The second Local Spins batch of mid-year album reviews also takes a gander at new releases by The Ragbirds, Graffiti, Tiles and Christopher Sloan, with audio samples to boot.
As Michigan careens merrily into mid-July, Local Spins presents its second batch of mid-year album reviews, recapping a bevy of new regional releases.
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Check out Part 1 of Local Spins’ summer album reviews online here. And return to Local Spins later this month for Part 3.
Bello Spark
“Among the Lights”
Bello Spark’s sophomore release unfolds like an alluring, ethereal dream with the band’s carefully crafted Americana and indie-folk cloaked in cinematic accouterment, propelled by Rob Jordan and Cole Hansen’s striking harmonies and Tory Peterson’s sonically pleasing, mood-altering guitar work. The Grand Rapids band has refined its sound and found its musical identity on this seductive 10-track collection that Jordan says reflects “personal experiences with love, inner struggle, loss, joy and perseverance.” These are emotions and experiences that bind us all, and this album recorded and produced by Peterson at Mackinaw Harvest Music takes stock of it all in hypnotic and poignant fashion. – John Sinkevics
Website: http://www.bellospark.com/
Upcoming Shows: July 16 at Big Hart Brewing in Hart, Aug. 19 at VanderMill Ciders in Spring Lake
Listen: “I’m Awake”
I Believe in Julio
“An Episodic Memory”
Exuding live-show energy and quirky lyrics, “An Episodic Memory,” is the quintessential punk-rock album, a textbook example of the genre. The Grand Rapids trio led by Julio Gomez – with Dan Fisher on bass and Tony Spielmaker on drums – crafts a sonically cohesive and lyrically colorful joyride of songs. A textured electric guitar hook and wild drums open things on “Big Trucks” before Gomez’s voice comes in hot, smoldering with a kind of playful angst only punk can convey. Lyrically, all topics are free game for the fun-poking, banter-filled lead vocals. References to Grand Rapids are thrown in during the band’s fist-pump-worthy ode to its hometown, aptly titled “Home,” with musings about a “city by the river” with “big plans in the works.” And “Running Towards Something” takes off with a stampede of tom rolls and thrashing electric guitar while Gomez’s voice rips through the chorus, teetering at the brink of his impassioned, high register. – Ricky Olmos
Website: https://juliogomez.bandcamp.com/
Listen: “Home”
Glassfield
“Unwrought Atlas”
There’s a lot of pent-up power and emotion unleashed on Glassfield’s “Unwrought Atlas,” something immediately evident from this EP’s opening track, “Some Spirits.” Indeed, the entire six-song recording is a beautifully tempestuous cauldron of noise/alt-rock, shoegaze, metal, swirling guitars, feedback and dynamic ups and downs – sort of like the soundtrack for a roller-coaster ride. Comprised of members hailing from Grand Rapids bands such as Ozenza, Lights at Sea and Apostles, the band – Nick Rhodes, Ryan Harig and Matt Younker – recorded the album at The White Lodge in Wayland, with engineering, mixing and mastering by Joshua St. Moblo at The Bakery in Nashville. It’s a heavy, all-enveloping musical jaunt. – John Sinkevics
Website: https://www.facebook.com/glassfieldband/
Upcoming Show: July 23 at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids (with Coffin Problem)
Listen: “Some Spirits”
The Zannies
“Wannabe”
With raw lead vocals and an in-your-face attitude, Grand Rapids’ The Zannies prove their mettle as a punk- and blues-fueled alternative rock n’ roll group on their debut EP, “Wannabe.” Classic rock meets hard rock and the blues guitar meets power chords in this electrifying five-song collection. The opening track, “Shattered,” boasts a bluesy intro that quickly transforms from the familiar to the band’s modern and unique take on rock. It’s simultaneously throwback and fresh. – Adrianna Walker
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thezannies/
Upcoming Show: Oct. 14 at Rockford Brewing in Rockford
Listen: “Shattered”
Nicholas James & The Bandwagon
“Tall Tall Tales”
Some bands have a marvelous knack for turning performances into hootenanny-styled parties – uplifting kick-up-your-heels affairs that ooze positivity, merriment and a hankering for more. Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma and his band, The Bandwagon, is just such an outfit and the group’s latest full-length album produced by Greg Baxter exudes that upbeat, live groove. With Thomasma’s powerful and distinctive vocals leading the way on these infectious tracks, “Tall Tall Tales” tells its musical story with a unique blend of country, folk, Americana and rock. It reflects a band that has hit its stride, and one whose tale deserves to be savored again and again. Because as Thomasma croons on “Bus Life,” ‘The party never ends and forever goes the road.’ – John Sinkevics
