As fall settles in, Local Spins writers provide takes on three new albums from regional artists. Listen to tracks from each release and see where a couple of these artists will be playing.
Vespa, Roosevelt Diggs, Urphme: New regional music reviewed at Local Spins
Our second — but not our last — fall 2026 roundup of new albums by Michigan artists, includes seasoned musicians and emerging projects.
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West Michigan's music scene
One of those comes from Vespa, which stages a release-show tonight (Saturday) for its studio album at The Stray in Grand Rapids. Get details about that below.
Check out previous Michigan album reviews online here, includingthe lates from Chirp, Spiveyson and The American Hotel System.
Vespa
“Little Monster”
What Stands Out: “Daylight” opens with a dreamy, cinematic introduction that sets the stage for a truly genre-defying, timeless listening experience. Vocalist Sarah VanEerden tends to begin a track showing off her rich lower register with haunting verses that build into an impressive belt. VanEerden’s confident and bold delivery of equally bold, no-nonsense lyrics take center stage, often playing around with unexpected phrasing or including sarcastic and humorous lines (“Falling faster like me on skis, going downhill weak in the knees”). But Rolly Smith’s saxophone melodies are what really push each melody forward. The inclusion of saxophone and flute gives the album a classic feel by bringing in elements of jazz and blues while providing a sense of fluidity and movement to the sound that keeps it from ever feeling rigid or confined to one style.
Digging Deeper: Usually a song’s delivery can’t help but match the tone of the lyrics, but in this case, it feels as if this Grand Rapids band has taken extra care to do so throughout “Little Monster.” The instrumental breaks in “More Than A Child” take on a whimsical and playful energy that build on the lyrical themes of feeling childlike or naive and the fiery lyrics of “Little Monster” are delivered with a little bit of a bite. The most fascinating instance is the difference between the original and alternate versions of “We’re Comin’ Round.” The original version’s fast pace and tongue-in-cheek delivery of witty lines gives the impression of confidence and an unbothered attitude, whereas the alternate version that is tacked onto the end of the album slows the track down significantly and feels a bit like the author is tired of putting up a front and that sense of weariness comes through in the melancholy instrumentation. For Vespa, it seems that capturing one’s thoughts about a situation isn’t quite enough until the whole spectrum of emotion surrounding it has also been represented musically.
Perfect For: Those who enjoy a classic sound with clever songwriting and a modern twist. – By Holly Holtzclaw
Website: https://www.vespatheband.com/
Upcoming Show: Tonight (7 p.m. Saturday, October 24) at The Stray in Grand Rapids, album-release show with Josh Garvelink & Stray Horses and Hunter VanKlompenberg
Listen: “Little Monster”
Roosevelt Diggs
“No Place Like Home”
What Stands Out: Roosevelt Diggs’ latest album makes a bold entrance with “Take My Time,” embodying the West Michigan band’s signature sound of bluesy, rock ’n’ roll-flavored Americana. For those familiar with the Roosevelt Diggs live show experience, it’s easy to picture fans making a beeline for the dance floor at the opening notes of this track. In the songs that follow, however, the band opts for a pace that builds a little more slowly and allows the focus to remain on the lyrical content. Throughout “No Place Like Home,” the group introduces elements of alternative rock (“Sometimes It’s Everything”), bluegrass (“Embers”) and soft, simple folk tunes (“3 Birds”). All of the beloved trademarks of a Roosevelt Diggs project are there in the vocal harmonies, personal lyrics and a few sing-along moments to engage the crowd, but this album — recorded at La Luna Recording and Sound in Kalamazoo and Graham Tones Recording in Grand Rapids — blends them all together in a more refined way than ever before.
Digging Deeper: “Home” means something different to everyone, and for Roosevelt Diggs it holds more than just one meaning. The title track, “No Place Like Home,” explores this duality by initially presenting the idea of being homesick for Michigan even when you’re on a warm, sunny beach miles away, while also alluding to the idea that “home” can represent more than a geographical location. Themes of love, loss and heartbreak recur throughout the project, and it’s refreshing to experience an album full of longer tracks that give themselves time to delve into these emotions and aren’t in a rush to get where they’re going. While there are certainly complexities in the compositions of each track, there is a simplicity to it that allows for reflection and appreciation of the subject matter. The rawness of a track like “3 Birds” on which you can hear birds chirping as well as the squeaks and creaks of the acoustic guitar pairs nicely with the vulnerability that comes through lyrically.
Perfect For: Reflecting on what home means to you, whether it be a person, a place or a combination of both. – By Holly Holtzclaw
Website: https://www.rooseveltdiggs.com/ (More about the band and album in this Local Spins Artist Spotlight.)
Upcoming Show: Nov. 21 at Park Theatre in Holland with Full Cord
Listen: “3 Birds”
Urphme
“Ultimate Rite”
What Stands Out: The solo project of Grand Rapids resident Ephraim Rosalez, Urphme (pronounced “erf-may”) emerged after he spent years playing bass in the metal band, If He Dies He Dies. Rosalez found himself wanting to “make space for the softer sounds I was putting together in my free time.” The resulting album, “Ultimate Rite, creates an atmosphere full ow wonders — ambiguous when it comes to narrative storytelling but cohesive in its melancholic tone and instrumentation. Rosalez tracked all instruments and vocals in his basement, aided by local producer Nick Scott who co-produced and mixed the album, while Brad Boatright handled mastering.
Digging Deeper: Shunning the concept of “three chords and the truth,” Rosalez ditches traditional verse-chorus-bridge structures for tracks that build and fill the space they occupy. “Evercome” serves as the opener for Ultimate Rite, a prologue of sorts. Throughout the album, Rosalez blends analog and digital — from drum sets to drum beats, to piano and synths — running the gamut between old and new. In the same way, he blends antiquity and modernity, musical harshness and beauty, depicted via “Name (Unspoken).” While Rosalez croons with his effects-laced voice accompanied by piano, screeching and heavy percussion lies beneath the mix. Throughout the album, Rosalez speaks of failing relationships, heartbreak and a general sense of melancholy. Perhaps the best example of this is the standout track “DYRWG”, with lyrics such as, “Do you really want to go/do you just not want to try?” The track features a dream-like guitar tone and piano, reinforcing the semi-lucid nature of the song — all enhanced by a beautiful guitar lick after the drum break. The final track, “Not Lost,” closes the album in sullen fashion. While some layers of synths and vocals can feel a bit excessive at times, these superficial flaws can’t compare to the rich textures Rosalez creates within this cohesive collection.
Perfect For: Spacing out, ambient background jams, post-breakup sing-alongs. – By Mitchell Chrapek
Listen: “DYRWG”
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