wanderlust and adventure on “Feel Alive,” the title track from his debut EP with The Dusty Boys.

“There were these two open mic-ers I had gotten to know in town, and they really did that,” said Dean, the vocalist-guitarist for the country-rock trio, which includes lead guitarist Lee Vanderkolk and drummer Tyler Mazurek.

“They packed up everything and sold a bunch of their stuff, and they hit the road for four or five months. They went and did some busking, played open mics, and tried to pick up gigs. I thought, ‘If I were in that situation, I’d be so scared.’”

Dean channels that fear and courage alongside hopeful acoustic guitar and wistful electric guitar on “Feel Alive.” He sings, “The road’s callin’ and / We’re running steady / Dressed in all black / Jumpin’ in the back / Of that ’84 ole rusted Jimmy / Headed out west / Land we know the best.”

“I have never ditched everything and hit the road. I’ve been with my wife for 12 years now and I’ve lived in Michigan for my whole life,” Dean said.

“It gave me a sense when I put myself there, too, that it would be such a ‘Feel Alive’ moment. I pull things from my life and how I would feel in other people’s lives.”

“Feel Alive” also serves as the energetic opener from Harry Dean and The Dusty Boys’ EP, which features storied lyrics, fiery electric guitar, and driving country-rock instrumentation.

I recently spoke to Dean about Feel Alive ahead of a March 28 show at Turnstiles.

Continue reading “Restless Souls — Harry Dean and The Dusty Boys Channels Adventure and Growth on “Feel Alive” EP” →

Shared Sentiment — Claudia Hoyser Processes the Universality of Heartbreak on “Girl in Blue” Single

Claudia Hoyser features empathetic lyrics and earnest instrumentation on “Girl in Blue.” Photo – Justin Hammond

Claudia Hoyser wants people to feel seen and heard after a breakup.

The country singer-songwriter shares that sentiment while processing heartbreak on her single, “Girl in Blue.”

“There are so many people out there that are doing that every day and putting on a strong face for everyone else,” said Hoyser, who’s from Rochester, New York. “I wanted to give like a ‘Hey, hello, I see you’ to people that are feeling that way.”

Hoyser gives that sonic nod to listeners through empathetic lyrics and earnest instrumentation. Backed by atmospheric electric guitar and hopeful acoustic guitar, she sings, “Looks like a real good time / Laughing over her glass of white wine / Crazy how nobody can tell that she’s dying inside.”

“It’s saying, ‘Oh my god, I can’t even face people right now. I’m so heartbroken, I don’t want to go. I don’t want to get out there,’” Hoyser said. “But you have to put on your strong face and prove to yourself and everybody else that you can still keep going, even though what you actually feel is completely broken and alone.”

To learn more, I spoke with Hoyser about her music and background ahead of a March 14 show at Black Crystal Café in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Continue reading “Shared Sentiment — Claudia Hoyser Processes the Universality of Heartbreak on “Girl in Blue” Single” →

Bring to Mind — Danny VanZandt Examines the Emotional Connection Between Senses and Memories on “Proust in the Kitchen With the Wooden Spoon!” Album

From left: Randy Favot, George Jr., Anton Filyayev, Andrew Benjamin, and Danny VanZandt. Photo – Spencer Isberg

For Danny VanZandt, distinctive smells, tastes, and sounds trigger vivid memories.

The Detroit singer-songwriter explores those sensory experiences and the powerful recollections associated with them on his new album, Proust in the Kitchen With the Wooden Spoon!.

“It’s that concept of the Proustian memory that’s in one of his books where the character eats a cookie and has a flashback to a memory,” said VanZandt about his indie-rock release. “That—I think—is such a real thing and such a weird phenomenon that happens.”

As part of that phenomenon, he reflects on a gamut of emotions, ranging from gratitude to longing to anticipation, that arises when cooking and eating his late mother’s spaghetti and listening to music with friends.

“For me, my mom passing [away] was when I started thinking about that kind of stuff,” said VanZandt, who lost his mother in 2020.

“When she first passed away, the emotions wouldn’t come up on their own when just dealing with that, but then it would get reflected through a movie or a song. Then, I could process it and see the totality of it and that’s the way that I would deal with it.”

VanZandt processes everything through 11 emotive tracks on Proust in the Kitchen With the Wooden Spoon!. His sentimental lyrics and evocative instrumentation transport listeners to a special time, place, or feeling.

Each track feels like a magical short story soundtracked with elements of Americana, folk, rock ‘n’ roll, and alt-country.

“I remember listening to Spotify on shuffle and ‘Freak Scene’ by Dinosaur Jr. came on, and I had forgotten that song existed. I also had forgotten that Bug as an album existed and it reminded me of a CD a friend had burned for me in high school,” he said.

