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: “Our Eyes” from Kelsey., aka Kelsey Detering, an Ann Arbor singer-songwriter, bassist, and pianist. Her latest single examines a new relationship between two people and their shared sense of connection, while also exploring themes of authenticity and validation. “That’s really the core of it, knowing that someone sees you almost chillingly well, that they understand the core of you, and in this case, your music,” wrote Kelsey. in an email interview.
“It’s almost too good to be true, just the connection itself. And what this song is really about is wanting to be the person they see, that they love and believe in. And also the reverse, which is how you see deep inside of them, and how all that is conveyed in just one look. You feel like you’ve truly known this person your entire life.” Continue reading “One Track Mind — Kelsey., “Our Eyes””→
The Detroit band ventures to Arctic locales and distant fantasy realms on its latest prog-rock album.
“That’s what I like to create with my art,” said Gregory Curvey, Custard Flux’s vocalist, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist. “I like everyone to look at it and see something different. I didn’t have anything in mind like that … but it all does flow that way artistically.”
Enter Xenonseamlessly flows through 10 tracks, which feature intriguing tales about aspiration, uncertainty, and loss alongside cinematic instrumentals.
“I’m not trying to guide anyone anywhere, but I’m working with themes,” Curvey said. “I’m putting together things that are cohesive. I’m not necessarily making a concept album with a thought-out story. I’ve always loved how Richard Butler and The Psychedelic Furs use the same lyrics in different songs, so I’m kinda doing that.”
For its sixth studio album, Custard Flux also seeks inspiration from the element xenon and the 1980 sci-fi pinball game Xenon.
“All of the albums, except for Echo, have been named after elements,” Curvey said. “I was gonna use xenon because I thought it was cool. In the pinball game, a female voice says, ‘Enter Xenon.’ Back then, my friends and I would go to the arcade and blow all of our money. I wanted to make it my own thing.”
To learn more, I spoke with Curvey about his background and the inspiration behind the album.
Bryan Frink, Steve Taylor, and Carey Weaver of The Steve Taylor Three. Photo courtesy of Steve Taylor
The passage of time weighs heavily on Steve Taylor’s mind.
The Metro Detroit singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist ponders new beginnings and closed chapters on The Steve Taylor Three’s new album, Temporary Heart.
“The songs were all written in the same period, so there were certain themes that were on my mind—certainly aging,” Taylor said. “I’m 51 now, so turning 50 was a big deal from an age standpoint.”
Alongside bandmates Bryan Frink (bass, guitars, keys, vocals) and Carey Weaver (drums, percussion, vocals), Taylor explores changing family dynamics, fluctuating relationships, and childhood memories on the trio’s fifth release.
“A good friend of mine that I grew up with got married very young and then got divorced,” Taylor said. “That’s what the song, ‘Anymore,’ is about and love comes with age. I keep saying that the topics that are most on my mind right now are aging and the weather.”
On Temporary Heart, The Steve Taylor Three features a dozen heartfelt tracks bursting with rich harmonies, ruminative lyrics, and vibrant Midwest Americana instrumentation.
While the songs reflect on the fleeting nature of change, the album’s universal themes and infectious soundscapes remain deeply embedded in our hearts and minds.
To learn more, I spoke with Taylor about Temporary Heartahead of the band’s November 29 album release show.
While the pop-rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist hails from New York City, she’s ecstatic about attending the University of Michigan this fall as a freshman to study music.
So much in fact that Orensteen has written a song called “Michigan,” which pays homage to the school and serves as the aspirational opener from her debut album, AmericanGirl.
“This song turned into a way that I could express my love for Michigan even though I had never been there [before] or had never seen it,” she said.
“I got in contact with the University of Michigan about using my song for their social media. I also sent in the song with my application, and I didn’t even tell my parents I was applying. And then I got in, and they said, ‘What?’”
Despite that surprise, Orensteen learned of her acceptance to U-M in February and has started planning for the fall.
She shares that sentiment in “Michigan” alongside hopeful acoustic guitar and electric guitar while singing: “I’ve never been to Michigan, but I’ve heard it’s nice / You’re going away, going to college, gonna start a new life / You’ll remember me / When you see my name in lights / And you’ll say, ‘Wow, she was right.’”
“I’ve always loved the University of Michigan, and I wrote this in one of my supplemental essays when I applied there,” said Orensteen, who will graduate from New York City’s Professional Children’s School in June.
“I never told my parents or anybody that I loved the University of Michigan, but I’ve always followed the school and their football team. I never thought I’d go there or get into the school.”
Orensteen’s “Michigan” is one of 13 coming-of-age tracks featured onAmericanGirl, which includes introspective lyrics about life and love and spirited pop-rock and pop-punk instrumentation.
I recently spoke with Orensteen about her background and influences, her latest album and songs, her creative process for the album, her producers and collaborators, and her plans for the summer.
Eric Ripper follows his instincts on “Look for a Sign.” Photo – Savannah Brown
Eric Ripper prefers to leave the past behind and embrace the road ahead.
The Nashville, Tennessee singer-songwriter explores changing life’s course on “Drive,” the steadfast opener from his latest album, Look for a Sign!
“I’ve just realized that a lot of my life has been from moving around, following a dream, and giving into that motivation,” said Ripper, who hails from Northville, Michigan.
“I was sick of sitting around claiming I was doing something and not following through. In this case, it was moving to Nashville.”
Backed by determined electric guitar, bass, and drums, he sings, “Well, I’m not here for a long time / And I ain’t standing still / Well, I’m just here for a good ride / And this is how I steer.”
“It just means I’m not on this earth for a while, and I need to move around and follow this direction,” he said. “I guess you could say it was the final motivation for my move to Nashville.”
