Tag: San Francisco

Speaking Up — Amrit Kohli Advocates for Resistance and Survival on “Mama! I Can’t Breathe” Album

Amrit Kohli confronts sociopolitical issues on “Mama! I Can’t Breathe.” Courtesy photo

One year ago, Amrit Kohli released a sociopolitical album reflecting on resistance and survival.

Known as Mama! I Can’t Breathe, the album’s dozen tracks span almost three decades of songwriting and explore oppression, resilience, Black liberation, and queer identity.

“It’s more than just an album,” said Kohli, a queer folk singer-songwriter and activist from Ferndale, Michigan. “At a time when the world still grapples with the repercussions of George Floyd’s tragic death, I transform pain into art, using music as both a tribute and call-to-action.”

Kohli examines those themes through improvisational lyrics, emotive vocals, and atmospheric instrumentation. On a deeper level, the album helps Kohli confront identity politics and find refuge in authenticity.

“I feel like an imposter in almost every community that I’m in because I’m outside [almost] all of them,” said Kohli, who has Kenyan and Indian heritage.

“I’m either an immigrant or I’m this or that. The queer community is pretty diverse and different, and the queer community I feel like I belong to. I think culturally, ethnically, and all of those things, there’s a lot of fragmentation in my identity that way.”

I recently spoke with Kohli about their latest album ahead of a Stop Starving Gaza benefit show on June 20 at the Ghost Light in Hamtramck, Michigan.

Continue reading “Speaking Up — Amrit Kohli Advocates for Resistance and Survival on “Mama! I Can’t Breathe” Album” →

Mission Possible — Amanda Chaudhary Explores Experimental Sounds and Styles on Meow Meow Band’s “January Suborbital Denomination” Album

amanda-chaudhary-album-art
Amanda Chaudhary explores a diversity of sounds and styles on her latest Meow Meow Band album.

As a sonic explorer, Amanda Chaudhary ventures into uncharted musical territory.

The San Francisco keyboardist-composer embarks on a genre-bending adventure through experimental sounds and styles on January Suborbital Denomination.

“There are a lot of different styles on this album, and I always want to try new things,” said Chaudhary about her latest Meow Meow Band album.

“I wanted to try the psychedelic ones and the older jazz forms in addition to the funk and experimental electronics that I traditionally do.”

Filled with avant-garde instrumentation and snappy, curious, and playful lyrics, January Suborbital Denomination encompasses big band, jingle, soul, jazz, funk, electronic, experimental, and psychedelic music across nine imaginative tracks.

The album also invites listeners to experience the album’s subject matter—ranging from radio broadcasts to chocolate oak milk to bridges to cats.

“There is a symmetry in the way they are arranged on there. The bygone era ones are at the two ends of [the album] and then it’s big, small, big, small in between there,” said Chaudhary, who also runs CatSynth TV, a YouTube channel that focuses on electronic instruments.

“It became clear once I knew what was going to be on the album and what wasn’t. A sonic adventure is a good way of putting it, and it’s a sonic adventure for me making these songs. I like the fact that it is that way for other people who are listening to it. It’s filled with puzzles.”

I recently spoke with Chaudhary to decode and digest her second Meow Meow Band album.

Continue reading “Mission Possible — Amanda Chaudhary Explores Experimental Sounds and Styles on Meow Meow Band’s “January Suborbital Denomination” Album” →

After the ‘Storm’ — Ann Arbor Singer-Songwriter Annie Bacon Explores Grief on Her New Folk-Rock Album

annie-bacon
Annie Bacon explores grief in all its forms on Storm. Photo – Cybelle Codish

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

When it comes to grief, Annie Bacon doesn’t want people to feel alone.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan singer-songwriter and guitarist views it as a shared emotion that fosters connection and growth with others.

“Something that I’ve done with my art and that I feel like is important is to take on this role and say, ‘I don’t know if anybody understands me, but I’m going to explain what I’m going through in a way that hopefully other people can feel seen and understood,’” said Bacon, who performs under the moniker Annie Bacon & Her Oshen.

