This week’s regional album roundup also includes Local Spins’ takes on releases by Finding Amelia and Jacob McLeod. Check out the reviews, listen to the music.

Tentacles of Spacey Music: Desmond Jones at their ‘Squids’ album-release. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
Our third edition of album reviews for 2025 rounds up Michigan releases unleashing hip hop, R&B, singer-songwriter tracks, modern rock and conceptual jam-band fun.
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Browse our takes on these EPs and full-length recordings, listen to tracks from each and discover where some of these artists will be performing.
And check out previous Local Spins album reviews online here.
Desmond Jones
“Squids”
What Stands Out: “This is a story about squids, coming up out of ocean, walking around, doing things in the middle of the night.” Succinctly described in the opening lines of the opening track, “Introduction: The Long Path of Time,” the Grand Rapids quintet’s newest project is a cephalopod-centric exploration into their “ancient goal of leaving this planet forever.” The spoken-word lyrics are backed by a soundscape that ebbs and flows like the tide with anxious, errant notes, and many shimmering effects. It sets a mystical groundwork, built upon over the next four tracks, including an interlude of the same name, though it offers the listener a much more segmented and specific view of the squids’ existential thoughts. It’s clear the group is having fun with the creativity afforded in a concept album.
Digging Deeper: “So Deep” features an extended instrumental intro with an energetic, bouncy horn, and reaches over seven minutes long, with the first lyrics coming in at just under two-and-a-half minutes. it’s a tale of lost love, of seeking a means to carve out a rich existence with one another, and there are obvious parallels to an all-too-human experience. Next is the titular song “Squids” with the only double-digit runtime on the EP and a catchy cowbell. The track meanders through two sonic shifts before finally allowing some lyrical exposition, about a drifting soul trying to find their way back home. There is another movement before the lyrics shift focus as well, describing the garden where the creatures seek refuge. The hyper-focused delivery calls to mind David Byrne or Weird Al, but it feels right at home when detailing the tales of the fantastic. It ends with a final held note, and you almost expect the applause that follows an orchestra. Finally, the sequel and closing track, “Squids III,” lets us know our narrator is still struggling, but that the squids have made it to their home in the sky, and the soaring guitars that continue until slowly fading out let us know they’re doing just fine.
Perfect For: Spacing out, thinking about old things in new ways – By Parker Learman-Blaauw
Website: https://www.desmondjonesband.com/
Upcoming Shows:Friday (Jan. 31) at Holland’s Park Theatre, with Roosevelt Diggs; Feb. 7, at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor
Listen: “So Deep”
DJ Blaze 589
“Standing on Business”
What Stands Out: DJ Blaze 589 starts off 2025 celebrating his recently released album alongside a host of guest features from singers to emcees. The record plays out like a curated radio program block, a staple of how his previous releases have been structured, but with such a strong title to thematically link each tune. Nestled within the multi-generational hip-hop samples and styles are lyrics and vibes emphasizing what it means to “stand on business,” whether it’s relationships, honesty, taking care of yourself/your community, or celebrating the goal posts to prove that your grind is bearing fruit. This record flows nicely and leaves you pumped for life’s challenges.
Digging Deeper: DJ Blaze 589 proves his work ethic and his deep sense of the scene he operates in with every release. The Grand Rapids artist always features a host of artists from different walks of their careers, delights in creating beats that aren’t centered on chasing a trend but building on the catalog of hip hop throughout the decades, and he is consistent with production and polish on and off stage. “Standing On Business” will serve equal prominence in the club scene as much as it will inspire others to vocalize where they came from, what they stand for, and where they’re headed next.
Perfect For: Anyone looking to shatter the winter blues with a strong shot of confidence wrapped in club bangers guaranteed to get you moving. – By Dutcher Snedeker
Website: https://www.instagram.com/dj_blaze589/
Upcoming Show: 10 p.m. Friday (Jan. 31) at Twelve O One Soul in Grand Rapids
Listen: “Nice to Meet You (ft. Moe McCoy and Jeri Wade)”
Jacob McLeod
“Mozart”
What Stands Out: A young singer-songwriter from Mt. Pleasant, Jacob McLeod brings together a short collection of eclectic sounds to showcase his genre-spanning talent. While occasionally the production can sound a little run-of-the-mill for a DIY indie-rock project, its simple nature is able to keep his voice at center stage. From the double ‘run it back’ at the very start of the project, McLeod’s energy is infectious. Even if there isn’t much in terms of groundbreaking or experimental song writing and structure, his upbeat nature is felt on all five tracks.
