Detroit Proud Playlist: Week of 9/14

This week, we're sending you off into the sunset of a beautiful, rainy weekend with a quick playlist you don't want to miss. It's short, sweet and guaranteed to kick-start your day. We have a lot of fun happenings coming up in Detroit music, so don't miss the playlist next week! If you must know, we'll be dishing out some of the awesome bands playing the annual DIY Festival in Ferndale this year! You're too excited to wait that long? We know, we are too, but until then...check these artists out!

1. MPV - "Wrong Girl"

MPV is an alternative rock group that blasts anthemic rock at its finest. Just a warning, this isn't your angsty teen cousin's alternative rock. MPV knows how to bust out some of the catchiest hooks and choruses. In their recently released EP, In Lust We Trust, they bring high-powered, non-conformist rock with a hint of sassiness, and a ton of edge. The drums are groovy, and perfectly compliment the luscious guitar solos, and rhythmic bass runs. This album is unmatched in terms of grit and epic fun. Who knew that sinister and sexy could go together!? It's a real head-banger, so let your hair down and catch them at the UFO Factory on September 23rd in Detroit with Diet Cig and JUNGLEFOWL!

2. Moonwalks - "Judith"

If there's any band that can pull off the original hippie-gypsy vibe of the '60s, it's Moonwalks. Their psychedelic sound is everything loved and cherished by all flower children, but with a modern twist that makes it easy to slip into your usual record rotation. This four-piece knows how to take it to the next level of groovy with some fuzzed-up, drone rock that brings the perfect amount of heaviness to their EP released in November 2014. There's definitely a focus on the instrumentation throughout their tracks, with the vocals slipping in and out of glorious jam sessions. If you're into psychedelic anything (and we mean music, guys), this band is right up your fringed-everything alley.

3. Empty Houses - "Far Away"

Emtpy Houses' single, "Far Away," is a fun and upbeat Motown classic with a vibrant and uproarious sound that is powerful in its vocals and its beat. Empty Houses uses some of the more subtle mechanisms like tambourines and hand-clapping to provide that vintage and warm sound we all love so much. The guitar is vivid, the drums are sharp and snare-filled, while the bass runs are jubilant throughout the entire track, making this a lively and soulful experience that will most certainly cause you to bounce around the room. We're a sucker for the impassioned vocals, and it's hard to deny those Detroit-roots when you hear them.

4. Jack Ventimiglia - "Adams Street"

Like an opening score to the most feel-good, intellectual movie you've ever watched, the single "Adam's Street" released this past August by Detroit-native Jack Ventimiglia is a bright, psychedelic, indie-rock treat, with languid electric guitar dancing hand-in-hand with dreamy synth and casual drums. Everything about Ventimiglia's style is thoughtful and relaxed with an air of effortlessness. The chords are sunny and enchanting, which distract from the somewhat somber storyline Jack lays out for us. One of our favorite aspects about this track is the vocals. They carry the same breezy vibe with perfectly executed and soulful harmonies backing-up Ventimiglia's voice and letting it shine. We can't help but feel like we're swimming in a pool of tie-dye while grooving to this single and we're hoping he has more tracks lined up for future releases.

5. Destroy This Place - "The Bees"

Heavy, dirty, fuzzy and jubilant. Are there any other adjectives to describe Destroy This Place? Their single, "The Bees," off of their most recent release, Animal Rites, is chaotic, quick and fiery. The guitars are unrelenting throughout the entire track, with a commotion of drums and bass crammed in to give you that anxious, angsty feeling. If the rest of this album follows suit with the single, we're sure that it will be a wonder to behold in the world of rock enthusiasts. The vocals are crass and biting, rocketing above the calamity of instruments and suspended there in front of your face, so they can't be ignored. We can't wait to see what Destroy This Place has in store for the rest of the album. If you're dying, like us, to find out first-hand, make sure to check out their record release show at the New Way Bar in Ferndale on November 7th!

Is there a Detroit artist you can't get enough of? Let us know! We love hearing about new music/artists/releases in the area.

We enjoy doing interviews too! Click here to see our recent interview with local band, Royale.