“I try to find the places where my experience might be universal and create these little bridges into my experience. That’s one of my philosophical approaches to songwriting: I want to as accurately as possible describe the experience I’m going through in the hopes that it creates a witness for somebody else.”

Bacon masters that honest songwriting approach and explores grief in all its forms on her new folk-rock album, Storm. The record’s 14 poignant tracks take listeners on an emotional odyssey through death, divorce, job changes, the pandemic, and a loss of identity.

Continue reading “After the ‘Storm’ — Ann Arbor Singer-Songwriter Annie Bacon Explores Grief on Her New Folk-Rock Album” →

Going Stateside – New Zealand’s Maggie Cocco Returns to Michigan for Science for Sociopaths Show and Girls Rock Detroit Benefit Concert

maggie-cocco-2a
Maggie Cocco performs at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe in Detroit on Dec. 12. Photo – Micky Nogher Photography

After four years of living out of state and abroad, Maggie Cocco is back in Metro Detroit making some new musical memories.

The pop singer-songwriter is visiting her home state during the holidays and playing two live shows: Dec. 18 at The Ark in Ann Arbor with Joanna Sterling and Dec. 22 at Tin Roof Detroit for the Music Mavens of Michigan, a fundraising concert to benefit Girls Rock Detroit featuring a lineup of local femme artists.

“The Ark will be a very special show for me. It’s my only show on the Michigan leg of the Analog tour where I’ll play through the entire song cycle as it is on [my new] album, [Like a Moth],” said Cocco, who now resides in Whangārei, New Zealand and performs under the moniker Science for Sociopaths.

“I’m [also] ridiculously stoked about this [Music Mavens of Michigan] lineup. Tin Roof Detroit has a capacity of 400 people, and we’re hoping to reach it! With a lineup like this, I think we can. We’ll be holding what’s called round robins with each artist offering two self-accompanied songs and sharing the stage with three to four artists at a time.”

For the Music Mavens of Michigan show, Cocco will be performing alongside Audra Kubat, Carolyn Striho, Julianne Ankley, Coko Buttafli, Fay Burns, Gwenyth Hayes, Julia Rose Pagac, Jacki Daniels and others.

“Even if you’ve seen any or all of these artists live, this will be a truly unique and collaborative experience,” said Cocco, who grew up in Sterling Heights. “We’ll also have a couple of youth performers to open the show and a finale featuring all participating artists, plus an open jam to end.”

I recently spoke to Cocco about living in New Zealand, visiting the U.S., working with Girls Rock Detroit, preparing for The Ark and Music Mavens of Michigan shows, writing and recording her Like a Moth album and looking ahead to 2024.

Continue reading “Going Stateside – New Zealand’s Maggie Cocco Returns to Michigan for Science for Sociopaths Show and Girls Rock Detroit Benefit Concert” →

The Soundcheck – Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, Brian Perrone, Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets, Marty Kohn, Grooblen and Johanna Beekman & Ben Leinbach

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”

Jennifer Westwood Bullet Proof-750

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.

Continue reading “The Soundcheck – Jennifer Westwood and The Handsome Devils, Brian Perrone, Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets, Marty Kohn, Grooblen and Johanna Beekman & Ben Leinbach” →

My Brave Face – Ken Newman Uncovers Societal Fears on ‘What Am I Afraid Of?’ Album

Photo credit Jayms Ramirez 2
Ken Newman’s “What Am I Afraid Of?” album features purposeful lyrics, vigorous instrumentation and massive rock soundscapes. Photo – Jayms Ramirez

Ken Newman boldly tackles society’s deepest and darkest fears on What Am I Afraid Of?

The San Francisco indie-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist deftly uncovers and deciphers a multitude of emotional traumas, violent conflicts, racial injustices and political tensions on his insightful debut album.

“It was gonna be called ‘Dreaming of Guns’ based on that one song. At some point, somebody else recommended another title, and I tried that for a little while, but that didn’t quite resonate,” Newman said.

