Phase Two of the pre-holiday Local Spins albums roundup also spotlights new releases by Nordlund & The Nomad Assembly and Brotha James. Consider them sweet additions to Christmas gift lists.
As promised, here’s Phase Two of Local Spins’ roundup of new releases by Michigan bands and solo artists. After all, nothing makes a better stocking stuffer than some riveting local and regional music.
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FLINT EASTWOOD
“Small Victories”
Jax Anderson’s ascendant Flint Eastwood project has evolved considerably since her emergence in the Detroit music scene about five years ago, and is strongest in its current incarnation as an approachable and relentlessly catchy electro-pop act. Anderson’s second EP, the just-released “Small Victories,” follows 2013’s “Late Nights In Bolo Ties,” and was recorded in a Detroit studio converted from an old church with production work by her brother, Seth Anderson. The writing of this brisk six-song release was inspired by the recent death of Anderson’s mother, and the tunes convey hopefulness and a sort of hard-won introspective defiance. “Small Victories” leads off with the towering tracks “Find What You’re Looking For” and “Glitches,” which feature lush production and colossal, soaring choruses that would sound equally good in sweaty clubs or from the stages of big festivals. For Flint Eastwood, the latter seems increasingly likely. – Troy Reimink
Website: flinteastwoodmusic.com
Upcoming shows: 7 p.m. Friday at The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids; 9 p.m. Saturday at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo
Listen: Flint Eastwood, “Glitches”
FINE FINE TITANS
“Renaissance”
This passionate album from the female-fronted post-hardcore outfit brings together wild drums, cutting guitars, thrashing breakdowns and soaring vocals accented by plenty of scream-singing in all the right places. The group’s third release follows two EPs and includes a diverse range of sounds and compositions. Opening the album is the swift-moving “We Planted a Bleeding Heart,” a track that keeps listeners on their toes with a driving verse that exemplifies the strength of Jennifer Bartlett’s vocals and explosive screams. “Appetite” showcases hyperactive drumming with a flawless precision and a head-banging half-time chorus. Leading the exposition of “Carved Out,” one of the more reserved tracks on the album, is a reverb-filled and suspenseful guitar melody that drifts into a fluid bassline and fitting drum groove before moving to a heavier chorus, a track that highlights the lighter side of Bartlett’s voice. “Guillotine” brings things to a close with an unexpected turn – a thought-provoking spoken word poem accompanied by pounding drums and droning guitars that grow in intensity till its end. Fine Fine Titans have once again shown that they are a band with the chops to make them a force to reckoned with in the hardcore scene. – Ricky Olmos
Website: finefinetitans.com
Upcoming shows: Dec. 9 at The Stache in The Intersection; Dec. 20 at The Chameleon Club in Lancaster, Penn.
Listen:Fine Fine Titans, “I Just Saw A Ghost”
NORDLUND & THE NOMAD ASSEMBLY
“Nomads Assemble”
Pick up “Nomads Assemble,” the new EP by Nordlund & the Nomad Assembly and you’ll see songs with titles such as “Times Were Hard,” “Off Track,” “Lost” and “I’ll Get By” — all indications that this collaboration among ex and current members of groups such as The Carboys, Big Dudee Roo, If He Dies He Dies and The Snot Rockets is straight out of the country-rock playbook. That may oversimplify the case — there are tracks that nod to reggae, blues and alt-rock as well, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with a book whose back cover correctly advertises its contents. These seven tracks tell stories of families that aren’t getting back together, people still in love with partners who have moved on and the potent cocktail of nostalgia, regret and self-medication that washes it all down. “There ain’t nothing like a fifth of gin to wipe the slate all clean again,” frontman R.J. Nordlund sings on “Bombay Blues.” Your next seasonally affective journey down a bottle has its official soundtrack. – Troy Reimink
Website: nordlund.bandcamp.com
Upcoming shows: 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Founders Brewing (EP-release show with Jake Kalmink & The Further Closer, Devin & The Dead Frets); Dec. 18 at Rockford Brewing Co.; Jan. 1 at Billy’s Lounge
Listen: Nordlund and the Nomad Assembly, “High Hopes”
SLUMLORD RADIO
“Too Pretty For Tijuana”
Anthems of grungy, intense tracks make up Slumlord Radio’s latest release. The soundscape of the album could be compared to the landscape of a desert: coarse, tough and beating down with unforgivable heat. That comparison could be, in part, derived from the short, narrated segue tracks that break up the heavy rocking. Sounds reminiscent of a dry, barren land come in the form of a lethal and slithering rattling noise, rugged strums on electric guitar, and gravely-voiced narration. Self described as “dirty action/rock punk n’ roll,” the band very much embodies that description. Hard-hitting drums team up with blaring electric guitars and shouting vocals to bring a head-banging firestorm of energy to the table. The band’s instrumental tightness and precision is showcased throughout, but especially on tracks such as “Southpaw,” which features synced double-bass pedal/guitar breakdowns, and “Tycoon,” which employs clean-cut instrumental breaks and a range of dynamic discernment. “Fort Knox” rounds things up in a rip-roaring fashion, firing on all cylinders with a whirlwind of drums, bass and guitar that perfectly drives things home. – Ricky Olmos
