Heal Over – Cameron Blake Explores Forgiveness and Finds Renewal on ‘Mercy for the Gentle Kind’ EP

Cameron-Blake-Press-Photo-Eric-Bouwens-photographer-copy
Cameron Blake embarks on healing journey of self-discovery on “Mercy for the Gentle Kind.” Photo – Eric Bouwens

For Cameron Blake, time and tenderness heal deeply buried wounds on Mercy for the Gentle Kind.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan chamber-pop vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist embarks on a cathartic journey to explore forgiveness and find renewal on his latest EP.

“That’s when the process began, and I thought, ‘OK, what are these three songs, ‘Blue Note,’ ‘Mercy for the Gentle Kind’ and ‘Cricket’s Waltz,’ about?’ I had to go back and piece it all together, but I was doing that simultaneously while preparing for my Return to the Violin recital,” said Blake, who’s also a classically trained violinist.

“Then I realized it was a very subconscious thing that I was making this record about the healing process and how the only way to heal something is not to harden up, but to show tenderness.”

Blake thoughtfully examines that concept throughout Mercy for the Gentle Kind’s six poignant tracks, which feature poetic lyrics and cinematic instrumentation mixed with indie-folk, chamber-pop and classical music sensibilities.

“And then I found the John Berger audio, which was in an interview with him talking about how we can judge systems and we can judge actions, but we can’t judge the human soul,” he said.

“I said to myself, ‘Wow, what a profoundly beautiful and incredibly difficult idea,’ but it sort of struck me because that’s exactly what I did with that past teacher of mine and that’s what healed me. It simply brought together the whole project.”

To learn more about Blake’s journey, I chatted with him about his background, a past traumatic experience that impacted his ability to play the violin, his “debut” album and latest EP, the Music in the Heights concert series and his upcoming plans.

Continue reading “Heal Over – Cameron Blake Explores Forgiveness and Finds Renewal on ‘Mercy for the Gentle Kind’ EP” →

Upward and Onward – Patrick Sheufelt Records with Pandemic Pat & The Murder Hornets and Versus Versus, Runs I/O Detroit Studio

Regardless of whatever life throws at them, Pandemic Pat & The Murder Hornets quickly rise to the occasion.

The punk-rock solo project of Ferndale vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Patrick Sheufelt captures this fearless sentiment on their confident new single, “Rise,” out March 17.

“A lot of my family and friends have been falling on tough times in the post-pandemic era—lots of heartbreak, financial hardship and just general gloom going around. And I thought I’d write a song to try and fight back some of that darkness a little bit,” he said.

“It’s similar to what I said about ‘Firelight’ on the first record [2020’s Not Dead Yet], where I saw stuff happening (at that point it was the protests and the madmen running the country), and it prompted an emotional response and subsequently a pretty cool song from me.”

Throughout “Rise,” turbocharged electric guitar, bass and drums urge people to seize the day as Sheufelt’s raspy vocals proclaim:

“You danced with me under the snow and said / ‘They’ve got me on the ropes, this time I don’t think I can find my way out,’ / But here you are on your feet again, fighting to the bitter end, leaving these demons so far behind.”

“When I was writing it, one of my traveling friends, Xavier O’Luain, was staying here at the studio. He was a bit of a sounding board for some of the melodies and whatnot. As far as the recording, no one else was on this one; I just wrote all the parts as I picked up the instruments,” said Sheufelt, who started Pandemic Pat & The Murder Hornets in 2020.

“Of course, it started on vocals/acoustic [guitar], then drums, bass and guitars. I always do lead guitar last as sort of the cherry on top of the song. And on this note, I’m looking for band members for this project. If anyone wants to learn some relatively easy parts and go on tour, hit me up!”

Continue reading “Upward and Onward – Patrick Sheufelt Records with Pandemic Pat & The Murder Hornets and Versus Versus, Runs I/O Detroit Studio” →

To the Brim – Eric Ripper Manages Changing Priorities on New ‘Fill My Glass’ Single

Eric Ripper black and white
Eric Ripper performs with Jonny Neville at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor last fall. Photo – Lance McQuesten of McQuesten Media

Eric Ripper doesn’t see life as a glass that’s half-empty or half-full.

