That turn starts a new chapter for the Royal Oak, Michigan singer-songwriter and guitarist, who’s embracing a different sound and releasing her debut EP, Full Circle.
“I’ve taken the approach these days that if I’m not making music that I love and it isn’t just 100 percent me, then I don’t want to bother,” Burns said.
“I don’t want to make music that sounds like somebody else, and I don’t want to make music that’s trying to sound like somebody else. I feel like this is the first time I’ve made something of that nature where it says, ‘This is me.’”
Burns’ authenticity permeates all four tracks on Full Circle, which features a turbocharged indie-pop-rock sound in place of the previous folk, bluegrass, and Americana territory she explored as half of the former duo Escaping Pavement.
“This time, it’s all about finding the sound, making the introduction, and putting it out there in the world as a starting point,” she said. “It’s the start of something new.”
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.
Nick Behnan reconciles his expectations of fantasy with reality on “What You Got.”
As a longtime musician, Nick Behnan searches for the right balance between fantasy and reality.
The Detroit singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer straddles those two worlds on his latest pop-soul single, “What You Got.”
“I think the nature of what I do for a living creates pretty drastic swings of highs and lows,” Behnan said. “I feel fortunate to not have to have a 9-5, but the ups and downs and expectations can sometimes be difficult to navigate. It’s the nature of the beast though.”
Surrounded by hypnotic electric guitar, bass, electric piano, and drums, he sings, “It’s a whole new paradigm / Livin’ what I had in mind / So I keep it movin’ all the time / Until I find / Just what I’m tryin’ to do.”
“The new thing everyone in my business is freaking out about is AI, which could threaten the music business as a whole and especially sync licensing for TV, film, and commercials,” Behnan said.
“Hopefully, the right regulations get put in place before it goes bonkers, but it’s like the Wild West right now. I find it’s the most important to stay creative and productive—it’s also a mindset thing.”
To learn more, I spoke to Behnan about his past releases, latest singles, creative process, summer plans, and sync licensing opportunities.
In those fleeting moments, the Detroit singer-songwriter feels grateful and inspired while spending time with others.
However, that magic often dissipates as people move on or pass away, but the love and appreciation from those interactions remain with Striho.
She beautifully shares that sentiment and a longing to recapture it in her new single, “Blue Ridiculous Love,” which features poetic lyrics and heartfelt rock instrumentation.
“I saw this song more as a painting, and with a painting, you’re interpreting it your way,” said Striho, who co-wrote the track with husband-guitarist Scott Dailey. “I’m talking about the ‘green grass of gold dirt,’ and it reminds me of one of the Beatnik poets, and you get these images.”
Surrounded by eager acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and drums, Striho sings, “I had this magic / It’s right on my side / Then everybody took a ride / The evening shadows / The tiny voice in my head / Starts talking louder / It’s an evil eye.”
“It’s a romantic song with an angst about the future and missing people, but it’s also about how falling in love can feel ridiculous,” she said.
”The lyric, ‘Everybody took a ride,’ could mean different things: They just left your life or they could have died. I had this magic, and I thought, ‘Wait, where did everybody go?’ It prompts you to look back and say, ‘Wait a minute, those people are gone.’”
Detroit folk singer-songwriter Mike Ward. Photo by Danny Ward.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.
The state of the world weighs heavily on Mike Ward’s mind.
That concern prompted the Detroit singer-songwriter to pen a new folk song called “Why Not,” which sends an encouraging message to help others.
“When I have played it, people get how the song starts out small, gets broader as it goes on, and ends at a point where it’s up to us on a personal level,” said Ward, who’s also a University of Michigan alumnus.
“One of the things I have to work hard at is trying not to be too preachy, especially when I’m writing about things on a political level. It’s one of the areas where I try to find a balance.”
Backed by hopeful acoustic guitar and cello, he sings, “Why not do some good today with the time that we’ve got / Start with something simple / A lesson learned or to be taught / Plant a seed or lend a hand / A little helps a lot.”
“I’ve also been looking at not only how that affects the world in general, but also how it’s affecting people’s relationships,” Ward said. “It goes as broad as the country, but as narrow as some relationships and the struggles that people are having.”
“Why Not” is one of several songs Ward will be performing with Sara Gibson (cello) and Annie Bacon (vocals) at an April 28 show at the Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library.
Ahead of the show, I spoke with Ward about his current state, his career transition from advertising to music, past albums, his latest songwriting efforts, his setlist for the AADL show, and plans for new material.
Michael Skib features the hypnotic sounds of progressive rock, heavy metal, and shoegaze on “This Bewitching Season.” Photo – Alex Hancock
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.
For Michael Skib, winter brings a sense of enchantment.
The Ann Arbor singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer feels most creative during the darkest and quietest time of the year.
“It’s the best time for reflection, introspection, and creation because I’m not going to be out and about,” said Skib, who’s also half of the electronic-experimental duo Mirror Monster.
“I do find myself wanting to try and capture the melancholy that I feel because snow and darkness are beautiful. Those are the reasons why I’m drawn toward this type of music.”