Website: http://nicholasjamesthomasma.com/
Upcoming Shows: July 23 at Fulton Street Farmers Market, Aug. 13 at Wish You Were Here Fest in Muskegon, Aug. 16 at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids Township, Aug. 20 at Hoxeyville Music Festival in Wellston
Listen/Watch: “Johnny Appleweed”
Christopher Sloan
“Gathering the Ghosts”
With his folk-influenced acoustic melodies, Christopher Sloan does a magnificent job of vocalizing emotions and thoughts that many might have trouble expressing, perfectly showcased in his opening track, “Stained Glass Life.” “Gathering the Ghosts” explores concepts of love and caring in a charming way through tracks such as “Back to You” and “Mary.” The album takes full advantage of its use of guitar, banjo, piano and mandolin, making for a stirring yet simple collection. – Hunter Gamble
Website: http://www.christophersloansongs.com/
Listen: “Stained Glass Life”
Graffiti
“Writings on the Wall”
Graffiti’s bluesy vocals, acoustic-driven verses, and smooth-flowing guitar solos are all highlights on the band’s latest album. “Writings on the Wall.” Some of the most impressive guitar solos can be found on the opening track, “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” and “Forever,” while Adam Wright’s incredible vocal command is best displayed on “Dirty Mind.” Any fan of good old-fashioned blues-rock will find plenty to embrace on “Writings on the Wall.” – Hunter Gamble
Websites: https://www.facebook.com/GraffitiThree/timeline, http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/graffiti4
Listen: “Forever”
The Ragbirds
“The Threshold & The Hearth”
It really isn’t fair to limit The Ragbirds to one genre, or even a few, or five. Building on past recording projects, “The Threshold & The Hearth” makes the Ann Arbor band’s musical style even harder to categorize, though the album does boast a few consistent themes: hope, positivity and good vibes. The folk-rock group sends a wise message in the country-like ballad “Good Time To Be Born,” while the fast-paced “Sometime Honestly” steams forward with feverish fiddling. The Ragbirds’ fifth studio album comes off as a polished collection of playful, string-heavy stories and messages filled with wisdom. – Adrianna Walker
Website: http://www.theragbirds.com/home/
Upcoming Shows: Aug. 11 at Liberty Plaza in Ann Arbor (Sonic Lunch), Aug. 18 at The Rumpus Room in Chelsea, Aug. 27 at Max & Emily’s Eatery in Mount Pleasant
Listen:“Bottomless Heart”
Tiles
“Pretending 2 Run”
Beginning with a lush, atmospheric soundscape, the two-disc, 21-song affair by veteran Detroit progressive-rock outfit, Tiles, grabs listeners and doesn’t let go. Band members Mark Evans, Jeff Whittle, Chris Herin, and Paul Rarick – with guest appearances by stars such as Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and Mike Stern – display their multi-instrumental abilities and depth, conjuring a sound that could be mistaken for a much larger group. The diverse range of instruments is so prevalent even, that listeners may be caught off guard (in the best of ways) when they hear bongos sneak into the rock-leaning title track, or the tin-like pluck of a toy piano during “Stonewall,” right before the track plunges into a hard-rock breakdown. The second disc includes “Midwinter,” an instrumental track boasting a soft and wandering flute as its protagonist, which makes its way confidently through the song. “Weightless,” which weighs in at just over nine minutes long, opens with a dazzling drum fill and ends with an indulgent saxophone solo. The album closes out by re-imagining a few portions of the album and bringing on additional musicians, including Stern, Adam Holzman, Max and Mike Portnoy and Joe Denizon. Pulling the curtain back on the album is the warm and inviting, “Backsliding,” a brief track that feels like a medieval sentiment, with haunting vocals, mandolin and lingering strings, then ending with a rigid snare cadence. Overall, the ambitious musical escapade transcends the genre, unfolding more like scenes from a theatrical play, or movements from a carefully composed piece of music spread across a grand staff. – Ricky Olmos
Website: http://www.tiles-music.com/
Upcoming Show: Aug. 13 at The Token Lounge in Westland
Listen/Watch: “Weightless”
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