“It was such a faraway memory that I had not thought of in years, and I could see the color of the CD. When that stuff happens, that’s so crazy to me and so is the idea of how music can be a vessel that holds memories.”

I recently spoke with VanZandt about the album and the inspiration behind it.

Continue reading “Bring to Mind — Danny VanZandt Examines the Emotional Connection Between Senses and Memories on “Proust in the Kitchen With the Wooden Spoon!” Album” →

Cast Away — Ypsilanti’s Premium Rat Finds Connection and Community on Debut Album, “Stranded on Land”

Premium Rat features cinematic instrumentation on “Stranded on Land.” Photo — Levi Hubbel

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

Premium Rat knows they can’t go it alone.

The Ypsilanti, Michigan indie-rocker embraces that mindset while exploring the need for connection and community on their debut album.

“That has been the journey of my life because I’ve always been a very independent person and a person who’s not good at asking for help,” said Mer Rey, who performs as Premium Rat, about Stranded on Land.

“This album tells the story of me learning that lesson—that no person is an island—and I can’t do it all myself.”

Premium Rat follows that story arc throughout Stranded on Land’s 12 tracks, which were curated against a backdrop of multi-genre sounds.

“The idea of Stranded on Land is starting the album feeling very disconnected from the world and people around me, feeling like I didn’t understand or belong in the world, and feeling very isolated and alone with that feeling,” said Rey, who features elements of pop punk, indie rock, dance-pop, indie folk, and Broadway music on the album.

“As the album goes on, it tells the story of me finding community, finding other people who also felt that way, and realizing, ‘Oh, I’m stranded on land, but so are a bunch of other people, and we’re actually stranded together.’ And that is how we [find] our way out and claim our freedom—by doing that together.”

Continue reading “Cast Away — Ypsilanti’s Premium Rat Finds Connection and Community on Debut Album, “Stranded on Land”” →

Best Practices — Kylee Phillips Shares “The Good Parts” of Her Personal Journey on New EP

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Kylee Phillips offers heartfelt tales of resilience and acceptance on “The Good Parts.” Photo – Misty Lyn Bergeron

Kylee Phillips doesn’t need to give herself daily pep talks anymore.

After some deep introspection, the Ypsilanti, Michigan singer-songwriter/keyboardist gained a fresh perspective and wanted to share “the good parts” of her journey on a new EP.

“I feel like the pep talks worked,” said Phillips about The Good Parts, her sophomore release. “It’s encouraging because it’s hard to see yourself grow when it’s happening, and it’s not until you look back that you say, ‘Oh, I made it to the other side.’”

Coming out the other side, Phillips offers heartfelt tales of resilience and acceptance across four honest tracks on her indie-folk-pop EP.

“The songs are about saying, ‘Maybe I need to try a different path,’ but they’re also saying, ‘These are the things I’ve noticed about myself that are not going to change—that I’m not letting go of,’” she said.

“It’s this funny combination of ‘I’m going to have to make some different choices, but I also know better who I actually am now.’”

That authenticity quickly resonates with listeners on The Good Parts, which features reflective lyrics and lush instrumentation.

“I had a friend reach out to me and say, ‘I feel like you wrote this song for me.’ And I said, ‘I wrote it for myself, and now I feel like you need it more than I do,’” she said. “I always write the stuff that I need to hear, but when it’s also what other people need to hear, it feels special.”

Continue reading “Best Practices — Kylee Phillips Shares “The Good Parts” of Her Personal Journey on New EP” →

Higher Purpose — Carolyn Striho Celebrates Empowerment and Connection on “I Will Rise” Single

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Carolyn Striho shares messages of hope and strength on “I Will Rise.” Photo – Chelsea Whitaker Photography

Carolyn Striho wants to help people rise to the occasion.

The Detroit singer-songwriter captures that empowering sentiment on her latest rock single, “I Will Rise.”

“I wrote ‘I Will Rise’ after the 2017 Women’s March to invoke hope, especially after having had breast cancer, but to connect with all people,” Striho said.

“With so much competition and anger among people, it focuses on love and survival. It also shares messages of hope and strength and encourages people to come together.”

Surrounded by determined piano, acoustic guitar, synth, bass, and drums, Striho sings, “I will rise, my friends, and be alive / We will rise through the pain in our disguise / Smiling instead of crying / It’s so hard we’re trying / Every day is counting time.”

“People would hear it and they liked it. You could see it as a political song or a song about breast cancer and women, but I realized it could be for anybody,” she said.

“I start out by singing, ‘I will rise, my sisters,’ and then I change it to more of a universal reference with the lyric, ‘I will rise, my friends.’”

Continue reading “Higher Purpose — Carolyn Striho Celebrates Empowerment and Connection on “I Will Rise” Single” →