Michigan Indie Review

Welcome to Michigan Indie Review. My name is Mitch Phillips (not the voice-over guy) and I've been writing about independent bands from Michigan since before the start of the 21st Century. The reviews that I post here may have already been published on Michigan artists.com, Michiganbands.com or JamRag. They've been salvaged for posterity in case anybody cares and only represent a fraction of the work I did. I hope you can enjoy something from it and feel free to leave message. Back to top .

Music Review: Robb Roy ''Days of Pride & Hunger'' Date: Friday, November 07, 2003 @ 00:00:00 EST Topic: Music Reviews Robb Roy's fourth full-length release, "Days of Pride & Hunger", offers fourteen new songs, one video by a White-Striped director, one jingle for an SUV-on-steroids, four cameos by local artists and nearly enough blood, sweat and tears to destroy one of Michigan's most beloved indie rock bands forever. Read Mitch Phillips' review of this important local release. It made him laugh, it made him cry, it made him ask Brittany Spears, "Oh why, oh why?" Click "Read More" below. Band:Robb Roy Release:Days of Pride & Hunger Release Date: Oct. 21, 2003 Recorded At: The Cleaners, Studio Seven, Studio Select (Detroit) Produced by: Jason Keuhn Band Members: Graham Strachan (vocals), Michael Kudreiko (guitars), John Cottos (bass), Duane Huff (drums) Additional Musicians: Jill Jack, Pat Brennan, Chris Codish, Ch...

Music Review: The Hopescope ''Bring In The Sun'' Date: Saturday, October 11, 2003 @ 23:30:00 EDT Topic: Music Reviews Tortured by the role strain created by his neurotic need to please people and his ethical duty to give an honest opinion, Mitch Phillips' personality splits right down the middle in a temporary manifestation of review-induced schizophrenia. The Hopescope's "Bring In The Sun: A Five Year Journal" chronicles five years in the life of songwriter Eric Empson and his long journey from west-coast wanna-be to a self-realized soul. From unrequited love to the bottom of a bottle, Empson's musical diary is full of hard knocks. But where he eventually finds grace in The Divine, Mitch's altar ego only finds solace in the soothing sound of the waves. Band: The Hopescope CD: Bring In The Sun: A Five Year Journal Year: 2003 Label: Marathon Records Produced by: Jeff Elbel Band Members: Eric Empson - lead vocals tracks 1,3,6,9 & background...

Music Review - Immigrant Blue (self-titled) Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 @ 13:20:00 EDT Topic: Music Reviews True, Immigrant Blue has already received some love here on MB (see Jeff Halicki's review here) but some things just bear repeating. Immigrant Blue's eight-song debut is something special and I'd hate for you to miss out on adding it to your local collection because we didn't plug it more than once. With that in mind, Mitch revisits Immigrant Blue's debut and includes a track by track analysis with samples. Band - Immigrant Blue Recorded at - Sound Stage 1 (Climax, MI.) Mastered at - Masterfonics (Nashville, TN) Produced by - Sean Mansell & Immigrant Blue Band Members - Sean Mansell (keys / vocals), Chris Frankenhauser & Rob Clark (Guitars), Jon Moody (bass), David Perry (drums). If it's true there are limited archetypes in rock & roll, Immigrant Blue seems to have taken over where 70's progressive-pop hit-makers Sup...

Super Model-T: Something For Your Misery Date: Monday, September 15, 2003 @ 21:54:44 EDT Topic: Music Reviews In the past three years I’ve brought home a lot of local CD’s. I play them while I do the dishes, while my daughter does her homework and while my wife cleans up after the both of us. Whenever I leave the house, I make sure to bring one along so I can get acquainted with a disc before I do a review. Since I’m terminally disorganized, CD’s end up all over the damn place; in the living room, in my office, in my truck and even in my wife’s car. Eventually (and thanks to her indulgence) they find their way back to my office desk in a heaping pile. Except for one, that is . . . For some reason, I couldn’t find my copy of Super Model-T’s “Something For Your Misery”. It wasn't in the CD player in the living room. It wasn't on my desk hiding under a pile of unpaid bills and review notes. Perhaps in the console of my truck? Not there either. Damn. Where did I put that disc? ...

