Tag: The Blueflowers

Mood Music — Brian Perrone Unearths Dark Emotions on “Bend Until It Breaks” EP

Brian Perrone tackles change and closure on “Bend Until It Breaks.” Courtesy photo.

Brian Perrone isn’t afraid to get dark and moody on Bend Until It Breaks.

The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist delves into complex emotions, ranging from confusion to heartbreak to frustration, on his latest EP.

“In today’s world, these emotions will find you at some point,” said Perrone, who’s based in Livonia, Michigan. “I find it fascinating how people, including myself, deal with them in different ways.”

He also unearths the mental health struggles people face when they’re coping with change and searching for closure.

“Directly or indirectly, experiences from our past help us to cope,” Perrone said. “Finding a resolution in times of trouble is an interesting topic to me that I felt was worth exploring.”

Perrone’s baritone vocals evoke feelings of anticipation and longing in fans as they process their experiences while listening to Bend Until It Breaks. The EP’s five tracks feature contemplative lyrics, haunting instrumentation, and elements of indie rock, alt rock, shoegaze, and post-rock.

To learn more, I spoke with Perrone about the EP ahead of a November 15 show at the Ghost Light in Hamtramck.

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Folk Storytellers — Kate Hinote Trio Shares Vivid and Emotional Tales on “Stowaways” Album

Kate Hinote, Matthew Parmenter, and David Johnson of the Kate Hinote Trio. Photo – Greg Aubry of Aubry Photo

Whether fact or fiction, the Kate Hinote Trio uncovers buried emotions on Stowaways.

The Metro Detroit group explores everything from longing to disappointment to grief on its latest indie-folk album.

“These songs came out less like poetry than my typical lyrics because I was very focused on telling a story each time,” said Hinote, the trio’s vocalist and one of its songwriters.

“We wanted each one of these songs to be like a window into another world. We wanted the stories to be clear, and I didn’t want to be too vague about what I was saying.”

The 10 new original tracks featured on Stowaways are anything but vague. Many of the tracks include a vivid storyline about a protagonist examining the purpose of a relationship and the intense feelings that accompany it.

“One of the big differences in writing this record with Matthew is that he’s also a songwriter who’s been composing his own songs on his own for decades,” said Hinote, who co-wrote six of the album’s tracks with violinist Matthew Parmenter and one with guitarist David Johnson.

“The lyrics and story are very important to him, and we always talk about ‘What’s the story here? What does the song mean? What will it mean to others when they hear it?’”

The trio’s lyrics range from fictional to personal and encourage listeners to process their relationships alongside them. Those sonic experiences are further heightened by Hinote’s enchanting vocals and Parmenter and Johnson’s vibrant acoustic instrumentation.

To learn more, I spoke with Hinote about the inspiration behind the trio’s latest album.

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Turn the Page – Fay Burns Revisits Her Love of Indie Pop-Rock on New ‘Full Circle’ EP

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Fay Burns starts a new chapter on “Full Circle.” Photo – Loren Johnson, Sunfire Studios

Fay Burns is ready to turn the page.

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.”

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Chronological Order – The Blueflowers Process Pivotal Life Moments on ‘Time Didn’t Matter’ EP

The Blueflowers
The Blueflowers examine past relationships, present circumstances and future possibilities on “Time Didn’t Matter.” Photo – Lisa Folcarelli Jansen

The Blueflowers thoughtfully follow their own timeline.

The Detroit indie-rock sextet of Kate Hinote (vocals, lyrics), Erin Williams (backing vocals, keys, lyrics), Tony Hamera (guitar, synths), David Johnson (guitar), Bryan Talaski (bass) and Jim Faulkner (drums) chronicles pivotal moments of growth, heartbreak and change on their latest cathartic EP, Time Didn’t Matter.

“I certainly hope that people can relate to it and have that feeling,” Hinote said. “Any time you’re making music, you hope that people can react to it in some way, and I am considering that when I’m writing, but I also gotta get stuff out.”

As an emotional outlet, Time Didn’t Matter carefully opens the floodgates of past relationships, present circumstances and future possibilities. Six passionate tracks flow alongside introspective lyrics, fiery goth-rock instrumentation and ethereal shoegaze sensibilities.

“That’s just what kind of comes out … I’ve always written that way and still try to write in a way that can be interpreted,” Hinote said. “It’s a little vague, so that it can be left open to interpretation, and there are certainly some specific relationships that are addressed on this EP.”

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Detroit Songbook – Kate Hinote Trio Celebrates Original Tracks, Local Songwriter Covers on ‘Near’

Kate Hinote Trio-PromoPhoto (credit Kate Hinote Trio)
David Johnson, Kate Hinote and Matthew Parmenter include an exquisite collection of original and cover tracks on the Detroit-inspired “Near” album. Photo courtesy of Kate Hinote Trio

For their debut release, the Kate Hinote Trio beautifully assembles the ideal Detroit songbook.

The Motor City acoustic three-piece of Kate Hinote (vocals), David Johnson (acoustic guitar) and Matthew Parmenter (violin) carefully handpicked an exquisite collection of melodic, mesmerizing tracks from their own catalog as well as from other local songwriters for Near.

“When we were finalizing Near a couple of months ago, I told the guys, ‘One thing that’s going to be compelling about this album is the other songwriters’ contributions.’ Those songs are much different than how I would write or what Matthew Parmenter and I would write together,” said Hinote, who’s previously performed with The Blueflowers, Sound of Eleven and Ether Aura.

Throughout Near, the Kate Hinote Trio features 11 timeless, poignant tracks from The Blueflowers, Don Duprie and Alison Lewis, Emily Rose, Rogue Satellites’ Jaye Allen Thomas, Anthony Retka, Matthew Smith, Duende and Parmenter. Together, these eclectic songs share captivating, emotive tales that deeply explore internal struggles and personal relationships while traveling along a newfound path of self-discovery.

“I knew I wanted to have a Detroit songwriters’ album, and every song is so different because of their contributions. It gave the album some variety, and I’m just drawn to songs that have relationship elements. I think that’s the nature of everybody I included,” Hinote said.

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