Instead, the Ferndale pop-rock singer-songwriter sees it as brimming with changing priorities on his candid new single, “Fill My Glass,” out March 17.

“I wrote ‘Fill My Glass’ about five or six years ago, so it’s an older song,” Ripper said. “I didn’t remake this one for my Story Notes album, but I’ve been thinking for a while that this one could be played a lot faster. This song is also on my Empty Place EP.”

In its revamped version, “Fill My Glass” transitions from a mellow acoustic-pop ballad to an infectious pop-punk jam.

Determined acoustic guitar, fiery electric guitar, hefty bass, thumping drums and crashing cymbals prompt sharing struggles of self-doubt and seeking validation from a confidant.

Ripper sings, “I think I’ve had enough / I just wanna give up / Will you tell me that I’m wrong / So I can think differently about myself.”

“I wrote this song about a girl I was seeing at the time,” he said. “I interpret the lyrics as the character speaking to a bartender, addressing his problems and wanting the reassurance that he’s not wrong about what he’s thinking and feeling. He wants to think differently about himself in general.”

After confiding in the bartender, the character shifts to confronting his partner and their lack of commitment toward the end of “Fill My Glass.”

Ripper sings, “So what you say / You gonna give me an input / We’ve been here for an hour / And I’m feeling quite sour / Said ‘I’ve had enough of the bullshit’/ ‘Are you ready for commitment?’”

“He’s tired, and he’s had enough of all of this. He doesn’t want to believe that they have given up though. He needs the reassurance that he’s wrong so he can think differently about the two of them,” Ripper said.

“‘Fill My Glass’ is saying how he needs validation from others on how to feel. He’s sticking up for himself to an extent, but he still needs the reassurance from others when he should truly be doing that on his own.”

To refresh the track’s sound, Ripper collaborated with Livonia producer and Studio 222 Recording owner Brandon McLeod and Highland guitarist Jonny Neville.

“We found the right tones we needed and mapped out the song to slowly build up and have the second chorus be really heavy-hitting. He had the idea of the sounds backing away and coming back at the intro of the second chorus, a bit influenced by Travis Barker’s production style,” he said.

“We knew we needed a killer solo to end the song, and I asked Jonny if he could come in and lay something down, and he nailed it. The rest of the song is my guitar playing.”

Continue reading “To the Brim – Eric Ripper Manages Changing Priorities on New ‘Fill My Glass’ Single” →

Back Home – Marty E. Relocates to Upper Peninsula and Releases ‘Benevolent Criminal’ Debut EP

Marty E 1
Marty E. stands near the waters of Lake Superior. Photo – Virginia @lostinthewoodsmichigan 

Marty E. relishes returning to his old childhood stomping grounds in the Upper Midwest.

The Bessemer, Michigan garage-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist-drummer recently relocated to the western Upper Peninsula near Ironwood after living in New York City for more than 20 years.

“Everybody asks me, ‘Why did you move from New York City to goddamn Ironwood?’ The reason is I grew up in northern Minnesota, and my parents and grandparents all grew up in this area, like Ironwood, Michigan and the Hurley, Wisconsin area,” said Marty E., who’s also known as Marty Erspamer and hails from Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

“My great-grandfather had emigrated from Tyrol in Austria, and he went to Cleveland, but had heard the mining business was booming up here. Along with his brother and his cousin, he jumped a train, hitchhiked and somehow got here. The three of them started building houses up here, so I have deep roots here.”

Those deep, familial roots inspired some of the raw, honest tracks on Marty E.’s debut solo EP, Benevolent Criminal, which is now available on vinyl. The six-track EP features a seamless blend of gritty, lo-fi alt-rock, punk-rock and garage-rock instrumentation fused with introspective lyrics about change, loss and renewal.