“And then Scott (Mickelson) and I were talking about it, and I said, ‘What if I just called it What Am I Afraid Of? ’ Then, the two of us went, ‘Oh my God, of course, that’s what everything’s about.’”

For Newman, “everything” serves as an umbrella of personal and societal challenges ranging from everyday anxieties to teen suicide to homelessness to gun violence. The album’s 11 gripping tracks provide a poignant wake-up call for the nation to strongly unite, take action and instill change.

“The thing about this album is essentially the same paradigm that’s kind of dictated my entire life,” he said. “I don’t exactly know what’s happening until I look in the rear-view mirror and go, ‘That happened.’”

Continue reading “My Brave Face – Ken Newman Uncovers Societal Fears on ‘What Am I Afraid Of?’ Album“ →

The New Avant-Garde – Nubdug Ensemble and Amanda Chaudhary Share Cerebral Prog-Jazz-Funk Fusion

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Two avant-garde San Francisco musicians boldly push the sonic boundaries of prog, jazz and funk.

Nubdug Ensemble’s Jason Berry and Amanda Chaudhary seamlessly fuse esoteric lyrics with experimental synths and cerebral instrumentation on their latest ingenious albums, Volume 2: Blame and Meow Meow Band, respectively.

“These albums have both really been connecting with a lot of people. They really inspire both of us to keep going … and things have been improving the past couple of months. Hopefully, we’ll be moving in a more positive place,” Berry said.

“With my music, I’m not looking for acclaim or huge financial sales. These things would be wonderful, but I just want to connect with people. If it makes somebody happy … then it’s like, ‘Mission accomplished.’”

Both Nubdug Ensemble and Chaudhary whisk listeners along genre-bending adventures filled with precious metals, mechanical wonders, white wine and public transportation. Each Volume 2: Blame and Meow Meow Band track instantly brings a welcome element of surprise and enthrallment and repeatedly plays inside appreciative minds.

“I wanted to try these individual sounds, and if you listen back to something like The Residents, I thought, ‘How did they make those sounds and what could I do with that?’ It’s very late ‘70s things with different kinds of technology to get that sort of raw thing, and they use different instruments here … or use this process or that process,” said Chaudhary, who also collaborates with Berry in Nubdug Ensemble.

“I thought, ‘What if I work with this drummer and this synthesizer player and see what happens?’ It turned out to be great, and that’s the genesis of some of the things like ‘North Berkeley BART’ and ‘White Wine.’ Once I started working with Calvin Weston in 2020, it was like this perfect vehicle for recording some of this music.”

Continue reading “The New Avant-Garde – Nubdug Ensemble and Amanda Chaudhary Share Cerebral Prog-Jazz-Funk Fusion” →

Supper’s Ready – Grooblen Hosts Creepy Dinner Party in New ‘Neuroplasticity’ Video

Grooblen eerily throws impromptu, nightmarish dinner parties.

The San Francisco cabaret psych-punk trio of Ellie Stokes (vocals, guitar, piano, synth), Jack Stancik (bass) and William Stokes (drums) celebrates creepy plastic cuisine, nervous guests and ghoulish mannequin hosts in their new immersive 360 video for “Neuroplasticity.”

“It’s all kind of weird CGI people, and you turn around and someone has a plate of eyeballs,” said Ellie Stokes about the interactive video. “The detail in it is amazing, and one guy sitting down has motor legs, and he keeps moving. You’re forced to look at people and figure out what’s going on in their heads.”

One step inside the “Neuroplasticity” characters’ collective headspace reveals the innovative mindset of Honeymoon Supply Co. Grooblen collaborated with the Los Angeles-based visual artist to direct and create the stunning video.

“I told her to include some stuff, but for the most part, it was just her and how she perceived the song,” said Ellie Stokes. “She was like, ‘Well, what about a dinner party?’ and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that would be so cool, and what if you included some creepy dish that could be misinterpreted?’”

