Friday marks the 25th anniversary of both 9/11 and Kitty Donohoe’s folk song, “There Are No Words,” which pays tribute to the fallen heroes, family members, and friends we lost that day.
Donohoe, an Ann Arbor, Michigan, singer-songwriter, wrote the song in response to the day’s tragic events.
On the song, Donohoe sings, “In one single hour in one single day / We were changed forever, something taken away / And there is no fire that can melt this heavy stone / That can bring back the voices and the spirits of our own.”
“I think it’s the hope of every artist to create something that affects people in a strong way, and I’m honored that ‘There Are No Words’ has played a part in the healing process of our country for so many people,” wrote Donohoe on her website.
OMO, aka Javan Cain, and Le Dawg, aka Evan Haywood, in Ann Arbor. Photo – DJ Cataclysmic, aka Jacoby Simmons.
OMO x Le Dawg’s self-titled album provides a brief respite from the outside world.
On their debut release, the Ann Arbor, Michigan, electronic duo creates different vibes and sonic spaces for people needing an escape.
“I want to get into that place where I’m no longer in my consciousness, but I am depersonalized completely into the music,” said Evan Haywood, aka Le Dawg.
“When you’re in that music, it frees you from all of the other things going on: all of the bills you have to pay, all the things you have to worry about, all the craziness in the world. It’s like a place of peace, and it can sound like anything.”
Featuring six tracks, the album is a collection of minimalist, ambient techno that explores a spectrum of sounds, ranging from meditative and percussive to dreamlike and intergalactic.
The music emerged over a series of jam sessions the duo had at Haywood’s home studio.
“We met once a week for a good couple of months,” said Javan Cain, aka OMO. “It turned into a lot of different jams, and there’s going to be a lot of different projects with different sounds. We were jamming together and growing within that, seeing what we could build because it’s endless if you really think about it.”
Those jam sessions quickly reflected the different roles the duo had while making the album: OMO as the creative force and Le Dawg as the editor and observer.
“It’s great because we both have so much going on musically, especially me with my studio work and Javan with all of his live performances that he’s been doing,” Haywood said. “It’s like we’re both bringing those skills and bringing those sensibilities into the process.”
To learn more, I spoke to OMO x Le Dawg about the creative process for the album.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan band explores the ups and downs of personal and professional challenges on its debut EP.
“We had a general vibe of what we were writing, and it just seemed to impact the songs in that kind of way,” said Spencer Mullins, Toadally’s vocalist and guitarist.
“And then later on, once we started organizing and revising the songs, that’s when it started to take shape as one project—one EP. We chose Crash at the very end because we didn’t know what to call it.”
On Crash, the band addresses themes of impulsivity, courage, and disappointment across five multigenre tracks that primarily reside in the indie-rock world.
Bandmates Victoria Horne (vocals, piano, synth, flute), Fangbo Yuan (vocals, guitar), Jake McCarthy (drums), Kim Truong (bass), and Mullins weave a compelling tapestry of tongue-in-cheek stories and energetic sounds that resonate with all kinds of listeners.
“I’m sure you’ll pick up on those themes of being dissatisfied with the way the world is or being dissatisfied with yourself,” said Kim Truong, who’s also Toadally’s loremaster.
“Even though a lot of our music tends to be a mishmash and in the moment and reactive, I think those themes of how we navigate ourselves, the world, and other people are pretty common.”
I recently spoke with the band about the inspiration behind its latest EP.
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.
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.
“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.’”
On the poster, he created a majestic blue-and-purple version of the clock tower against a light blue and white mandala background.
“I tried to keep it as fun as possible, and I didn’t want to go full psychedelic because it’s Chelsea,” Doyle said. “But at the same time, I didn’t want to go mayonnaise, so that’s where I ended up.”
Doyle’s artwork is the featured poster for GIG: The Art of Michigan Music, an annual event showcasing the creations of visual artists, graphic designers, and concert photographers who work in music.
“Being a musician and an artist, I have been in both realms, and it’s the only place I’ve ever seen where those two groups of people are brought together,” he said.
To support that community, GIG includes a gallery of artwork and photography by the featured artists, a music market filled with prints, photos, records, and merch, and workshops focused on mental health, websites, graphic design, and photography.
“I’m kind of a hermit, and a lot of my artist and musician friends are hermits, so there’s nowhere for us to go,” Doyle said. “The community inside the community [at GIG] is really big for me.”
I recently spoke with Doyle about his background and work as a graphic designer and poster artist.
For both acts, playing the Ann Arbor acoustic and folk music venue is a rite of passage, especially as seasoned live performers in Southeast Michigan.
“I hope about 400 people find that The Ark holds a special place in their heart—that would be nice,” said Jewett, an Americana singer-songwriter based in Plymouth. “I’m really glad that Jackamo was able to take on the show.”
Jewett and his band, The Strategic Advisors, are headlining the show while Jackamo is opening.
“We’ve been to The Ark many times to see many different acts, but we’re really excited about it,” said Alison Wiercioch, who performs in the Detroit indie-folk band with vocalist and sister Tessa Wiercioch and guitarist Jimmy Showers. “It holds a special place in our hearts.”
As a special show, both bands promise engaging, intimate performances with a variety of songs from their growing catalogs.
“You want to show it has some flow and dynamics,” Jewett said. “Typically, you open with something that wakes everybody up, then there’s a steady-state portion, and then things quiet down, and you ramp it up. Hopefully, you close with a bang.”
To learn more, I spoke with Jewett and Jackamo ahead of the show.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulpblog.
One Track Mind features a Washtenaw County-associated artist or band discussing a single song.
Standout Track: No. 2, “Pardon My Dust,” from Annie and Rod Capps. The Chelsea couple’s latest folk album, Never Done, is about self-improvement and the lessons they’ve learned on their journey of personal growth.
On “Pardon My Dust,” Annie Capps sings about self-reinvention and uses construction-based metaphors to show that her work is never done. Those references come from driving back and forth to Chicago over the years. “I think this song in particular is more about how we need to be kinder to ourselves and others who are struggling with life and all the challenges and curve balls it throws us along the way,” Annie Capps wrote in an email interview. “Also, those who have done any kind of therapy will understand that you have to tear down stuff to rebuild something better. Thus, the self-destruction reference. Not all self-destruction is necessarily bad if it reveals what needs fixing.”
The Ann Arbor-based alt-rock band recently added two new members, lead guitarist Johnny Scott and bassist Victoria Horne, to their lineup. They join vocalist-guitarist Pat Deneau and drummer Bob Zammit.
“There is a total synergy on the stage now,” Deneau said. “It’s really fun playing these songs closer to the way that we recorded them, with the lead guitar parts and some basslines that are moving a little bit. Victoria and Johnny are bringing energy to the stage that I really feed off.”
The City Lines will perform songs from their growing catalog, which includes last year’s Prescribed Fires album and two prior releases.
“We’re a new band to a lot of people who are maybe going to wonder how we got three records out under their nose and why there are as many listenable songs,” Zammit said. “It’s because we’ve been working really hard on that end of it, and now, through the support of the community, we can support folks and be helpful.”
To learn more, I spoke with the band about their new members and live shows.
The Stratton Setlist 