Review of Space Nelson's Evil Computer From The Future Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 @ 13:10:00 EDT Topic: Music Reviews Although the title “Evil Computer From The Future” actually refers to a strange sound Pete Hoperspberger squeezed out of his synthesizer one day (and I say ‘squeezed’ because said computer is depicted by a menacing chrome juicer on the CD cover), could it also be a reference to the "machine" that churns out formulaic fashion-pop for the music industry year after god-awful-year? Thankfully, we have Space Nelson to fight that diabolical device and boldly go where few local bands fear to tread - and where even fewer succeed. Band: Space Nelson CD: "Evil Computer From The Future" Label: Tralfaz Records Released: 2002 Recorded at: Padded Cell (Steve Szanja) and MPA Studios (Chuck Alkazian) Members:John Piasentin (guitar & vocals); ; Gary Lock (bass guitar) Eric “Fish” Fischer (drums); and Pete Hopersberger (keys & vocals). On Spa...

Music Review: ''Nobody's Gotta Know'' by Donkey Punch Date: Saturday, May 31, 2003 @ 14:25:00 EDT Topic: Music Reviews Band: Donkey Punch CD: Nobody's Gotta Know Released: 2003 Produced by: Ben Began @ 40 oz Sound (Ann Arbor) except track 4, produced by Mike Relay @ Secret Studio Mastered at: Solid Sound Band Members: Eric Day (vocals & keys), Aaron Brink (guitar), Christopher Lee (bass), Todd Waters (drums), Brian Drake (trumpet), Todd Bauer (additional trumpet), Garrett Mendez (trombone). Click "Read More" below for Mitch's review. review by Mitch Phillips So I'm at this fancy house party seeing how the other half lives (indoor heated swimming-pool, his & hers new SUV's, plasma-screen tv, and a new boat on a man-made lake surrounded by plush green lawns), and I strike up a conversation with the only person at this party whose net-worth is currently less than mine; the hostess' 18 yr old niece who is now jobless between sem...

Music Review: Long Black Sedan's ''Lousiana Prison'' Date: Friday, May 23, 2003 @ 14:50:00 EDT Topic: Music Reviews Band: Long Black Sedan CD: Louisiana Prison Recorded at: Soundcamp Recording Studio Produced by: Steve Presti and LBS Band Members: Dylan Dunbar (guitar and vocals), Joe Nestico (guitar), Jack Schneider (drums), Jeremy Grenier (bass) Click "Read More" for Mitch's review. Long Black Sedan create hillbilly rock for the tequila and tattoo set who live for ass-kickin', lick-oriented, guitar-based music that pounds you from the speakers. Their latest release, Louisiana Prison, is characterized by the raw vocal shreddings of Dylan Dunbar and the potent blues-infused lead-guitar work by both he and Joe Nestico. This CD takes me back to the southern-fried, red-neck bands I grew up with such as pre-eighties ZZ Top (track 6 "The Other Side"), Molly Hatchett, Lynard Skynard and Blackfoot (track 5, "I'm Not The One" nea...

Music Review: A Heap O' Livin' by The Beggars Date: Thursday, April 10, 2003 @ 19:35:00 EDT Topic: Music Reviews Thanks to the impeccable taste of Kilkenny's Nick Woods, I had the good fortune to witness a last-minute performance by Royal Oak garage rockers The Beggars at the Frank J Calcaterra American Legion Post 386 in Eastpointe. From an ad-hoc set-up on the dance floor, The Beggars up-staged Kilkenny at their own CD release party (man, the nerve!). The show was great, but their debut ep, entitled "A Heap 'O Livin", is even better - the best thing I've heard since Kilkenny's ep. Click "Read More" for a quick, gushing review, applicable links and show dates. On their debut ep A Heap O Livin', The Beggars have distilled the essence of the garage movement in just four tracks of stripped-down, retro-fied, invigorated rock. The make the best use of vintage instruments like a Farfisa organ and Rickenbacker twelve-string electric to creat...

