Local Spins crisscrosses the state and traverse genres with this latest batch of releases by Michigan, including albums by Bruce Matthews Band and The Whiskey Charmers.
Eclectic Tracks: These Michigan releases cover a lot of ground musically and geographically.
Summer makes the perfect time to not only explore new music from Michigan artists, but to actually catch many of those acts performing live at venues and festivals throughout the season.
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West Michigan's music scene
The latest batch of Local Spins review of new Michigan releases features several bands playing this week and beyond across the Great Lakes State.
Check out the reviews, listen to tracks from all of the albums and see where many of these artists will be performing below. And view previous Local Spins album reviews here.
Money Soup
“Money Soup”
What Stands Out: Fresh on the West Michigan music scene, Money Soup has already made quite an impression. They kicked off 2024 by winning the Tri-Cities Kiwanis Youth & Young Adult Music Competition and have been performing around the area with acts like Space Bar and Pocket Watch to share their brand of Midwestern funk complemented by soul and jazz influences. This six-piece outfit has barely set out to sea and they are already making waves.
Digging Deeper: “Money Soup” further highlights this new crop of talent emerging post-quarantine in West Michigan. The group’s eight-track album — mixed at Third Coast Recording Company and mastered at La Luna Recording & Sound — is full of festival-ready funk jams, soulful ballads to cool things down, and a splash of character from every member involved. Perfect For: That summer playlist you need to liven up the backyard college hangs. – Dutcher Snedeker
Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554717662557
Upcoming Shows: July 6 at Unruly Brewing in Muskegon; Aug. 16 for Grand Haven Free Fridays at Lynne Sherwood Waterfront Stadium in Grand Haven (with Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish)
Listen: “321 Funk”
Annie Bacon & Her Oshen
“Storm”
What Stands Out: Annie Bacon & Her Oshen’s latest release takes a deep dive into the complexities and emotions that arise when one is dealing with grief and beginning their healing journey. Despite the heaviness of the topics discussed throughout “Storm,” Bacon manages to offset it with glimmers of hope and the wisdom she has gained throughout the process of healing. Bacon and her band’s folk-rock instrumentals create a reverent backdrop for the deeply personal stories and insights shared in the lyrics. Recorded at Daylight Studio in Nashville, “Storm” is the Ann Arbor singer-songwriter’s fourth full-length release.
Digging Deeper: Not only does Bacon bravely share personal details from her own life, but she also invited listeners to contribute small pieces of theirs. The song “Dance” includes 172 whispered names of people lost and grieved that were submitted by Bacon’s family, friends and fans. The progression of the album itself mirrors the stages of grief and the ebb and flow of emotions that come with each step forward. “Storm” opens with driving drumbeats and sentiments about hiding one’s grief away, even denying that it exists at all, while the middle of the album sinks into a heavy sadness. Finally, the track “It’s Okay” with its cheery instrumental represents acceptance and the act of moving forward. Grief and loss are difficult topics to address, especially as a concept for an entire album, but Bacon captures these universal feelings with grace and respect for herself as well as those who may experience them differently.
Perfect For: Gathering the courage to begin your own healing journey. – Holly Holtzclaw
Website: https://www.anniebacon.me
Upcoming Show: July 12 at Blissfest outside Harbor Springs (Bacon also performs with Badass Women Band at Wheatland Music Festival in Remus in September)
Listen: “Secret Broken Heart”
MaRynn Taylor
“Get To Know Me”
What Stands Out: Rising country star and Rockford native MaRynn Taylor’s latest EP captures a nostalgic, early 2000s pop-country vibe while still keeping things fresh with Taylor’s dynamic songwriting. “Get To Know Me” leans heavily on a full-band sound with guitar-driven melodies that immediately stick with you even on the first listen. The catchy lead single “Small Town Spinnin’” pokes fun at the way small-town gossip spreads around and reflects the playful side of the EP, while the title track leans into emotional storytelling and presents a clever twist on a common phrase that changes the listener’s perspective on what this project is really about. Taylor takes a practical and introspective look at past events with the wisdom she has gained from them while also tapping into the emotions she was feeling as they were happening to her.
Digging Deeper: This EP touches on the many phases of a relationship and discusses how major life changes as well as the natural cycle of life can affect relationships for better or for worse. “We Could Be In Love Right Now” asks the dreaded question of ‘What if everything turned out differently?’ yet by the end of the project, Taylor is singing about unapologetically loving hard and not settling for less with “How It’s Gonna Go.” In her Local Spins interview, Taylor mentioned that “Get To Know Me” is the most vulnerable project she has ever released. Taylor (named one of CMT’s “Next Women of Country”) strikes the perfect balance between providing fans with a look into her personal life and crafting something that they can connect and relate to in their own lives.
