The Messenger Birds Are Back With a New EP – Out June 13

Cover Photo By: Jake Mulka (IG: jmulka)

Detroit’s innovative two-piece, The Messenger Birds, are back with something new, and it officially drops this Thursday, June 13. Parker Bengry and Chris Williams have been pretty quiet since their sophomore album Tragic Comedy, but earlier this spring they gave us a taste of what’s coming with their first single in a while, “FAKE LIVES.” For us, we get to have a little insight on what their upcoming EP Grammy Award Winning Album It's All A Blur is going to entail.

If you’re new to The Messenger Birds, get ready to dig into something that I would call pretty unique. Their sound blends some raw rock energy with experimental twists, and somehow– despite being just two people, they make it feel huge. The band first formed in 2014 after years of jamming together, and they've built a reputation for full-sounding live sets that really showcase what they’re capable of. They've hit festivals like Shiprocked, Mo Pop, and Louder Than Life, and their last tour run was back in May 2024.

Now they’re officially back, and the new EP brings in some fresh flavors: synths, heavy drums, gritty textures, and atmospheric vocals that carry a lot of emotion. It definitely still feels like rock, but it’s more evolved—layered and textured in a way that feels modern without losing that signature Messenger Birds edge. Fans of their debut Everything Has to Fall Apart Eventually will catch some familiar sounds, especially the echoing tone that helped “Phantom Limb” hit over 10 million streams on Spotify.

What stands out to me the most is how much sound these two manage to create. The production feels intentional, detailed—like every musical layer creates an ocean of reason. The EP feels like a piece of art, honestly. And I have to shout out Williams’ drumming in particular because his rhythms always seem to hit exactly where your brain wants them to.

Each song has its own personality but still fits into The Messenger Birds world. Some feel moodier and slow-building, while others lean into something more deliberately chaotic. A lot of it gives off that festival-at-sundown energy—you know, when the sky’s turning gold and the music starts to pull you into a trance.

Lyrically, the EP has a lot to say—themes of disillusionment, frustration, and some despair all show up here. Their lyrics have always leaned poetic and socially aware, and that continues in this release. Bengry’s vocals, smooth and steady, add this emotional contrast to the heavy instrumentals. This was emphasized most on one track that really stuck out for me, “REPRISE”. It’s got a great build-up, and then right near the end there’s this massive crash of sound that really hits. That track had me thinking, yeah these guys really got it.

Overall, this EP has a great balance of energy—it pushes, pulls, breathes, and crashes out when it needs to. Whether you’ve been following the band for years or just now checking them out, this one’s worth the listen. It’s a little weird, a little heavy, but overall very cool.

If you want to catch it live, The Messenger Birds are playing The Loving Touch in Ferndale, MI on August 9, alongside the acts Gloomco. and Bad Magnets.