Tag: When Did It All Go Wrong

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” →

In the Round – Livonia’s Brian Perrone Joins Tonight’s Songwriter Showcase at Parliament Room, Releases New ‘Dog with Ball’ EP

Brian Perrone performs tonight at The Parliament Room at Otus Supply in Ferndale.

At tonight’s “Singers in the Round” Songwriter Showcase, Brian Perrone will debut tracks from his new “Dog with Ball” EP in a live, intimate acoustic setting in Ferndale.

He will perform at The Parliament Room at Otus Supply, 345 E. 9 Mile Road, starting at 7 p.m. with Tom Butwin, Shiny Penny and JonPaul Wallace.

“It’s such a neat experience because every person is clearly different, so you might have somebody playing blues, somebody playing folk. I feel really honored and blessed to have an opportunity to take the stage with the three people I’ll be playing with,” said Perrone, a Livonia singer-songwriter.

“I get to do four songs, and I’m going to do at least one from ‘All Growns Up,” and then I’m going to do two from ‘Dog with Ball.’ My fourth one is either going to be this brand new one I just wrote or another one from ‘All Growns Up.’”

Today also marks another significant musical milestone for Perrone – the release of “Dog with Ball,” a new five-song EP with stripped-down, piano-based tracks that chronicle changing relationships, personal growth and inner reflections. It’s a warm, dreamy follow-up to his 2014 jazzy debut, “All Growns Up.”

Perrone collaborated with a host of talented, established Detroit area musicians on “Dog with Ball,” including Ypsilanti producer and guitarist Steve Somers, Re-Cure and Ethos guitarist and Siamese bassist Eric Cojacari, bassist Ronnie Smith, guitarist James Peltier and Honey Monsoon vocalist and guitarist Ana Gomulka.

“I think I’m gravitating toward more rock, that’s where I’m really rooted, and I love acoustic simple stripped-down basic songwriting,” said Perrone, who features his bulldog Sookie on the EP’s cover. “I love the singer-songwriter movement that’s going on.”

Continue reading “In the Round – Livonia’s Brian Perrone Joins Tonight’s Songwriter Showcase at Parliament Room, Releases New ‘Dog with Ball’ EP” →