“When I was singing, Jaime [Hansen] and Keith [Killoren] both really helped pull workable performances out of me and [taught me] how to think about it and how not to freak yourself out and have a whiskey or have a beer,” said Marty E., who’s inspired by The Replacements, the New York Dolls and The Velvet Underground.

“You want it to come out how you hear it in your head. Hindsight is always 20/20 when you’re recording, and you’re like, ‘I could have done this better, and I could have done that better.’ What it is … is a snapshot of the time, and I’m just really happy that I was able to come up with a recording that what you hear reflects what was here.”

Continue reading “Back Home – Marty E. Relocates to Upper Peninsula and Releases ‘Benevolent Criminal’ Debut EP” →

Free Reign – Gerard Smith Brings Noble Prog-Rock Elements to ‘Lullabies in an Ancient Tongue’ Album

Gerard Smith 1
Gerard Smith embarks on a prog-rock odyssey on “Lullabies in an Ancient Tongue.” Photo courtesy of Gerard Smith

Gerard Smith freely reigns in the court of prog rock on Lullabies in an Ancient Tongue.

The Detroit vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of Bill Grogan’s Goat fuses noble elements of Celtic music, hard rock, jazz and folk with political and mythological themes on his latest album.

“I love that line, ‘Lullabies in an Ancient Tongue,’ it’s from King Crimson’s song, ‘The Court of the Crimson King,’” said Smith, who plays guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, bodhrán, tin whistle and concertina. “I also had an idea for a lullaby rolling around in my head for a long time; it’s ‘Sweet Dreams and Soft Mornings.’”

Throughout Lullabies in an Ancient Tongue, Smith embarks on a prog-rock odyssey filled with pursuits for justice, courage and truth. The album’s storyline seamlessly shifts from fantasy to reality alongside melodic instrumentation, complex time signatures and world soundscapes.

“This album is a collection of songs, but these are all themes that I think about a lot. It’s the idea of the stress of living your life with political dissent,” he said. “It’s especially true with the way the lyrics fall out in ‘Standing Stones’ and the whole idea of propaganda and how people cannot think critically when they want to be part of a [group].”

Continue reading “Free Reign – Gerard Smith Brings Noble Prog-Rock Elements to ‘Lullabies in an Ancient Tongue’ Album” →

Second Spin – Brad Phillips Gives ‘Dance Again’ Another Whirl as Debut Songwriting Single

Brad Phillips headshot 2a
Brad Phillips features a violin orchestra on his latest single, “Dance Again.” Photo courtesy of Brad Phillips

Brad Phillips never imagined his song “Dance Again” from Willow Run would take on a whole new life.

The Americana singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist revived the initial stripped-down track from the 2018 World War II era play and transformed it into a sweeping, cinematic ballad.

“The song was only two verses with a chorus and was performed with only voice and a simple, lonely acoustic guitar part. There was a lot of anguish and longing at its core at that point,” said Phillips, who’s from Dexter and teaches at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

“Since then, there has been another verse added, and the arrangement grew quite dramatically. The instrumentation of this new version is several layers of both acoustic and electric guitars, piano, bass, percussion, background vocals and a violin orchestra.”

Out Feb. 10, “Dance Again” soars and flourishes as Phillips’ debut songwriting single. As a longtime sideman, he’s spent most of his musical career playing acoustic guitar, mandolin and violin with Michigan-based artists, including Jeff Daniels, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Verve Pipe and May Erlewine.

“For years, I had wanted to be a songwriter, but I could never get out of my own way enough to let it happen. It wasn’t until I was given permission to be and encouraged to be exactly who I am that I was able to let the music in my heart flow freely,” Phillips said.

“I think I always wanted to share this song with the world beyond its place in Willow Run. This song really represents one of those rare moments in creativity in which it feels like someone else wrote it, and I was simply the conduit through which it was transmitted.”

Continue reading “Second Spin – Brad Phillips Gives ‘Dance Again’ Another Whirl as Debut Songwriting Single” →

In the Moment – Kyle Mikolajczyk Captures Creative Spontaneity for ‘Echoes in Eternity’ Single

IMG_4948
Kyle Mikolajczyk brings soothing Motor City sounds to his latest instrumental single, “Echoes in Eternity.” Photo – Karen Ritchey / LUX Artist Management

Kyle Mikolajczyk credits a looper guitar pedal and “The Office” TV series with inspiring his debut solo single, “Echoes in Eternity.”

