Tom Curless and Chip Saam anticipate life’s twists and turns and adjust their plans and perspectives accordingly on Consequences & Detours, the new album by their band, Crossword Smiles.

“At this point in our lives, we start to have a different perspective on life,” said Curless, who lives south of Flint in the town of Grand Blanc.

“You start to see things a little higher at a 30,000-foot view. I’ve lost people, I’ve lost my parents, and all of a sudden, you say, ‘Wow, life seems a little bit different now.’”

That wise perspective permeates Crossword Smiles’ songwriting on its sophomore release, which features 11 tracks about anticipation, disappointment, and discovery.

“I don’t think you can get away from it,” said Saam, who previously lived in Dexter and now resides in the West Michigan town of Dimondale. “If you’re making music and writing songs, some of your life is going to seep into it. There are some specific references to things like in ‘Typical Waving Goodbye.’ I lost a buddy … and I didn’t know when I was saying goodbye to him that I was saying goodbye for good.”

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features synth-pop by Same Eyes, European folk duets by Warren & Flick, a videogame soundtrack by Cereza64, imaginary movie soundtracks by An Angel Submerged, and Latin-steeped hip-hop beats by Gusmão.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features jazz by Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet and Elden Kelly, metalcore by Loss of Life, hyperpop by Scoops Lively, emo-punk by Normal Park, and live jams by Pajamas.

Jess Merritt no longer silences her inner voice.

The Ann Arbor singer-songwriter follows her instincts and unleashes her authentic self on Wild in Me.

“It’s been a big journey,” said Merritt, aka Jess Oberholtzer, about her new folk-rock-soul EP.

“Over the past five years or so … I went through a divorce, the pandemic, and coming out. It’s been a real transformative time. I look back, and I’m so grateful that I took those steps because I feel so much closer to my true self now. Even though things are a little bit scary as far as what the future holds, I just feel solid in myself.”

Merritt embraces that bold mindset through an honest and inspirational collection of songs about self-discovery, growth, and freedom. The four tracks on Wild in Me come to life through soulful vocals, cathartic lyrics, and soaring instrumentation.

Joe Reilly has been a big hit with the Ann Arbor-area kids for nearly two decades. They know him from his many performances at local schools, libraries, and music workshops, and they love him for his songs celebrating awesome animals, the wonders of nature, and the importance of our connection to the earth and each other.

On Saturday, May 17, he’s throwing a free family concert at The Ark that will pair his big-hearted, interactive show with a celebration of Indigenous culture. Joe Reilly and his band, the Community Gardeners, will perform alongside the All Nations Dancers, a group of Anishinaabe pow-wow dancers from Mount Pleasant.

The University of Michigan grad's music is gentle and generous in spirit, drawn from traditional folk and blues to encourage sing-alongs, and spiked with the lyrical flow of hip-hop to keep it real. His easy rapport with his tiny audience members leads them to learn while they play, like a Buddhist Mister Rogers whose essence is his greatest lesson.

Sponsored by Ann Arbor Public Schools, The Ark event launches at 11:30 am with a catered lunch provided by local Indigenous vendor Anishinaabe Meejim, followed an hour later by music and dance. Per The Ark, pre-registration is “strongly encouraged.”

I asked Reilly a few questions about "There’s a Place for You in the Circle" featuring Joe Reilly and The Community Gardeners with the All Nations Dancers.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features beat-driven ambient by Jason Engling, gothic-folk by Dollie Rot, folk by Dave & Kristi, organ experiments by Latimer Rogland, and gritty vaporwave by Delos Prismatic.

The Monday Mix is an occasional roundup of compilations, live recordings, videos, podcasts, and more by Washtenaw County-associated artists, DJs, radio stations, and record labels.

This edition features sights and sounds from Fans With Bands interviewing Mazinga, performances from the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, a MEMCO mix from DJ Art, and viral TikTok fella DJ DC.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features jazz-steeped indie by Mei Semones, hip-hop soul by Nadim Azzam, Americana by Bill Edwards, '60s-style folk-rock by Chip Kramer, and jazz-dada jams by Tinn Parrow and His Clapfold Platune.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features R&B from Vonsíwel, a Whitney Houston cover from French Ship, piano ambiance by Optigan Conservatory, hip-hop from M.I.C. Book & HUES, and modern dance/hyperpop by GVMMY.

After a couple of years helping to promote his friends' electronic dance music nights in Washtenaw County, Evan Oswald started thinking about ways to grow the local EDM scene. An avid dancer and sometimes DJ, Oswald saw an opening for a regular weeknight happening that didn't take away from what others were already doing well. After some trial and error, he settled on Gear Lords, a monthly Wednesday night series focused on live music production where genre is less important than the means of production; Gear Lords performers create electronic music using hardware—sequencers, synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, etc.

"I was talking about live sets. People that would plug a bunch of pieces of equipment into each other—a bunch of wires and knobs and stuff," Oswald says.

While he admittedly didn't know much about how the music was made at first, and many people told him why it wouldn't work, Oswald pushed ahead as promoter and recruited friend and musician Javan Cain (AKA "OMO") as Gear Lords' resident artist. A year and a half later, Gear Lords has hosted around 30 events at a handful of venues around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, building a regular community of performers and patrons along the way. 

"I really just wanted more going on in my neighborhood, and I didn't want to copy other people or step on other people's toes," Oswald says.