Release Me — Medicine the Man Provides Outpouring of Emotion and Support on “The Dam” Single

Nate Jones wants to open the floodgates.

The Nashville, Tennessee singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performs as Medicine the Man provides an outpouring of emotion and support on his latest single, “The Dam.”

“It was written remembering the moment of wanting to be done, wanting to give up, and being tired of doing everything on my own. There was so much pressure on my life; I was trying to be what everyone else needed from me and rarely asking for help from others,” said Jones about Medicine the Man’s millennium-rock song.

“I was sitting in my selfishness and misery not realizing how much focus had been on me and still never doing anything to change my position. I was finding ways to avoid the problem instead of facing it.”

Surrounded by weary electric guitar, synth, bass, and drums, he sings, “The waters are rising, a surge is coming / Storms on horizon, to purge the violence / Oh, maybe I just let it break / Let this river sweep me away.”

“Writing ‘The Dam’ was a release itself. I was finally admitting what I’d always known—that I couldn’t do this by myself. I need community, and I need a stronger reliance on my Creator and less of a reliance on me,” Jones said.

“I hope that when others hear this song it brings to the surface some of the same feelings we bury. I hope this helps people to be honest with themselves and starts the conversation that says, ‘I need help; I could use support.’”

Continue reading “Release Me — Medicine the Man Provides Outpouring of Emotion and Support on “The Dam” Single” →

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

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” →

Give It a Whirl – Julianne Ankley Celebrates Following Your Dreams on ‘What Makes You Dance’ Single

For Julianne Ankley, a new song puts an extra spring in her step.

That spring represents the Port Huron, Michigan singer-songwriter and visual artist’s strong zest for life and her drive to inspire others on her new Americana single, “What Makes You Dance.”

“I didn’t even start music until later in life … and I just had to keep going. Other than raising three wonderful children, music and art are what make me the happiest … and you can’t ignore it when something makes you feel so good,” said Ankley, who’s also thankful for her boyfriend.

“Plus, it’s something that you give to the rest of the world. It’s not only making me happy, but it’s also making other people happy.”

Backed by grateful pedal steel and acoustic guitar, Ankley beautifully captures that sentiment while singing, “Just close your eyes / Grab a glass of wine / Turn the music up / It’ll all be fine / If you find what makes you dance.”

“We recorded it in the studio about a year ago right now, and we pitched it around just a little bit. Everybody loved it, but nobody put it on hold,” she said. “And I said, ‘It’s too good because I will be walking around my house singing it … and everybody needs to hear this one.’”

Continue reading “Give It a Whirl – Julianne Ankley Celebrates Following Your Dreams on ‘What Makes You Dance’ Single” →

Shifting Gears – Nashville’s Eric Ripper Charts a New Course on ‘Look for a Sign!’ Album

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.”

Continue reading “Shifting Gears – Nashville’s Eric Ripper Charts a New Course on ‘Look for a Sign!’ Album” →

Breakneck Speed – Mark Jewett Follows Life’s Hectic Pace on New ‘Too Fast’ Single Featuring The Accidentals

Mark Jewett brings caffeinated instrumentation, pithy lyrics and a frenzied mindset to "Too Fast," which features Sav Madigan and Katie Larson of The Accidentals. Photo - David Donher — Mark Jewett brings caffeinated instrumentation, concise lyrics and a frenzied mindset to “Too Fast,” which features Sav Madigan and Katie Larson of The Accidentals. Photo – David Donher

These days, Mark Jewett moves at warp speed.

The Plymouth, Michigan singer-songwriter maintains a frantic daily pace on his turbocharged new single, “Too Fast.”

“It was more of a general feeling of being closed in and trapped and things just coming at me faster than I could deal with them,” said Jewett about folk-pop track, which features a collaboration with Sav Madigan and Katie Larson of The Accidentals.

“One day I just took a break at my desk and I picked up my guitar and I started doing this chunking rhythm like you hear at the beginning of the song. I was drinking coffee and I thought, ‘I need some energy,’ and the line just popped into my head.”

