Acoustic Alternatives – Details, episodes & analysis

Another emerging artist from the rich Michigan music scene is my guest on this episode of Acoustic Alternatives. 18 year old Kanin Wren has already captivated large audiences as a tribute artist. Now she's ready to start releasing more of her original music. It's good. It's really good. Meet Kanin Wren from Dewitt, MI on this episode of Acoustic Alternatives.

Songs include:

Hell or Minnesota (written by Aron Rosing)

Could've Been (written by Kanin Wren)

I Was There (cowritten by Lauren Veil and Kanin Wren)

Cry Baby (written by Kanin Wren)

Learn more about Kanin Wren.

Subscribe to all things Acoustic Alternatives (and find the Liz Longley session I mention herein).

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Steven Page is not just another great guest to me. He sings on one of my top 15 albums of all time, Gordon. He's a multiple Juno award winner and Grammy nominee with his former band Barenaked Ladies. As part of that group he's sold over 15 million albums and singles and is in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

There is so much more I could have talked about with this gifted singer and songwriter. So many awesome experiences he's had that I didn't have time to ask about (opening for The Who for example), but I think if you are already a fan, you'll still learn a thing or two you didn't know. If you aren't already a fan, welcome to the club.

All songs written by Steven Page:

What a Good Boy (co written by Ed Robertson)

A New Shore (co written with Craig Northery)

The Golden Age of Doubling Down

Over Joy (co written with Stephen Duffy)

More about at this link Steven Page

More about all things Acoustic Alternatives related HERE

And it doesn't happen without Grove Studios.

I've been waiting years to present this episode. It's been ten years in between releases for Yspilanti, MI's, Adam Plomaritas. As soon as I started doing this podcast I told him "I want to do something when that next release is ready"

It's been worth the wait. The EP, Old Time Love, is A+ excellent. It's got a full band and horns, unlike these stripped down performances, but you can hear the voice and the songs in all their glory from Adam's basement studio.

Songs include:

"All I Need Is You"

"Love On Your Side"

"Love Me Better"

"How Does It Feel"

All songs written by Adam Plomaritas.

https://www.adamplomaritas.com/

More about Acoustic Alternatives:

https://johnmbommarito.wixsite.com/johnbommarito/acoustic-alternatives

Raised in Manitowoc, WI, but now calling Ann Arbor, MI home, Judy Banker is set to release her fourth record, Bonafide, on November the 4th. Filled with deeply personal lyrics and backed by a great band, this new release, produced by her son Ben, is her best yet in my opinion.

Learn more about the four sides of Judy (singer/songwriter, photographer, psychologist and non-profit founder) in this conversation that also includes performances of three new songs:

"Taciturn Heart"

"Bonafide"

"After It Ends"

all songs written by Judy Banker. More at https://www.judybanker.com/

Support me on Patreon and find out more about Acoustic Alternatives at https://johnmbommarito.wixsite.com/johnbommarito/acoustic-alternatives

Recorded at Grove Studios on Oct 17, 2023

Special guest...some cricket that wandered in at the end.

Jeff Daniels has done many things on screens and stages in his career. One of the things he has done that hasn't gotten as much attention as his roles in The Newsroom, To Kill a Mockingbird or Dumb and Dumber is playing music on stages and studios.

He's been putting out albums since 2004 and, on many occasions when I was a DJ at WHFR in Dearborn, I've played his music on my radio program. Take your negative preconceptions about an actor picking up and guitar and singing and put them away. He's good. Damn good.

His son Ben has also been releasing albums with his Ben Daniels Band since 2008. He's also a talented recording engineer. In the home studio on Jeff's property, the two of them collaborated on Audible Original audio program called "Alive and Well Enough." If you choose to listen, and I recommend you do, you will be treated to stories and songs from Jeff's life.

We sat down on September 25, 2023 in the same studio the audio book was recorded and discuss that and more. You'll also hear:

When My Fingers Find Your Strings (written by Jeff Daniels)

A new as of yet untitled song by Ben Daniels

The Good On The Bad Side Of Town (by Jeff and Ben Daniels)

Mile 416 (written by Jeff Daniels)

More information about Jeff's music: https://www.jeffdaniels.com/

Ben's music: https://www.bendanielsband.com/

My playlists and podcasts: https://johnmbommarito.wixsite.com/johnbommarito/acoustic-alternatives

Find the Alive and Well Enough here:

https://www.audible.com/pd/Alive-and-Well-Enough-Podcast/B0CDCPB67X?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

Goldpine is a Nashville based duo who I first heard this year at a festival. It was a cold day in June, but they performed their hearts out.