Back in 2019, the Detroit hard-rock guitarist summoned those creative influences for his serene instrumental and fully embraced the moment.

“I was trying to find different chord patterns and landed on the acoustic/rhythm guitar pattern that you hear in the song and then recorded what I was doing on my phone,” Mikolajczyk said.

“During the moment I was recording it, I had ‘The Office’ on the TV in the background, and right before I started playing, the character Dwight yelled, ‘Whatever you do in this life echoes in eternity!” Every time I would play it back, that’s what I would hear first. It seemed like a sensible working title, so thanks, Dwight, or Rainn Wilson!”

That unexpected artistic fusion resulted in the soothing sounds of “Echoes in Eternity.” Everlasting waves of bluesy electric guitar, radiant acoustic guitar, humming bass, shimmery synth, soft drums and ticking percussion immerse listeners in unexpected bliss.

“After years of putting out music with different groups, it’s been a totally different game releasing music as a solo musician. I’m able to go any route I like, and that’s a great feeling,” said Mikolajczyk, who plays in about a dozen different Detroit bands.

“Listeners have been extremely receptive and supportive … since I’m usually known for straight-forward rock ‘n’ roll. Within the construction of the song, I made sure there was an undeniable sense of comfort, care, love and beauty.”

To bring the track’s tranquility to life, Mikolajczyk worked with Dearborn engineer Robert Cadena and Detroit drummer/percussionist Garrett Ramsden.

“I’ve been developing the song over the last few years, and I finally got into the studio this [past] fall to get to work on releasing it,” he said. “They were both able to add so much to this track … very professional and thorough.”

Continue reading “In the Moment – Kyle Mikolajczyk Captures Creative Spontaneity for ‘Echoes in Eternity’ Single” →

The Detroit Sound – New Live Roots Music Series Debuts Jan. 27 at Aretha’s Jazz Café

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A new live music series aims to showcase the musical “roots” of Detroit.

Known as The Detroit Sound, the quarterly roots music concert series debuts Jan. 27 at Aretha’s Jazz Café with singer-songwriters Jennifer Westwood, Jimmie Bones, John Bardy and Tino Gross.

“There are so many people here that I know who make music, and they never do shows together, and they’re from different parts of the city. We have fantastic music here as good as any other music city, and we need to champion that,” said Westwood, who curates The Detroit Sound with WhistlePig Music Group producer-engineer-mixer Bunky Hunt.

“It’s like, ‘Well, what is the Detroit sound?’ Some people just think it’s garage rock, some people just think it’s Motown, but really what’s happening right now? It’s a lot of things, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be one thing, but for our intents and purposes, it’s going to be more roots-based.”

To amplify those roots sounds, Westwood and Hunt selected a lineup artists and musicians who advocate Detroit’s independent rock, country and blues music scene. They also assembled the all-star Motown-Shoals house band of guitarist Dylan Dunbar, bassist Chuck Bartels, drummer David Below and keyboardist Bones.

“They’re all uniquely Detroit, and these are people who are carving their own path. They’re not listening to the people who run the tech media giants … they’re sticking to their art. These guys all fall in that category,” Hunt said.

“We’ve also got this great house band. These are guys that both play in Jennifer [Westwood’s] band and support me in the studio as well. I kinda use them as my wrecking crew. It’s gonna truly be a Detroit experience, and that’s what we’re gunning for.”

Continue reading “The Detroit Sound – New Live Roots Music Series Debuts Jan. 27 at Aretha’s Jazz Café” →

Seriously Funny – Danny VanZandt Balances Wit and Sincerity on ‘Music to Your Ears’ Album

Danny VanZandt 1
Danny VanZandt breaks code of taste on “Music to Your Ears.” Photo – Kris Herrmann

Danny VanZandt doesn’t take himself too seriously on Music to Your Ears.