Music Review: Trailer Park Barbie's ''About Ready'' Date: Friday, April 04, 2003 @ 18:05:00 EST Topic: Music Reviews As Donald Rumsfeld has proven over and over again, you don't win many friends by assaulting people with your honest opinions (The truth? The Truth? You can't handle The truth!). Such is life for The Secretary of Defensiveness and a local music critic who finds it hard to love a band that reminds him of his dark and sticky past. With any luck, both of them will find some "Peace" and acceptance in the world. Read Mitch's review of Trailer Park Barbie's debut release "About Ready". Band: Trailer Park Barbie CD: About Ready (debut) Recorded and Mixed at: Laud Productions Engineer: Tim Lau Band Members: Erin Schultz (vocals/bass), Kevin Thomas (guitar), Todd Anthony (drums), J.R. Lamb (added bass and vocals for live performances). Compliments At some point, every red-neck, working-class cover-band won...

Music Review: ''The Real You'' by Chris McCall Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 @ 20:05:00 EST Topic: Music Reviews Almost a year to the month after he'd first received a copy of Chris McCall's debut EP "The Real You", Editor Mitch Phillips probably has the distinction of being the very last one to review this slick seven-track release. He writes... 'Now I've got three CD's, two promo packages...and the guilt of an entire year weighing on my conscience (You dropped the ball, boy-o). I pushed her CD to the front of my list.' Click "Read More" for his review and samples. Artist: Chris McCall CD: The Real You ep Produced by: Jason Kuehn & Chris McCall Recorded at: Harmonie Park Studios by Jason Kuehn Musicians: Chris McCall (vocals, keys), Jason Kuehn (guitar, keys), Don DiDinoto (bass, backing vocals), Ron Otis (drums), John Madison (viola), Johnny Evans (saxophone), Mike Martin (mandolin), Mary McCall, Don McCall, Maureen...

Music Review: The Process ''Blood and Bones'' Date: Saturday, March 08, 2003 @ 10:20:00 EST Topic: Music Reviews In the face of a probable war with Iraq, it's fitting to come across a CD with a political point of view that dissents from American realpolitik. "Blood & Bones" by The Process (their eighth full length release since '91's "Mystery Babylon") is thought-provoking in it's politics, reverent in it's spiritualilty and contagious in it's Jah-makin' back-beat. Editor Mitch Phillips goes off on a political bent in another one of his long reviews. Three song samples included. Click "Read More" below. Band: The Process CD: Blood & Bones Produced by: The Process & Gee Pierce Recorded at: U be U Production House, Saginaw, MI. Engineered by: Gee Pierce Musicians: Davide Asher - vocals; Garrick Owen - guitars; Bill Heffelfinger - bass, keyboards; Sam Metropoulos - drums. "Blood & Bones...

Music Review: ''The Upstairs Chronicles'' by Almost Famous Date: Saturday, February 22, 2003 @ 08:41:53 EST Topic: Music Reviews Almost Famous may not win a Grammy Award for their CD, "The Upstairs Chronicles", but they get my vote for "Most Patience With an Online Indie Publication While Awaiting a Stupid Review" (I'm afraid to even look at the post-mark on that envelope). In any case, this eight-song debut is the result of the trio's foray into pop music while matriculating at The University of Michigan - that liberal bastion of affirmative action and war protestations that I would donate my kidneys to attend. Is my envy showing? On to the review... Band: Almost Famous CD: The Upstairs Chronicles (debut) Released: November, 2002 Members: Ben Diesel (lead vocals and guitar), David J. Yu (guitar and noises), Charlie Naebeck (bass & vocals). Additional drumming: Lindsay Williams Management: Ruth Naebeck for Ntertainment Group, Inc. The ...

It was way back in January of 2003 at Radiocraft's [IN STEREO] CD release party at The Magic Bag where I was twice surprised by Tripper. First, that they had delivered such a sizable following (who promptly dispersed after their set), and two, that they closed with "Lets Go Crazy" by Prince. I admit to being a bit mystified by both occurrences. But Tripper's modern acousti-pop vibe was tight and "Yesterday, Today and Friday" is radio-ready - which isn't necessarily a compliment. Click "Read More" below. Band: Tripper CD: Yesterday, Friday & Today Produced by: Dave Feeny, Jim Kissling & Tripper Recorded at: The Tempermill, Ferndale Band Members: Frank Buscemi (vocals, guitars, harmonica, mandolin, keys), Steve Marvicsin (guitars, vocals, keys), Ken Thomas (drums, vocals, percussion), Steve "Sky" Walker (bass, vocals) Guest Musicians: Aaron Berch - piano on "One Summertime"; Jill Jack - backing vocals on "My Ang...