Detroit is famously a tough town, and that shows in the bands that the region has produced, from the roar of bands like the mighty MC5 and The Stooges to The White Stripes’ refreshing of the alt-rock sound and, more recently, Toeheads angst and angularity. So it comes as no surprise that even their more Americana-flavoured and roots-driven bands are threaded through with the same gritty grooves and hard-edged sonics.
J Michael & the Heavy Burden underlines my point precisely, and their latest album, Where We Belong, is a collection of songs made at the collision point of the city and the country, the abrasive sound of timeless rock and roll and more refined acoustica. Less and more, sometimes a lot more.
The title track opens the album, and it explains what I’m talking about far better than my clumsy words ever could …the best music always speaks for itself. Bluesy electric guitars coil and spin around deftly played acoustics, the beat is busy, the basslines propulsive, and the vocals brilliantly layered. As if that weren’t enough, an icing-on-the-cake horn section occasionally breezes through. If that isn’t a song with everything you could need, it will do until one comes along.
By contrast, “Blind Luck Eddie” goes full-on blues-rock but runs on funky grooves so as to keep everything interesting, not to mention danceable and infectious. And with their sonic parameters laid out, J and the gang wander between the two.
“Sue Bear” is a seductive instrumental that is both chiming and charming, dexterous and delicious. “Soul Chemistry” walks surefootedly along the soul-rock divide, and “Hard Lesson” blends country and singer-songwriter vibes with balladic, heartland rock to perfection.
Detroit has faced some tough times, but those challenges, hardships, and frustrations have always made their way into its music, making it stronger and unique.
In a world of Nashvilles, be more Detroit!