Throughout the David Lynch-esque video, a pair of guests anxiously determines whether to sample eyeball appetizers, bloody cocktails and emerald gelatin molds. Their spooky hosts quietly observe as floors move below and flames erupt overhead.

“She was looking for creative projects, and it took her about a week to put it together,” said Ellie Stokes. “I love that kind of stuff, and I’m excited to put it out there.”

The video also perfectly reflects the spooky, haunting imagery depicted in Grooblen’s “Neuroplasticity” single, which spotlights the human brain and body’s resilience to heal and adapt from past traumas.

“‘Neuroplasticity’ is about how everything can change in a second and how our brains and bodies are so interlinked,” said Ellie Stokes, who was diagnosed with a rare optic nerve condition in 2020, but has since recovered.

“I wrote it from the perspective of the nerve in my brain telling me what was going on. It’s digging deep into this new part of myself that I hadn’t really thought about before.”

Continue reading “Supper’s Ready – Grooblen Hosts Creepy Dinner Party in New ‘Neuroplasticity’ Video” →

Mood Music – Bart Moore Creates Folky, Dystopian World on ‘Graveyards Wind & War’ Album

DSC-8611 V2
Bart Moore embarks on a storied folk journey through history and beyond on “Graveyards Wind & War.” Photo – Jen Hovey

In early 2020, Bart Moore tried to see the bright side of the pandemic.

The Grand Ledge, Michigan alt-folk singer-songwriter and guitarist noticed a burning desire to write new material and responded with a creative zeal. Instead, an unexpected feeling emerged.

“It’s interesting to me how everything is kind of shaped by the mood of the pandemic. When I would write a song, I would think, ‘This is pretty dystopian. I’d better write something that’s a little bit brighter,’” Moore said.

“Then, I would write another song, and it would turn out to be also kind of dystopian. I was like, ‘Wow, this is kind of a recurring theme here.’ It was hard to get out of that kind of dark tone to the songs.”

That dark tone produced Moore’s new otherworldly album, Graveyards Wind & War, which embarks on a storied folk journey through history and beyond.

Throughout his latest release via Nature Boy Records, Moore seamlessly transports listeners to Gettysburg, Dublin and San Francisco while encountering the spirits of Winfield Scott Hancock, Chris Cornell and “Marcelena.”

Immersed in acoustic introspection, Graveyards Wind & War’s memorable tales also land at the intersection of fantasy and reality and explore the possibilities of the future.

“That definitely influenced the content … the whole pandemic thing and going into the 2020 election thinking, ‘Good God, what fate is in store for us, depending on how this all goes?’ That fear and that tension were there,” said Moore, who expressed concern about the likelihood of another Trump-era administration.

“If I’m going to suffer through this, then I’m going to at least get some good music out of it. This is gonna inspire some good writing and push me to be as eloquent as I can be to write about this stuff or just get my thoughts out there.”

Continue reading “Mood Music – Bart Moore Creates Folky, Dystopian World on ‘Graveyards Wind & War’ Album” →

Made to Heal – The Stratton Playlist December 2020 Edition Provides Soothing Escape

As the year (thankfully) comes to a close, we reflect on the strength, grit and willpower that slowly got us through. Together, we relied on new soothing, hopeful tracks that provided a welcome escape from the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation, political rifts, grief and loss.

Uplifting, rewarding bits of indie folk, country-pop, folk rock, psych rock, shiny lo-fi soul, reggae, dreamy pop, chill hip-hop and experimental art rock demonstrate the courageous creative and emotional spirit we all share heading into 2021.

The latest edition of The Stratton Playlist provides an introspective sonic path for healing, reflection and growth. Featured musical healers and friends include Lily Milo, Meredith Shock, Mark Jewett, The Soods, Dani Darling, Joss Jaffe, Ava Panza, Blaksmith, Dirt Room and more.

Thank you for everyone who supported The Stratton Setlist in 2020. It’s an honor to feature you and the share wonderful music you create today and tomorrow. Interested in becoming part of The Stratton Playlist on Spotify? Send your submissions to strattonsetlist@yahoo.com. All artists and genres welcome.