Our early June roundup of new releases by artists from Michigan covers pop, country, funk, soul and much more. Check out the reviews and listen to tracks from all of the albums.
Horns That Enhance: Flexadecibel has plenty of that and more on its new, funky release. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
As summer careens ahead, Local Spins takes a gander at new releases by artists who are promoting their new music on tour across the state and across the country.
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Check out our takes on albums by artists unfurling a wide spectrum of styles – pop, country, funk, rock, soul and more.
And view previous Local Spins review of albums by bands from Michigan online here.
Michigander
“Michigander”
What Stands Out: Michigander embraces the full spectrum of human emotion and takes ownership of feeling everything fully and unapologetically. Frontman and Michigan native Jason Singer, who now resides in Nashville, has always been vocal about his own mental health struggles and this debut full-length release is no exception. Michigander utilizes a full-band sound blended with synth-pop elements to formulate the perfect pop-rock mix. Heavier alternative rock influences appear in tracks such as “Socialite” and glimpses of nostalgic early-2000s emo are evident in “Letterman.” The album’s lead single, “Giving Up,” has garnered over one million streams on Spotify and Michigander has toured and appeared at festivals all over the United States and beyond in recent years.
Digging Deeper: The lyric, “I’ll be OK, but I’m not OK right now,” sums up the message of this self-titled project in the simplest of terms. Singer often discusses the ways in which depression and anxiety can clash with the good feelings in our lives, making life and relationships confusing to navigate. There’s a sense of quiet optimism in the album’s upbeat tempos and recollections of fond memories that suggest a hopeful outcome in the end. The opening and closing tracks — “Broadcast” and “Hair” — bookend the album with meditative sentiments that showcases the raw and honest feelings Singer captures in his songwriting.
Perfect For: Having a windows-down kind of summer even when you’re a little bit sad. – Holly Holtzclaw
Website: https://www.michiganderband.com
Upcoming Show: Nov. 5 at The Majestic Theatre in Detroit (with Oliver Hazard)
Listen: “Spitting Image”
Melophobix
“Interference”
What Stands Out: Melophobix’s latest album boasts a wonderful assortment of instruments (horns, strings, etc.) along with a great mix of both singing and rapping. The introduction track to the album “Before (I Disappoint)” exudes an exciting, cinematic feel mirroring the intro to a movie.
Digging Deeper: “Golden State,” meanwhile, radiates with a real beach song vibe similar to that of the band Dirty Heads. And “Simple Mathematics” includes wonderful vocal and horn accompaniment. The horns overall add to the cinematic feel of the entire album, with Melophobix creating a cohesive, artistic and thoughtful piece of work that serves as a worth example for other regional bands.
Perfect For: A nice summer beach day. – Brayden Flodin
Website: https://melophobix.com
Upcoming Shows: June 14 for Bridgefest in Allegan; July 12 for DeckFest 2025 in Muskegon (with Flexadecibel, Caliko, Patty PerShayla, Money Soup, Kyle Brown); July 27 at Red Dock in Douglas; Aug. 2 at Eagle’s Nest in Grand Haven (Coast Guard Festival); Aug. 20 at The Deck in Muskegon
Listen: “Cute (Pickled Beatz)”
Frankie Ballard
“The Messenger”
What Stands Out: Michigan-bred country singer Frankie Ballard returns with his first full-length album since 2016’s “El Rio.” In his new release, “The Messenger,” Ballard shifts both his lyrical focus and musical style to reflect his current values and the type of music he first fell in love with. Ballard’s lyrics about his family and his faith journey bear a stark contrast to his earlier songs about staying out late to party. The minimally-produced country rock sound Ballard has adopted contains strong blues and gospel elements that stem from some of his biggest musical heroes like Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, according to Ballard’s website. Ballard pays tribute to these influences on “The Messenger” by including a cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed.” Previously signed to Warner Bros Records, Ballard is now releasing music under Rattle Shake Records, a label created by fellow Americana musician Tyler Bryant who also produced “The Messenger.”
Digging Deeper: When Ballard tackles the conversation about religion and finding God, he touches on the importance of letting that journey be imperfect. The tracks “Cussin’ In My Prayers” and “Dirty Church Clothes” in particular address this topic. In the album statement on Ballard’s website, he describes the process of making “The Messenger” as “starting all over again, with a whole new perspective.” Each track tells a piece of Ballard’s life story over the past decade, but his autobiographical songwriting stands out the most on slowed-down, contemplative tracks like “The Messenger.” The album also benefits from backing vocals by Larkin Poe’s Rebecca Lovell which add dynamic harmonies and a fresh sound to a few tracks.
Perfect For: Fans of timeless country-rock music that has some grit to it. – Holly Holtzlaw
Website: https://www.frankieballard.com
Listen: “The Messenger”
Flexadecibel
“Flex Appeal”
What Stands Out: With an early 2000s vibe, “Flex Appeal” gets funky with plenty of horns, synths and bass progressions. The eight-track album also feature the rock-heavy track, “Scratches and Waxes,” with scintillating drumwork and a slower pace than many of the other tracks. It’s an amalgamation of different songs that still work together to create a cohesive project.
Digging Deeper: The veteran Muskegon-based band has worked in funk, rock, soul and hip-hop music for many years, thus allowing the seven-piece ensemble to create a diverse and unique discography. The horns included throughout the project add tremendous value, even when other instruments take the lead. The horns always draw the listeners back in.
Perfect For: Panic at the Disco fans, thanks to the way Flexadecibel transitions its verses into choruses, with lead singer reflecting a similar cadence and vocal style as Brendon Urie. – Brayden Flodin
Website: https://flexadecibel.com/
Upcoming Shows: June 13 at Taste of Muskegon; July 12 for DeckFest 2025 in Muskegon
Listen: “Bridge 4”