That initial opening lyric was “I’ve got a thousand watts of black coffee / Pumpin’ through my veins,” but Jewett upped the ante to “Two thousand watts of black coffee” instead.

“Kyle Rasche caught me between shows up at Nor-East’r last year when I was in the merch barn. He said, ‘Man, that’s a great line,’ and he thought I had said something about ‘8,000 watts,’ but it was originally, ‘I’ve got a thousand watts,’” said Jewett, who started writing the track last spring. “I thought maybe there was too much there, so starting it with 2,000 [watts] just punctuates it right at the beginning.”

Continue reading “Breakneck Speed – Mark Jewett Follows Life’s Hectic Pace on New ‘Too Fast’ Single Featuring The Accidentals” →

OK for Now – Jeff Scott Reconciles the Passage of Time on ‘I’m Alright With This World’ Single

jeff-scott-2 — 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.

Continue reading “OK for Now – Jeff Scott Reconciles the Passage of Time on ‘I’m Alright With This World’ Single” →

Feeling Stranded – Linen Ray Reclaim Their Sense of Hope on ‘By a Thread’ Single

linen-ray-1 — Linen Ray find catharsis and renewal on “By a Thread.” Photo – Mike Frieseman

Despite feeling overwhelmed and heartbroken, Linen Ray refused to give up hope.

The married folk-rock duo of Rebekah Craft (vocals) and Gabriel Craft (drums, backing vocals) tried to stay positive and calm while helping a loved one navigate a mental health crisis.

But over time, it felt like they were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. There were moments when caring for another became too much to handle alone.

“Trauma will sometimes cause a person to bury their pain and live in denial. For us, it felt so completely overwhelming,” said Rebekah Craft, who hails from Ypsilanti, Michigan, but is based in Nashville, Tennessee with Gabriel Craft and their family.

“We weren’t exactly living in denial, but when life comes down on you so hard and you feel helpless, you sometimes lose the ability and energy to express your thoughts and feelings. We were grieving and in a dark place.”

In that dark place, Linen Ray reclaimed their sense of hope and channeled their emotions into songwriting. What resulted is “By a Thread,” a vulnerable new ballad that serves as a plea for help and understanding.

Continue reading “Feeling Stranded – Linen Ray Reclaim Their Sense of Hope on ‘By a Thread’ Single” →

Against All Odds – Knoxville’s Jake Gray Grabs Life by the Horns on ‘Rode Hard’ Album

Jake Gray knows how to defy the odds.

The Knoxville, Tennessee singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist witnessed that feat firsthand from his brother and penned a song about it.

“When I wrote ‘Rode Hard,’ it comes from a saying, ‘Rode and put away wet.’ It was a saying back on the farm, and I wrote that song about my brother. And when I wrote it, I thought, ‘This is gonna be the title track,’” said Gray about the song from his latest Americana album of the same name.

“Some of those lines are right out of his life, so when I go, ‘Let me tell you about a tale / Of a man whose life didn’t go so well.’ That’s how that track opens up.”

Throughout “Rode Hard,” Gray highlights how his brother overcame divorce, past mistakes and health challenges to emerge as a stronger and wiser person on the other side.

Alongside determined acoustic guitar, violin and drums, Gray sings, “He finally thinks he’s made enough mistakes / But he’s come a long, long, long way / So I ask him what’s he gonna do / He says take some time, forget my pride and switch out my point of view.”

“I did try to leave [the song] on a positive note on the bridge and the outro, ‘It doesn’t matter what’s gone before / Just pick yourself right off that floor’ and then off you go. You don’t have to be married to what happened to you before,” he said.

“He does like [the song], and he recognized himself straightaway. Last year, he had open heart surgery, which is a culmination of a lifetime of bad choices of how [he was] treating [his] body. He survived that, and then a few months later, he had acute pancreatitis. He quit drinking, and he works out like an animal; he’s still working to get his head right.”

