Nothing Personal – Bill Edwards Explores Songs From Different Perspectives on “Enough About Me” Album

Bill Edwards. Photo – Jeff Fasano

Editor’s Note: For a related article, see the One Track Mind feature from Pulp.

Bill Edwards is satisfied with having one less personal collection of music in the world.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan, singer-songwriter adopts that mindset and overarching premise for his new album, Enough About Me, and its title track.

“I read American Songwriter magazine, and there’s an article on the cover that says, ‘So-and-so has put out their most personal album yet,’” said Edwards, who’s also multi-instrumentalist.

“I don’t think a statement is intrinsically more important because it’s your personal history. It can be, if it’s something you’ve gone through and it’s really important and something that people will recognize and feel themselves, but there are other ways to do it too.”

On the title track, Edwards sings, “Must we keep dronin’ on / About ourselves? / It’s a big ol’ world out there / Can’t we talk about somethin’ else?”

“I don’t mean anything against anybody,” he said. “People do what they need to do or what they want to do, but just for me at my stage of life and stage of music production, I was ready to say, ‘You know, I want to write about something else; I want to write about other people.’”

Featuring 14 tracks, the country-bluegrass album explores songs from the perspectives of several characters, including women, men, teens, veterans, sanitation workers, and drifters.

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The Spirit of Adventure – Bart Moore Shares Colorful Folktales on ‘Wild Flora’ Album

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Bart Moore features storied lyrics and charged folk instrumentation on “Wild Flora.” Photo – Jena McShane of McShane Photography

When it comes to music, Bart Moore possesses a lively, adventurous spirit.

The Grand Ledge, Michigan singer-songwriter and guitarist infectiously captures that essence and beckons listeners to come along for a rollicking-filled quest on Wild Flora.

“In the vast majority of the songs, there is something happening, a story of sorts,” said Moore about his latest alt-folk album. “My previous album, Graveyards Wind & War, was unconsciously dark. I wanted Wild Flora to be different— funnier with more movement and more adventures.”

On Wild Flora, Moore features storied lyrics and charged folk instrumentation across nine insightful tracks. Each song explores compelling characters at various points in time and captures the excitement, fear, and disappointment they encounter along the way.

“I like that the more I think about it,” Moore said. “There’s certainly more color than Graveyards—hence the title, Wild Flora, with the cover shot of the woman in my wildflower meadow.”

To learn more, I spoke with Moore ahead of a June 2 album release show at EagleMonk Pub and Brewery in Lansing, Michigan.

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Active Voice – Mike Ward Encourages Casting Your Ballot on ‘Troubled Times’ EP

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Mike Ward tackles sociopolitical challenges on “Troubled Times.” Photo – Danny Ward

Mike Ward knows the nation’s times are a-changin,’ especially with today’s midterm elections.

In response, the Americana singer-songwriter encourages people to raise their voice and chase their freedom on his latest sociopolitical EP, Troubled Times.

“From my standpoint, I’m hoping it will help people look in the mirror and ask themselves some of these questions in terms of raising your own voice and paying attention to what’s truth and what’s not truth,” said Ward, who’s based in Detroit. “That’s basically the theme of ‘Wishing Well,’ and it’s the subtle theme of ‘WWTFS.’”

The contemplative opener, “Wishing Well,” advocates protecting individual rights and free speech alongside determined acoustic guitar and solemn organ.

Ward sings, “Stand alone, stand apart / Take a deep look into your heart / Because these are troubled times / These lives of yours and mine / So seek the proof in the face of the untruth / In the face of all the untruth.”

To learn more about Troubled Times and his upcoming plans, we recently chatted with Ward at Folk Alliance Region Midwest in Lisle, Illinois.

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