Michigander - “Misery"

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 5

Pairs Well With…Keane, San Fermin, Of Monsters & Men

Michigander sound ready for arena and festival stages on their 2019 EP Where Do We Go From Here, a five-song collection of tracks that go big with shiny guitars and sing-a-long choruses. Their emotional songwriting bridges raw balladry and hook-heavy pop, finding a sweet spot of memorable, mid-tempo rock songs. Notably Michigander weaves bright synth-pop into their songs; they have a true touch for melody by taking relatively simple patterns and exploiting them to their most powerful points. While consistent in their lush, anthemic songwriting, Where Do We Go From Here shows range too - “Circles” incorporates so Southern rock notes while highlight “Misery” recalls 90s alt-rock hits with hints of grunge and soft-pop production creating a sound both pretty and driving. Michigander have amassed a nice back catalog as well since forming a few years back including 2018 EP Midland, almost sounding as a preview of where they’ve quickly evolved. (Kevin McStravick)