Digging Deeper: The first song introduces you to the rock-pop sound McLeod is most comfortable in, but there is quickly a big change of pace, transitioning to “You’re the Truth” which features a much slower and sultrier tone, with sweet, bordering saccharine lyrics, almost like an early aughts R&B crooner. The honking horns underneath his assurances of love tie it all together. The big vocals and buzzy guitars come back in the soaring chorus of “Keep Your Love Away,” culminating in a strained ‘I don’t want to break your heart, cuz you’re a work of art.’ Led by an acoustic guitar, the much slower ballad, “She Likes,” could be played at a wedding. Finally, the title track starts with the story of a destitute songwriter struggling for inspiration before ringing guitars and drums turn it into a rock-based revelation with chip-tune effects. ‘I am the one who writes the songs,’ he marvels.
Perfect For: Connecting with your inner artist. – By Parker Learman-Blaauw
Website: https://jacobmcleodmusic.com/
Listen: “Keep Your Love Away”
Saxsquatch & The Bridge Band
“Perigee”
What Stands Out: “Perigree” is the final offering from a Kalamazoo staple in the music community, Saxsquatch & The Bridge Band. Fans around the region can enjoy this group’s heartwarming genre soup, letting different influences and flavors shine among their musicianship. Improvisational jams are bookended by groovy, driving hooks, tender moments and an organic feeling recording that places you right in the studio with this electric live band.
Digging Deeper: This record caps off an impressive 13-plus-year run and a host a lineup changes, with shows ranging from local headlining features to opening for internationally touring acts like Kneebody. It cements this band as a fixture of West Michigan culture, with many of its members, past and present, popping up in acts around the region like Fake Baseball and Great Lakes Brass alongside many guest features. The group’s longtime leader and the Saxsquatch himself, Jarad Selner, continues the fearlessly creative spirit that first catalyzed this group, with the many folks that have collaborated with The Bridge Band moving on to newer adventures of their own while steeped in passionate music making.
Perfect For: One last hurrah for fans of the band and a dozen reasons to keep up with where they are all heading next. – By Dutcher Snedeker
Website: https://saxsquatch.net/
Listen: “Species II”
Finding Amelia
“Onwards and Upwards”
What Stands Out: Finding Amelia’s debut album suggests something refreshing, new and exciting in development. The Grand Rapids modern rock and pop band introduces its new project (previously the band Manhattan) with “I Feel Alive,” about the younger generation’s dreams of change contrasted with the old generation’s stagnancy and resistance. These are big self-assessments, but Finding Amelia is not afraid to try for excellence. “Onwards and Upwards” takes the listener on a tour of alt-rock angles.
Digging Deeper: If “Midwest alt-rock” evokes moody, musing folk, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the crunchy, spunky album evocative of ’90s alt-rock. Vocalist Sam Mann’s sensitive voice gels the album tonally together, though the vocals occasionally feel disjointed from the rhythm like in “Just Friends?” Some lines are also easier to swallow than others: “You’re even in my coffee’s cream” represents a slightly corny, heavy-handed lyricism. But while some parts don’t land perfectly, Finding Amelia goes all out on everything it tries. “I Feel Alive” has a stadium rock sensibility, “Just Friends?” evokes The Killers with elements of fantasy progressive rock, “Paper Planes” lends itself to comparison with Fitz and the Tantrums, and “The Black Box” adds a little heavy metal atmosphere. “Last Word” and “Miss You” are slightly clunky, thoughtful rock ballad-toned songs sandwiching suddenly energetic tracks “Daybreak” and “Neon Nights.” The tracks, therefore, stay fresh. The spiky guitar is the standout element, both carrying and complementing the songs’ concepts and vocals. Especially for a debut, “Onwards and Upwards” is spectacularly produced, sounding refined and clean. Ultimately, the fast-paced, energetic tracks are the strongest. It’s easy to imagine a crowd of dancing, cheering fans to “Neon Nights” and “Daybreak.”
Perfect For: A respite of moody but optimistic escapism, sinking into whatever track reflects your mood. – By Cassandra Kipp
Website: https://www.modernprodigies.com/findingamelia
Listen: “The Black Box”
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