Friday Five is where we highlight music by Washtenaw County-associated artists.

This week feature archival works from electronic artist Sean Curtis Patrick, piano miniatures from Jienan Yuan, screamo from Youth Novel, and polished pop from Weekend Hours and The Kelseys.

Sean Patrick Curtis, Archival Selection - No​.​1
If you mostly know the work of Ann Arbor's Sean Patrick Curtis as meditative music, some of the tracks on Archival Selection - No​.​1 will come as a surprise. The five pieces here evoke everything from industrial and vintage computer music to thriller soundtracks and Patrick's familiar serene ambiance. 

Jienan Yuan, A Promise, A Nightflower
Ann Arbor's Jienan Yuan (aka Chien-An Yuan) wrote five short, simple, gentle piano pieces for his twin girls when they were two-year-olds. He added one more section for his now-teenage kids and released it as this set. Read more about his work as a photographer, musician, and 1473 label here; check out his beautiful video filmed in Saginaw Forest with dancer J. Amber Kao here.

Youth Novel, Youth Novel
Ann Arbor's Youth Novel was only mildly active during its initial run of 2012-2017, but the pandemic brought guitarist Maya Chun, bassist Jon Riley, and new vocalist Nathan Whittle together to complete the songs that make up the band's self-titled debut, which is straight-up screamo hardcore. Chun also does the black metal-ish solo band Blue Noise, which released the Word of Harm album last year. Intense music for intense times.

Weekend Hours, When You're Here
The Ann Arbor-Boston due Weekend Hours compiled their previous four singles and added three new songs for a top-notch mini-album that showcases the band's smart, accomplished songs. Weekend Hours write extremely catchy but complex pop songs that revel in clever arrangments and harmonic playfulness.

The Kelseys, "Can't Go Home Tonight"
Because of their prolific singles output, The Kelseys feel like the house band of Friday Five. Like Weekend Hours, this Ann Arbor trio writes earworms with sophisticated arrangements.

Christopher Porter is a library technician and the editor of Pulp.

Winter Game 2021 code:
WEEKENDHOURS