The Grand Rapids indie-rock/pop band has attracted attention local and nationally. Check out the full chart for July which boasts a whole new roster of releases and sample music from the Top 5.
SCROLL DOWN TO LISTEN TO TRACKS FROM THE TOP 5 ALBUMS
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Major Murphy’s track “One Day” from the Grand Rapids band’s latest album, “No. 1,” is approaching an eye-popping 1 million listens on Spotify.
So it really should come as no surprise that the indie-rock band with a dream pop vibe would also soar to the No.1 spot on the Local Spins Hot Top 5 chart for July, representing the regional release that racked up the most spins at WYCE (88.1 FM) last month.
The group featuring lead singer and songwriter Jacob Bullard, bassist Jacki Warren and drummer Bud Voortman has significantly raised its profile locally and nationally over the past year, something Bullard attributed to its “super hard-working and well-connected” record label Winspear.
The album was released in late March, with a follow-up single, “Strangers,’ a cover of a song by The Kinks, released on July 3.
“I believe some success is pure luck for sure, but the music has to be decent at least when opportunity comes knocking so I am proud of ourselves as well,” says Bullard, who also credits the trio’s live performances for helping Major Murphy connect with its fans and hone its style. (The band plays Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo on Aug. 11 and the Audiotree Music Festival in Kalamazoo on Sept. 23.)
Major Murphy leads a whole new pack of regional releases entering the Hot Top 5 for the first time.
Coming in at No. 2 is The Aquaerials’ new EP, “Calm and the Storm” — a project of Grand Rapids composer, pianist and electronic music artist Mark Swanson. The collection of piano-driven post-rock, folk, ambient, downtemp and neoclassical music was released June 17.
Roots rock band Deerfield Run’s self-titled recording rolled in at No. 3, followed by singer-songwriter Tom Hymn’s latest, “Purple Barceloner,” and Southeast Michigan band Jack and the Bear’s “By the Book: Folklore.” (Interestingly, “Deerfield Run” was released last year; “By the Book” in 2016.)
Listen to tracks from all five albums via Spotify below.
NEW LOCAL MUSIC ADDITIONS TO WYCE: JULY 2018
The Aquaerials, “Calm and the Storm”
Tom Hymn, “Purple Barceloner”
Don Spezia, “Blue View”
Brent Godfrey, “Ripe From the Tree”
Seth Bernard, “Eggtones 4 Directions”
Joshua Davis, “Secondhand”
Estar Cohen, “Live at Willis Sound”
LOCAL SPINS HOT TOP 5 ON SPOTIFY
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