Continue reading “Against All Odds – Knoxville’s Jake Gray Grabs Life by the Horns on ‘Rode Hard’ Album” →

Midwest Americana – Blockhouse Valley Combines Regional Folk and Bluegrass with Rust Belt Grit on Self-Titled Debut EP

Blockhouse Valley 1 — Blockhouse Valley’s Ashleigh Glass, Jon Howard, Cody Cooper and Danny Steinkopf feature wistful stories about heartbreak, home and hope on their self-titled debut EP. Photo courtesy of Blockhouse Valley

With musical roots throughout the Midwest, Blockhouse Valley deeply cultivates a flourishing Americana landscape in southeast Michigan.

The metro Detroit quartet of Ashleigh Glass (vocals), Cody Cooper (mandolin, guitar), Jon Howard (guitar) and Danny Steinkopf (upright bass) combines robust elements of Appalachian folk and Tennessee bluegrass with gritty Rust Belt sentiments on their self-titled debut EP.

“Growing up, my prolific and prodigious grandparents helped shape my vision for my musical endeavors. I was exposed to artists like Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart and Chet Atkins, but my personal preferences skewed more toward rock, blues and indie music,” said Cooper, who hails from Sunbury, Ohio, and whose grandparents reside in northeast Tennessee’s Blockhouse Valley.

“When Ashleigh, a West Virginia native, and I started writing music together, we found a lot of shared experiences tied to the trials of living in the Rust Belt. We both lamented witnessing the impact of lost industry and economy on our parents’ and grandparents’ generations and were concerned about how it was shaping our peers and our perspectives in the Midwest.”

In response, Cooper and Glass penned six thoughtful tracks for the EP that reconcile past struggles and beckon future growth. Wistful stories about heartbreak, home and hope soar alongside rich harmonies and fervent acoustic instrumentation.

“The tie to Blockhouse Valley harkens to the short-lived promise of prosperity, the long-term costs lurking beneath the surface, and the ever-enduring splinter of hope that we might learn to do better as we learn from all we’ve seen,” Glass said.

“From this viewpoint, our music has been influenced by a wide range of artists, most notably Chris Thile and his bands Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek. They encapsulate so many elements that we relish, including bluegrass instrumentation that blends nods to their predecessors with truly virtuosic musicianship.”

Continue reading “Midwest Americana – Blockhouse Valley Combines Regional Folk and Bluegrass with Rust Belt Grit on Self-Titled Debut EP” →

Anesthetized – A Good Sign Welcomes Romantic Indifference on New ‘Numb’ Single

A Good Sign quickly anesthetizes strong emotions from a past relationship.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan electro-pop singer-songwriter welcomes instant romantic indifference on her latest atmospheric single, “Numb.”

“‘Numb’ is that feeling of when you’re in a relationship with someone who has manipulated your feelings a lot,” said Kierstin Jackson, aka A Good Sign.

“You have these heart-wrenching feelings over and over, and then you’re just at a point where you’re numb to it. You no longer have control over your emotions.”

Throughout “Numb,” A Good Sign regains that self-control as exuberant synth, wistful bass and intrepid electronic percussion provide a jolt of confidence.

She sings, “High off of your touch / Or shattered by your silence / I used to stay fucked up / On your spiritual violence / But now I’m breaking up with / The ropes that I got tied with.”

“It’s a freeing feeling in a way because that person doesn’t have control over you anymore,” Jackson said. “That was a relationship recently I experienced where there a lot of ups and downs. My heart was fully in it, and then it ate away at things until there was nothing there.”

To bring “Numb” to life, A Good Sign collaborated with engineer-producer Jezreel Santos at Ypsilanti’s Traxside Recording Studio.

“It’s EDM-y, but lighthearted … I love sad lyrics and a happy beat,” Jackson said. “[Jezreel] is so talented; I can make a sound at him, and he can do that on any instrument.”

Continue reading “Anesthetized – A Good Sign Welcomes Romantic Indifference on New ‘Numb’ Single“ →

The Stratton Setlist

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Tag: Tennessee