Not only does “Drive” reflect Ripper’s recent motivation, but it also includes a lyric that inspired the album’s title: “It’s hard to choose the route for you / Look for a sign.”
“Drive” was the second-to-last song we worked on. After hearing it over and over, we decided that it had to be the opening track,” said Ripper, who relocated to Nashville in 2023.
“As a fast, upbeat song, it introduces the theme to everything [that’s on the album], and the repeated lyric only made sense as the [album’s] title.”
Brian Perrone shares a raw, vulnerable and wise perspective on “Alive.” Photo courtesy of Brian Perrone
When it comes to life and love, Brian Perrone prefers to focus on the long run.
The Livonia, Michigan singer-songwriter adopts that broader perspective on his latest pop-rock album, Alive.
“I try to remind myself to be present as much as possible, [but] admittedly I often forget. A lot of times it seems easy to get caught up in the daily hustle,” said Perrone, who also plays piano and drums on the album.
“Everyday rushing around can almost create white noise if you’re not careful. When writing this album, it really made me think about life and its experiences—all the ups and downs.”
As part of that mindset, Perrone searches for a balance between acceptance and gratitude, which flows throughout Alive’s eight reflective tracks.
“People are very similar in many ways. We encounter a lot of the same emotions, highs and lows, and of course, those insecurities that sometimes find a way to creep in,” he said. “Now is the time to recognize who and what is important in your life.”
On Alive, Perrone deeply conveys that sentiment through introspective lyrics, earnest vocals and spirited pop-rock and alt-rock instrumentation.
“This type of album was written from a more raw and vulnerable perspective,” he said. “I hope that these songs will resonate with the listener. Certain songs will probably hit harder than others depending on the circumstance.”
I recently spoke with Perrone about releasing two new albums this year, sharing select tracks from Alive, collaborating with Tony Hameraat the Rayburn Room and Tempermill Studioand preparing for 2024 as a solo artist and drummer for the Detroit hard-rock band Gangway.
Melanie Pierce takes a fearless approach on “Stir Crazy.” Photo – Hannah McWhorter
Melanie Pierce doesn’t hesitate to confront the dark feelings of the past.
The Detroit pop-rock singer-songwriter exposes deep frustration and disappointment from a former relationship on her confessional new single, “Stir Crazy.”
“This song was a huge release … it’s delicate, and one of those feelings was coercion,” Pierce said. “It brought closure by allowing me to get it all out as well as adding a little poetry to the mix.”
Alongside fearless electric guitar, bass and drums, she sings, “It hasn’t been seven years yet but who’s counting / It won’t be long until I’m a different person / And I’m comforted in brand new skin / A place I know your hands have never been.”
“I had been processing feelings from this song for a long time and being able to write about it a bit poetically was very cathartic,” Pierce said.
“John, Tom and Dalton took the song to the next level,” she said. “This one specifically felt very dialed in from the start, meaning that it truly was an amazing experience to have Dalton come in and immediately be on the same page about where the song was headed stylistically.”
For the September “Soundcheck,” I assembled a collage of new releases that represent a season of change. Whether it’s being resilient, overcoming heartbreak, reflecting on the past or entering a new dimension, each release introduces a different chapter and the possibilities that come with it. I invite you to explore these sonic offerings and see how they relate to your own experiences.
Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, “Bullet Proof”
Detroit’s Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils acknowledge the power of resiliency on their latest single, “Bullet Proof.” The soulful, bluesy ballad celebrates being yourself, standing your ground and moving forward despite receiving negative feedback from others.
Alongside bold electric guitar from Dylan Dunbar, Westwood sings, “I’ve heard it all before / I’ve given my best and more / Been locked out / But I just beat down the door / It’s not like me to fade away / Oh baby, I’m bullet proof.”
Those strong words inspire us all to regain our self-confidence and deflect criticism from our detractors. I can’t think of a better song to play when I need some extra encouragement after a tough day. (Plus, Westwood offers strong words of wisdom and support daily for Detroit musicians through the Playing in the Detroit Area Tonight – Music News Facebook group.)
Westwood and husband Dunbar truly shine with top-notch bandmates Chuck Bartels (bass), David Below (drums) and Evan Mercer (piano) on the first track from their forthcoming album. They’re working with Royal Oak producer Bunky Hunt of WhistlePig Music Group and recently completed some additional recording sessions at Memphis Magnetic Recording.
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.”
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.”
“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.”
Eric Ripper features exploratory lyrics, radiant acoustic guitars and ambient soundscapes on his new album. Artwork – Dean Ripper
Filled with emotion and adventure, Eric Ripper rides the wave of new possibilities.
The Ferndale, Michigan acoustic pop-rock singer-songwriter boldly journeys through the peaks and valleys of growth, love and aspiration on his latest revelatory album, Wavelength.
“I traveled out to Utah to start this project, worked on it while I was out there and continued it after coming back. I’ve seen many beautiful things and spent a lot of time alone with my thoughts,” Ripper said.
“Those thoughts come together when you finally sit down with a guitar in hand. I’ve learned that I need time to write and need to explore myself if I am to continue writing and producing music.”
With self-discovery top of mind, Ripper soars alongside Wavelength’s exploratory lyrics, radiant acoustic guitars and ambient soundscapes. The album’s nine contemplative tracks instantly invite listeners to accompany Ripper on his introspective, cathartic odyssey.
“Traveling is a big part of my inspiration as well as having good and bad life experiences. All elements toward this album have been therapeutic: writing, producing, recording and releasing – all of it,” he said.
“I feel as if I’m sharing a big side of me with others on this release, and I just hope people can hear the work and dedication put into it. Everyone is growing as a person … they all have their own direction. I’m riding this wavelength, and I hope others can hear their purpose and find themselves.”
The Stratton Setlist 