Website: slumlordradio.bandcamp.com
Upcoming Shows: Dec. 5 at Bemos in Bay City; Dec. 12 at Camp H in Grand Rapids
Listen: Slumlord Radio, “Bullwhip”
DEDE AND THE DREAMERS
“Daydream”
Traverse City native Dede Alder leads this deliciously eclectic and psychedelic folk and jazz band through tracks that range from light, indie-pop ditties with a retro feel to world music-hued gems to those drenched in dreamy guitars. It’s sort of like traversing the territory between Billie Holiday, Amy Winehouse and Gotye. The Ann Arbor-based group, with Alder on vocals and vibraphone, recorded this album on a portable home studio in basements, garages and bedrooms across Michigan, giving it a fresh and unpredictable sparkle. The album was recorded and produced by multi-instrumentalist Chris Michels, and also features Traverse City’s John Driscoll on percussion and harmony vocals. – John Sinkevics
Website: reverbnation.com/dedeandthedreamers
Listen: Dede & The Dreamers, “Hope”
RIVAL MAPS
“Echoes”
If this is an “upbeat ambient indie-rock” band as suggested, it’s one with a magnificently broad musical palette that has band members painting their music with broad brush strokes that cover everything from 1970s-era prog-rock to New Millennium art rock and groovy, baroque pop. Based in Muskegon and Chicago, siblings Dave Zagar, Andy Zagar, and Laura Ogren were once known as the Dave Zagar Trio, but have overhauled their sound for Rival Maps. What’s resulted from that reshaping is an ever-catchy and mesmerizing collection of melancholy yet vibrant tracks recorded in various locations (including Grand Rapids’ Cold War Studios) and produced by Rival Maps and Mike Council. Highlights abound: the gorgeous ‘60s pop harmonies near the tail end of “Skylights,” the Ben Folds-like pop piano zestiness of “What Was This,” the atmospheric hooks of “Montreal,” the wonderful nod to psychedelic-era Beatles on “Kaleidoscope.” All of it resonates with an inescapable, infectious and inviting charm. – John Sinkevics
Website: rivalmaps.com
Upcoming shows: Dec. 16 at Schubas Tavern in Chicago (with Nombe, Austin Plaine and Holy White Hounds)
Listen: Rival Maps, “Montreal”
KAITLIN ROSE
“The Other Side”
“The Other Side,” by Kalamazoo’s Kaitlin Rose, displays story-telling at its finest, be it a hushed ballad, a traditional-sounding folk tune or a country-tinted, rollicking jam. Combined with near musical perfection and dynamic, intricate songs, Rose delivers a powerhouse of a debut. Each of the 13 tracks on the record leave her confident vocals free to wander wherever they please, much to the listener’s delight. On “Lorelei,” they hauntingly dance around the instrumentation, building tension, swooping in and out of the song, teetering on the edge of even being audible, before tapering off in an echo. A simplistic guitar hook slowly pulls the curtain on “Blown Away,” leaving plenty of room before the song’s first lyrics ease in, invoking an intimate, pensive listen to Rose’s heartfelt lyrics about the nuances of love. Amping things up a bit, with rocking percussion, scorching electric guitar solos and soulful vocals, “Forbidden Love,” stands its ground with some good ol’ rock ’n’ roll fundamentals. Anchoring this polished LP is an oft-desired ability for many: Rose effortlessly portrays emotion with the tonality of her voice, something that is sure to be a driving force as she continues making music. – Ricky Olmos
Website: kaitlinrosemusic.com
Listen: Kaitlin Rose, “The Other Side”
BROTHA JAMES
“Animal”
A flurry of instrumentation fuels the genre-diverse party that is Brotha James’ EP, “Animal.” Bright acoustic guitars, grooving bass lines, luscious synths, shakers, tambourines and group hand claps set the background while Jeremy Reisig’s positive and uplifting lyrics paint the foreground. Track two, “Dreamer,” proves a dance-worthy tune. An effect-laden vocal melody and four-on-the-floor kick drum beat introduce the first few measures before a catchy guitar rhythm enters and leads to a full-fledged chorus of dance beats, synth leads and layered vocals. The reggae-inspired “Evolve” showcases beat-boxing and melodic rapping with a vibrant, tropical feel. Listeners are sure to find each of the record’s five songs as colorfully energetic and entertaining as the one-man-band show Brotha James conducts live. – Ricky Olmos
Website: http://brothajames.com/
Upcoming Shows: Dec. 12 at The Town Club in Elk Rapids; Dec. 18 at Ore Dock in Marquette; Dec. 19 at Skeetown Tavern in Muskegon
Listen: Brotha James, “Animal”
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