Perfect For: Getting stuck in your head all summer long and not even being mad about it. – Holly Holtzclaw
Website: https://marynntaylor.com
Upcoming Show: After a fall U.S. tour, Dec. 6 at The Stache inside The Intersection in Grand Rapids (with Dylan Schneider)
Listen: “Running Away With You”
Pablo Eskobear
“Trapped in the Forest”
What Stands Out: Pablo Eskobear explores the world within his instrumental writing and choice selection of samples on “Trapped In The Forest,” a play on words that yields an album filled with all sorts of cultures swirling around the gravitational centering of trap beats. The album is a concise listening experience at a too-brief 20 minutes, but would add some great diversity to a longer set, so listeners can expect to hear these tunes woven into the broader catalog on a live experience. With so many regions of the planet referenced for this record, Pablo Eskobear captures elements of countries like Ukraine, Japan and Mexico among the U.S. genre-defining structures that electronic music fans are accustomed to when pulling up their favorite artist on Spotify.
Digging Deeper: For those who like to sample different flavors of the same dish, this collection makes for a fun listening experience. Much like every culture has its own way of preparing chicken, Pablo Eskobear crafts a variety of sonic amuse-bouches within the simple framework of “adding trap beats to regional music expressions” to delicious results. Whether it’s funk-influenced or referencing mariachi, audiences can delight in touring the world through the lens of this record.
Perfect For: Anybody looking for some soul and spirit within their electronic music selections on the way to a big summer festival. – Dutcher Snedeker
Website: https://www.pabloeskobear.com/
Listen: “Down River”
Bruce Matthews Band
“Holding Fast”
What Stands Out: “Holding Fast” weaves a thread among multiple generations of Bruce Matthews’ own family. “Wartime Letters,” a song inspired by letters Matthews’ father wrote while he was serving in World War II, shares a direct connection to “July 9, 1966 (Joe’s Song)” in which Matthews recounts his own experiences serving in the military. Matthews also covers the bittersweet emotions that come along with parenthood in “Dancin’ in the Kitchen” and the joy of being a grandparent, passing along advice and encouragement to a new generation, with “Paxton’s Song.” The passing down of stories from generation to generation rings true to the traditions of early folk music that likely inspired much of this project.
Digging Deeper: The lyrical content is not the only piece of this EP that follows in the footsteps of traditional folk. Somber strings and female vocal harmonies add depth and emotion and bring a timeless sound to each track on “Holding Fast.” Matthews tends to focus on redemption and his personal journey to healing, so the theme of this EP in particular pinpoints the ways in which other people in Matthews’ life have contributed to that voyage. The track “Hold Fast” depicts a crew guiding a ship through a storm, which, given the subject matter of the rest of the songs, could be interpreted as a metaphor for the people who have helped guide Matthews through difficult times.
Perfect For: Sharing stories among generations of family members the same way Matthews does on this EP. – Holly Holtzclaw
Website: https://brucematthewsband.com/home
Upcoming Show: 8 p.m. Thursday (July 4) at Lakeside Community Church in Alto
Listen:
The Whiskey Charmers
“Streetlights”
What Stands Out: Just in time for summer, The Whiskey Charmers have released their latest record, which includes 10 new tunes written by the Detroit group’s leader and songwriter, Carrie Shepard, and recorded at Rooftop Recording with Jerry Tubb. Lawrence Daversa provides wonderful backing vocals and expertly styled electric guitar, Daniel Ozzie Andrews keeps a solid foundation on bass, and John Porter holds down drums and percussion to showcase the core band, with guests David Roof (keys) on “Stars” and William P Davis on theremin. This album includes tales of love, loss, nightmares, what aliens must think when they pass us by, and knowing when it’s time to leave a relationship.
Digging Deeper: “Streetlights” perfectly captures the elements that make The Whiskey Charmers a favorite among many Michigan music fans. Familiar, comfortable song structures open up listening ears to receive Carrie Shepard’s lyricism and storytelling, all the while decorated beautifully by Lawrence Daversa’s lead guitar work. Bass and drums are locked into the groove, whether it’s a traveling “train beat” or an energized rock aesthetic. Having heard the band myself when I opened for them last fall at Founders with Cole Hansen, the stories told and the music made on this record translates so effortlessly live. Keep an eye out for this Detroit band’s summer schedule to delight in their well-crafted cocktail of Americana, country, and roots rock.
Perfect For: Cozy summer evenings on the porch swapping stories and letting the time pass with people you love. – Dutcher Snedeker
Website: https://thewhiskeycharmers.com/
Upcoming Shows: Thursday (July 4) for Street Musique in Harbor Springs; July 20 at The Lucky Wolf in Paw Paw; July 21 at Pack’s Backyard in Port Austin; July 25 at The Whitney in Detroit
Listen: “Streetlights”
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