Recordings
Love + Rain (2023)
The title of this brand new album by Annie & Rod Capps comes from recurring threads that connect the light-hearted observations and playful love songs that showed up over the past couple of years. Annie’s songwriting style often takes on a conversational tone and the album kicks off with “Mr Crow” where you’ll find her contemplating a past life as a bird. “Old Spice & Patchouli” and “Bell Bottoms & Leather” both look at the old adage “opposites attract” and how love works in mysterious ways. A trip to New Orleans inspired the lament “Lightning Strike” about our attraction to things and people that are bad for us. “Little Black Dress” and “We Need the Rain” tip the hat to a dear friend who passed away suddenly while exploring the bigger picture of how the hard times allow us to appreciate the good times. “The Way It Goes” and “Anything But You” both dance with the notion that complaining is pointless and though she never actually comes out and says the words, there is a deeper message of gratitude just below the surface in all of these songs.
When They Fall (2019)
When They Fall, hit the streets in September of 2019, debuting at #5 on the Folk Radio Charts with the #1 song once again featured Mike Shimmin on drums. Producing what many have called their best work to date, the Capps’ set out to make a sonically lush and lyrically impactful recording that listeners will feel deeply, joining the band on a journey of emotions and sticking with them to the very last song. Songs written as far back as 2008 and as recently 2018, have come together. Ranging from whimsical and light to moody and dramatic, the songs existed as separate expeditions across life’s bigger questions until the title track, When They Fall, unified them.
“… the music spins hypnotic webs … the compositions are enchanting, all the while the lyrical tales make the best of the human experience. ” – Melissa Clarke, Americana Highways
Searching for Neverland (2015)
Searching for Neverland, their long-anticipated follow-up to their acclaimed 2009 release, My Blue Garden, delivers songs that have been road-tested, finely crafted and meticulously arranged over the past 6 years. By design this album is stylistically diverse, yet the songs work together as a collection of whimsical and smart, reflections and stories. Musically, it retains the familiar Capps sound that meets at the intersection of Americana & Folk with rock, jazz and bluegrass influences.
“Searching For Neverland will easily be one of our top album picks for 2015! Trust me, you want to own this album!” – Al Kniola, The Back Porch, 88.1 WVPE Public Radio
Recorded at Big Sky Recording in Ann Arbor by Geoff Michael and mastered by Glenn Brown at GBP Studios in E. Lansing, Searching for Neverland, features a stellar cast of highly sought after Michigan players; Jason Dennie (Thunderwude) on mandolin and harmony vocals, Dan Ozzie Andrews (Cold Tone Harvest) on bass, Mike Shimmin (the olllam) on drums and Drew Howard (Madcat’s Midnight Blues Journey) on pedal steel and dobro as well as the great jazz drummer, Pete Siers (Paul Keller Orchestra) on several tracks.
“… filled with their best songs and musical performances yet…It is the rare album that allows you to confidently choose any of the tracks. “Searching for Neverland” is one of those albums.” – Bill Keith, Trinity House Theatre and Radio Host
Take Me To the Fair (EP)
“Take Me To The Fair” was released in 2011 as a limited edition EP and features their illustrious trio-mate Jason Dennie on mandolin and vocals. Annie and Rod were itching to return to the studio and record a handful of their newly penned songs like “Pocket Full of Words”, “Take Me To The Fair” and “Pretty Memories”. They also included an instrumental interpretation of an old fiddle tune called “Whiskey Before Breakfast” and redux versions of “In this Town” and “The Ring”. The trio spent an afternoon in the studio around microphones and recorded the entire set of 6 songs live! Only one song has some harmony vocal overdubs. Several of these songs will be enhanced and included on a full length album to be released later in 2014.
My Blue Garden (2009)
Their sixth CD, “My Blue Garden” (2009), features some of their absolute best work to date. The album became a quick favorite of many folk DJs placing it at #2 on the charts with both the #1 and #3 songs for the month. It remains in regular rotation earning them yet another top 40 album this time in 2009.
“With “My Blue Garden”, Annie and Rod Capps have proven themselves to be master gardeners in the area of contemporary folk. All of the songs on the album are stand-outs!” – Lilli Kuzma, Folk Festival, WDCB, Glen Elyn, IL
Seeded with fresh, beautifully crafted songwriting, “My Blue Garden” is a collage of soulful sketches rooted in small town USA, where familiar and accessible characters might be your next door neighbor, a member of the family or a close friend. Co-produced by Glenn Brown (Jeff Daniels, Rachael Davis, Steppin in it) this album features an essential cast of some of Michigan’s finest musicians most prominently, Jason Dennie, a regular addition to their live shows, on virtuoso mandolin and sweet harmony vocals. Drew Howard soars on pedal steel and dobro, and the angelic voices of Rachael Davis and Jan Krist are high points.
“Great songs, well sung with hot licks — can’t beat that combination!”
– Joel Mabus,
In This Town (2007)
2007’s “In This Town” is Annie and Rod Capps’ fifth release and showcases Annie’s most compelling songwriting to date. Folk DJs across the country and abroad added “In this Town” to their playlists placing it in the top 40 on the Folk Radio charts for 2007, with the title track reaching #3 (Aug ’07). It’s a cohesive collection of vignettes told from the perspective of both observer and actor before backdrops ranging from a friendly town cafe to an empty house; a dark bar to a front porch; a jail cell to the wide open road. The result is a melange of simple, evocative stories about familiar human emotions delivered with the appealing mixture of tenderness and sass that is signature Annie.
“Annie and Rod Capps write complex, winding melodies that fit Annie’s delicate voice perfectly. She sings with a relaxed, clean Midwestern twang, sliding you into the middle of lives and situations that are always interesting and dotted with real insight.” – Dave Siglin, The Ark
One Big Show (2005)
from press release written by Whit Hill
With her sweet, wry, perspective on things, Capps puts herself – and a host of other subjects – on a laboratory slide, peers in close, and makes discoveries that ring satisfyingly true. Her fourth album, One Big Show – beautifully crafted with husband and multi-instrumentalist collaborator Rod Capps – features 12 original songs (and one surprising but perfect cover) that explore relationships, war, religious fanaticism, and plenty of that tried and true self analysis at which Annie excels.
Esteemed guests include Detroit-area bassist Pat Prouty (Jan Krist, Whit Hill and the Postcards, the Al Hill Band, the Bettye Lavette Band); C.J. and John Milroy (of the now-defunct Tangerine Trousers); Whit Hill; Jan Krist; David Tamulevich and Michael Hough (of Mustard’s Retreat); dobro whiz Dave Keeney; Toledo drummer Tim Gahagan (also of the Postcards); and their own former drummer/percussionist, Greg Sauceda.
One Big Show offers thoughtful, exuberant songs that have at their core a warm, funky groove and a soulful glow.
Not So Sure (2003)
Annie’s 3rd recording includes such fan favorites at “Mexico” and “Pendulum” finds Annie maturing into more of a story-teller while solidifying her unique, yet accessible acoustic sound. This album is responsible for the launch of their “folk therapy” brand. The Ann Arbor Observer called Annie a “folksinger for the twenty first century using her art to explore the psychology of the individual to engage in a little fret therapy”. Her lyrics are deeply personal, unpretentious and creative and her music is groove-heavy, diverse and genre defying.