That beautiful melancholy is woven throughout Skib’s latest album, This Bewitching Season, which features the hypnotic sounds of progressive rock, heavy metal, and shoegaze.
“I’m a seasonal person in the sense that there are different types of music that I listen to in different types of seasons,” he said. “I’m very sensitive to the way my environment impacts [my writing].”
Alongside those seasonal influences, Skib chronicles a spiritual quest for truth, peace, redemption, and salvation across the album’s nine tracks. His candid lyrics, ethereal vocals, and fearless instrumentation entice listeners to vicariously accompany him on his journey.
“One of my goals with this album was to reconnect with myself … and honor the experiences and where I came from and how I became the person that I am today,” said Skib, who’s inspired by Opeth and Devin Townsend.
“I’ve done a lot of therapy, and one of the therapeutic practices that I found to be very helpful is to go back to your younger years and see situations you were put in.”
I recently spoke to Skib about his background, previous projects, the album’s religious themes, select tracks, his creative process for the album, and upcoming plans for new material.
Tom Alter tackles a variety struggles on “Dispatch From the Lesser Middle.” Photo – Jay Jylkka
For Tom Alter, life has become quite the head-scratcher.
The current social and political state of the nation and the world leaves him questioning the present, yet remaining hopeful for the future.
“I turned 65 this year, and there’s so much in this world that leaves me shaking my head,” said Alter, a Fraser, Michigan singer-songwriter and guitarist. “I really never thought things would be like this … and as I was writing, somewhere in the middle of the process, I wrote the song, ‘A Wilderness.’”
The insightful opener from Alter’s latest indie-folk album, Dispatch From the Lesser Middle, features a dream in which he speaks to his younger self about being resilient in life.
Backed by wise acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and bass, he sings, “Young man buckle up / Living takes a lot of trust / If this sounds cliché / Don’t know another way I can instruct you / If I only had / A wise old man / Tell me what he’d come to know when I was young.”
“It’s saying, ‘Well, what did you expect?’ It’s kind of always been like this.’ Some of it is just trying to understand some of these changes that are going on in the world, but also realizing that they may not be permanent,” Alter said.
“When we’re young, we think everything’s gonna go along swimmingly, and we can set goals, and they’ll be achieved. The line I like in this song is, ‘You better buckle up,’ and I was setting myself straight.”
Mike Green sings about life choices and lessons on Listening for the Bell. Photo courtesy of Mike Green
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.
Mike Green listened to his inner voice but wasn’t sure where it would take him.
The folk singer-songwriter, guitarist, and booking agent ruminated for years about how to share his life experiences.
“I always thought as a younger adult that I wanted to write a book of my personal philosophy, but I never had anything to say,” said Green, who resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Then when I started writing these songs [during the pandemic] … and all these things I’ve always thought about, they just sort of came out in poetic ways.”
What resulted were 12 insightful tales for his debut album, Listening for the Bell, which explores the ups and downs of following your instincts.
“There’s a bunch of those songs that were written that way, and I just trusted it,” said Green, who started as a touring musician in 1978. “And then what I realized early on—after studying all of this—is that I had been in songwriting school for nearly 40 years.”
“Chris Smither, probably more than anybody, is the gold standard to me on how you marry lyrics and words and have them come out … to be that way,” said Green, who started as a booking agent in 1986 and opened his own agency in 2004. “There’s no other way you can say it, and if you don’t say it just the right way, it doesn’t fit.”
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.
Jeff Scott addresses being present and grateful on “I’m Alright With This World.” Photo courtesy of Jeff Scott
For Jeff Scott, the passage of time brings much reflection and acknowledgment.
It’s a matter of finding comfort in the present moment, making peace with the past and focusing on the future.
“Like many have felt the past few years, I finally became very conscious of the fact that I had been living with a constant sense of unease. It’s been caused by a few things: the hangover from the pandemic, clearly growing older, losing many people and [witnessing] world events,” said Scott, a Troy, Michigan singer-songwriter, about his new single, “I’m Alright With This World.”
“I wanted and needed to let it all go and to return to the living. It’s not meant to be Pollyannaish; the lyrics are very direct and honest, I believe. It’s meant to be a mantra for myself to stop the noise, acknowledge the present and take stock of all I have to be grateful for. And I’m hoping it provides that to others as well.”
On “I’m Alright With This World,” Scott beautifully expresses those notions through perceptive lyrics and serene, jazzy soft-rock instrumentation.
He sings, “So I made my peace, and I made amends / Made my mistakes and I’m bound to again / But I surely will not worry about that ‘til then / Cause right now, I’m alright with this world.”
“I fully acknowledge the world isn’t that great of a place right now for many reasons, but I believe it’s really important to ground ourselves in what we may be lucky enough to personally experience and accept the grace of that,” Scott said.
I recently spoke with Scott about wrapping up 2023, finding inspiration in life, looking back at other releases, writing and recording “I’m Alright With This World” and making plans for the new year.
The Stratton Setlist 