The Detroit indie-rocker strikes an optimal balance between wit and sincerity on his refreshing new album.

“I’m a really goofy guy in my personal life, and I love making jokes and stuff. I wanted this album to be goofy and funny, but I still wanted the subject matter to be important,” VanZandt said.

“For artists, especially early on, everything can feel like it’s the art school film where it’s black and white and super serious. The big lesson I learned between the last album and this one is that a lot of my favorite serious art still has a lot of humor in it … and some of my favorite comedies are tearjerkers and have a real serious side to them.”

That ideal mindset flows throughout the 11 authentic tracks featured on Music to Your Ears. Filled with vivid tales of youth, nostalgia, and the passage of time, the album whisks listeners along from one memorable VanZandt adventure to the next.

Zany escapades occur at rock ‘n’ roll history museums, Wendy’s, Bruce Springsteen on ice shows, the Stranger Zone, mountaintops and other locales. Collectively, those stops provide greater insight into VanZandt’s past, present and future.

VanZandt also features brands and music artists as his ironic sidekicks throughout Music to Your Ears. These “pals” include AC/DC, Guitar Center, Jamba Juice, Eagles, Vineyard Vines, Enclave, Cat Power, Google Earth, McDonald’s and others to distinctly set each track’s scene and mood.

“When you go outside, it’s not like forests and rivers anymore, it’s Subway and Domino’s. If you’re going to do a modern-day landscape painting, like Jake Longstreth, it’s a painting of an abandoned Circuit City,” said VanZandt, who recently graduated with a master’s degree in art history from Wayne State University.

“I wanted it to have that feel and also in a pop-art way, like ‘What do brands mean and signify?’ That’s a big 21st century anxiety that we all deal with. I wanted it to feel true to actual modern life, and there’s something I love about how banal all that stuff is.”

Continue reading “Seriously Funny – Danny VanZandt Balances Wit and Sincerity on ‘Music to Your Ears’ Album” →

Double Duty – Lily Talmers Explores Humanity and Spirituality on ‘Hope is The Whore I Go To / It’s Unkind to Call You My Killer’ Album

lily talmer ark
Lily Talmers performs at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Photo – Lori Stratton

Editor’s Note: This article features a portion of the Ann Arbor District Library’s Jan. 5, 2023 Pulp interview with Lily Talmers.

Lily Talmers fully embraces her authentic self on “Birthday Song.”

The Brooklyn, New York indie-folk singer-songwriter gets vulnerable and introspective on an intimate track from her latest double album, Hope is The Whore I Go To / It’s Unkind to Call You My Killer.

“It’s definitely kind of like a prayer and an asking; I wrote it on my birthday, which is kind of funny,” said Talmers, a University of Michigan alumna.

“But I think the central image of the song is thinking about unfolding as a human … and it’s very vulnerable to be a human. It’s just admitting that and feeling often like when we bring our full selves to other people it’s hard to do that and not be embarrassed.”

Surrounded by wistful nylon guitar and strings, she sings, “So please excuse the hardness of my softening / If I’m unworthy, Lord, I swear I’ll fake it good.”

“It’s this image of wanting to be your full little sweet self and feeling ashamed of that,” Talmers said. “It’s also oscillating between those two things, like ‘I want to go back into the womb, and I don’t want to interact with anyone,’ and wanting to fully be with people and be loving and brave.”

Talmers beautifully illustrates that relatable dichotomy alongside poignant reflections about hope, humanity, spirituality and growth across the 21 tracks on Hope is The Whore I Go To / It’s Unkind to Call You My Killer.

Within those tracks, she shares haunting tales wrapped in emotive string-brass instrumentation and pensive folk-jazz and Latin-Mediterranean soundscapes.

I recently spoke to Talmers about her background, ambitious double album, prolific writing and recording process, and upcoming plans.

Continue reading “Double Duty – Lily Talmers Explores Humanity and Spirituality on ‘Hope is The Whore I Go To / It’s Unkind to Call You My Killer’ Album” →