New releases by the West Michigan artists joined recordings by Djangophonique and Ficus as the most-played local/regional releases at WYCE (88.1 FM) in October.
An ‘Underground’ Band Finding a Receptive Audience: The B-Sides (Photo/Eric Stoike)
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The latest albums from Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Cole Hansen and retro-rock band B-Sides boast the attention-getting titles, “Vote for Love” and “Herald’s Missing the Funny Pages.”
But it’s the music contained within these striking recordings that have really captivated radio programmers and listeners alike – from Hansen’s personal and insightful indie-folk to the B-Sides’ ‘60s-pop-fueled rock ‘n’ roll gems.
Both albums made their Local Spins Hot Top 5 debut in October, with Hansen’s collection entering the chart at No. 3 and the B-Sides’ project at No. 5.
Ann Arbor acoustic swing and jazz manouche band Djangophonique held onto the No. 1 spot for the third month in a row, and Grand Rapids psych-rock band Ficus moved up from No. 5 to No. 4 with its self-titled EP.
Alt-folk’s The Accidentals also found themselves in the Hot Top 5 again – this time at No. 2 with the collaborative “Reimagined” that the Traverse City trio recorded with the Kaboom Collective Studio Orchestra, a youth orchestra from Cleveland that laid down symphonic takes of classic Accidentals tracks.
For Tommy Schichtel, guitarist for the B-Sides, surf-rock’s The Concussions and owner of Grand Rapids’ Goon Lagoon studio, regional support for “Herald’s Missing the Funny Pages” “means everything” to the band.
“The Concussions have always been popular locally which I’m extremely happy about, but the B-Sides have always been a bit more underground,” he pointed out.
“Most people would never have a clue it’s basically The Concussions with vocals and a different drummer (Pete Curry, who also performs with Los Straitjackets). The fact that it is being requested and played like it is floors me. It’s always sugar town when you work on something like this and it gets legs outside of your circle.”
Schichtel added that he loves that the band can be “so sincere” on some tracks and “outrageous” on others (such as “Love Underground”).
Cole Hansen (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
“The other thing is being able to create such different tracks with my brother (Chris) and two of my best friends (Dave Stanton and Curry),” he said, noting that the band already is working on another record.
“We just have the best chemistry recording and playing. It’s so easy with these guys.”
For Hansen, finding success on the Grand Rapids community radio station with listeners and programmers makes it “an absolute honor” to make the Hot Top 5 chart.
“There is so much incredible talent in this town,” she said. “I feel grateful and blessed to have this kind of support. It feels like God or the universe telling me I am on the right path, continuing to record and release music.”
Although it’s already been released to radio, “Vote for Love” officially debuts on on all platforms Sunday (Nov. 6) when Hansen also hosts a 7:30 p.m. release show at Midtown in Grand Rapids (formerly Listening Room), with Izubel opening the evening. Tickets are $20 and available online here.
Hansen plans to start working on her third album later this month.
THE HOT TOP 5 ON BANDCAMP: October 2022
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