Once you hear Kassie's voice, you'll instantly hear what brings me in. It's hers, but it's familiar. The songs are strong and the stories are really good.

She and Ben have been married 14 years and live a good part of the year in their home on wheels. Like all good bands, they have a back story that's important to understanding their present. You might even hear some crying.

Songs (written by Benjamin and Kassie Wilson):

Do You Have Me?

Thinking About Love

The Human Invasion

Find out more about them at https://goldpinemusic.com/home

Support me on Patreon and learn about the other things I do on MY WEBSITE

Recorded at Grove Studios

A extraordinary duo from the south comes north for the Acoustic Alternatives Podcast to preview songs from their forthcoming album and talk about their lives and career.

Pete and Crystal Demore are Ordinary Elephant. Crowded around two condenser microphones at 9 p.m. at night is nothing new from this duo. It was a great experience for me and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

All songs written by Ordinary Elephant

I Come From

Relic of the Rain

Scars We Keep

Once Upon A Time

Find Ordinary Elephant HERE or their PATREON

I am also on Patreon. I could use your support.

Recorded on Sep 6, 2023 at in Ypsilanti, MI

The Young Fables are a duo from Nashville recommended to me by their manger. Their manager happens to be the husband of one of my favorite artists (Liz Longley), so thank you Patryk Larney!

He sent me their catalog for review and I felt like I had been missing out for years. All three records are super strong efforts. When Patryk gave me a sneak peak at a film about the writing of one of the songs included in our session, "Daddy's Girl", I knew I had to talk to them.

The audio for the songs needed help and I got it from Sean Morse from The Mission Recording Studio. That's why they sound significantly better than the rest of the session. Same recording device as the interview, just in the hands of someone who knew what to do with them.

Songs included:

Drive (L. Wright, W. Lunsford)

Daddy's Girl (L. Wright, W. Lunsford, D. Fields. P. Larney)

Just Good at Hurtin' (L. Wright, W. Lunsford)

House of the Lord (L. Wright, W. Lunsford, D. Fields. M. Smith)

Visit The Young Fables on the web

Recorded at Grove Studios:

Support me on Patreon and find out more about Acoustic Alternatives:

https://johnmbommarito.wixsite.com/johnbommarito/acoustic-alternatives

My first podcast guest from "across the pond" is the 25 year old Scottish singer Iona Fyfe. Drawing from the Celtic identity of her homeland, her beautiful voice helps paint imagery in your mind's eye of far off lands. She's quite an accomplished, intelligent and talented performer who is absolutely delightful to talk to.

In 2021, she became the first singer to win the coveted title of Musician of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. It was an absolute pleasure to spend an hour chatting with her.

Songs include:

Bonny Udny

Scotland Yet (written by Davy Steele)

The Waters Meet

For more information and to purchase her music Visit Ionafyfe.com

More information about how to support Acoustic Alternatives via Patreon visit johnbommarito.com

Thanks as always to my partners at Grove Studios!

Extra special thanks to my first patron on Patreon, Stan Garfield and his wife Barb Hayes for opening up their home to me and Iona for not only her to perform a house concert for 50-60 people, but allowing me to use their front room to record this podcast in AFTER the show.

Annie Bacon is a current resident of Ann Arbor, MI, but she's lived on both side of the country before landing there.

With 3 albums, 3 EPs and a single released since 2009, Annie is ready to take big leaps forward with two new albums and a book in the works as well as a musical that she cowrote with Kyle Rasche that could make its debut on stages next year if she's lucky.

Hear her new single, a track from one of the forthcoming albums and two from her most recent album in this podcast recorded at Grove Studios.

All songs written by Annie Bacon:

When Will I Learn

Gallatin Pike

California Heat

I Wanna Die Like Lou Reed

Find Annie on line here:

https://www.anniebacon.me/home

Find out more about Acoustic Alternatives and how you can support me via Patreon:

https://johnmbommarito.wixsite.com/johnbommarito/acoustic-alternatives

Much love to my podcast home, Grove Studios:

https://grovestudios.space/