Tag: Collective

Hitting the Road — The Soods Embark on Midwest Fall Tour This Week

Jason Roy of The Soods. Photo – Matt Ten Clay

The Soods are ready to hit the road.

The indie-rock collective is embarking on a short Midwest tour, which runs October 11 to 16.

The tour includes shows in Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan, as well as Chicago; Davenport, Iowa; and Fort Wayne, Indiana. It will also celebrate a milestone for one of The Soods’ side projects—Elroy Meltzer.

“This one will just be Steven [Meltzer] and me,” said Jason Roy, frontman and co-producer for The Soods, who’s based in Grand Rapids.

“It actually marks 10 years this year since we started Elroy Meltzer together, so we actually will be doing some songs off those first two albums. Steven still actively writes, records, and performs as Elroy Meltzer and has an album coming out on October 10 called 9 Out of 10 Ain’t Bad that people should check out as well.”

For its tour, The Soods have prepared an extensive setlist filled with new songs, old favorites, and covers.

“I think we have rehearsed about 25 or 26 songs, five covers ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Gorillaz, and then a pretty even split of Soods songs and the aforementioned Elroy stuff,” Roy said. “We’re pretty excited to play five unreleased ones as it’ll be the first time we played a few of them.”

I recently spoke with Roy about the collective’s tour and recent releases.

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Getting Personal — Elroy Meltzer Examines Death and Grief on “And The Elderly Midnight” Album

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Elroy Meltzer’s Matt Noordhoff, Steven Meltzer, Pat Kargl, and Drake Fierge. Photo courtesy of Elroy Meltzer

Steven Meltzer takes a more personalized approach to songwriting on And The Elderly Midnight.

The Elroy Meltzer frontman examines internal struggles with death and grief on the indie-rock collective’s latest album via Midwest Gold Records.

“I wanted to go down that [path] and be more relatable. Not to say I’m a dark person by any means, but sadness and death are something that everyone has experienced and dealt with,” said Meltzer, the vocalist-guitarist of the Grand Rapids, Michigan collective.

“In our music scene, we’ve lost great people due to suicide or drug use. I’ve also had friends who have recently lost parents to cancer or are dealing with that currently. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s hard to maneuver through, but it’s happening.”

The album’s seven tracks uncover the emotional toll those experiences take on Meltzer, the people he knows, and the world around him. His perceptive lyrics and the collective’s earnest instrumentation invite listeners to explore their challenges alongside them.

“It’s the feeling of getting older and the idea that I’m getting close to death even though I’m not. It’s also that feeling of thinking, ‘Am I at a point where it’s too late? Have I missed any opportunities? Am I too old now?’” said Meltzer, who founded the collective in 2010 and performs with The Soods.

“It seems like everyone is married, everyone has kids, and everyone is happy. I’m wondering if I’m missing out on those things. It’s also the helpful acceptance of making this life work because you only get one.”

To learn more, I spoke with Meltzer about the inspiration behind And The Elderly Midnight.

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Look and Learn — The Soods Search for Clarity and Purpose on Self-Titled EP

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Jason Roy of The Soods plays piano at Amber Lit Audio in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photo – Matt Ten Clay

In a post-pandemic and pre-election era, The Soods search for clarity and purpose.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan collective explores those aspirations while having an existential crisis on its latest self-titled EP.

“I think we’re all at a point in our lives where we came out of this situation and we’re all trying to put the pieces back together,” said Jason Roy, frontman and co-producer for The Soods. “But at the same time, we’re trying to hang on to the big pieces that we had before.”

As part of that exploration, the collective of multi-instrumentalists Matt Ten Clay, Shane Tripp, Chris Coble, Patrick Wieland, Steven Meltzer, and Roy addresses the disappointment, longing, and regret that comes with the passage of time.

“We’re all on the same page, the same wavelength, and the same vibe. I attribute that to the idea that we’re all going through stuff on earth all the time,” said Roy about The Soods’ bedroom-pop EP, which features vivid instrumentation and contemplative lyrics.

“We hit a nice rhythm where everybody had the same premonitions or existential questions. It’s like, ‘How did I end up here?’”

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Organic Growth – Dirt Room Cultivates Experimental Sound through Live Shows and Releases

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Dirt Room will bring their burgeoning sound to Small’s in Hamtramck. Photo – Mykel Andre

With new blood, Dirt Room continually thrives on organic growth.

The Detroit experimental collective of Samuel “SJ” Sprague (vocals, bass), Patrick Norton (guitar, Octatrack), Nate Zonnevylle (synth) and Duncan MacKillop (drums) will cultivate their burgeoning sound through a series of upcoming Nice Place Presents live shows, including Feb. 4 at Small’s in Hamtramck.

“This is a completely new lineup for Dirt Room, but the synergy is there. Their musicianship and enthusiasm inspire me to keep going,” said Sprague, who co-founded the band in 2016.

“Pat has been an absolute rock for me over the past few years. Their ambition and work ethic astounds me, and the music we write together is truly a blessing in my life. Duncan and Nate are the young bloods in the group. They’ve been super enthusiastic about the new music we’re playing together and working really hard to make something special.”

For the Hamtramck show, Dirt Room will share the stage with emerging Detroit acts Who Boy, Rob Apollo and Mykel Andre.

“We’re very fortunate to be playing with such talented local artists, especially after being undercover for so long,” Sprague said. “I’ve known the Who Boy group as well as Mykel Andre for a few years now, so being able to put a show together with these guys is definitely special.”

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Instant Connection – The Soods Fuse Hopeful Tales on ‘A Ray Rewired Vol. 1’ EP

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The Soods’ “A Ray Rewired Vol. 1” EP serves as the quintessential companion for a short summer sonic getaway. Artwork – Tansy Harris

As a Grand Rapids musical connector, Jason Roy seamlessly wires together hopeful vignettes for the unknown days ahead.

The Soods frontman and multi-instrumentalist solders brief mesmerizing, impactful tales of renewal and release on the collective’s latest electrifying indie rock EP, A Ray Rewired Vol. 1, via GTG Records.

“I think the overall feel of these songs has an upbeat rhythm of life to it. At the root of it, there’s an emotion of love, and music is meant to uplift,” said Roy, who co-produced the project and named it after a lyric in The Soods’ single, “Symbiotic Mono Band.”

“Even with the saddest stuff there should be some connective tissue of ‘Hey, it’s not always gonna be this bad, or shit’s gonna get better.’”

Along with a talented cast of Soods collaborators, Roy elaborately threads seven thoughtful tracks into an emotive, cohesive 15-minute listen. A Ray Rewired Vol. 1 serves as the quintessential companion for a short summer sonic getaway during a hectic, stressful day.

“I approach it like an art project in a sense. Let me start it, and I’m gonna use my palette to paint as good of a picture as I can to set you up to put on the finishing touches,” Roy said.

“Sometimes, I’ll get a vocal back, or I’ll be recording one with Steven (Meltzer), and be like, ‘Oh OK, we need to change direction.’ Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s more of a ‘Ooh, I never thought to approach it that way.’”

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