For the past six years bands have come and gone locally as well as regionally, but Scott Baker & The Universal Expressions remain passionate and explorative about their music. Upon releasing their sophomore effort Details & Desire in the fall of 2010, SBUE cross the line when it comes to style. Classic Eclectic/Acoustic Electric, the band has made its name by writing quality songs first. One should look no further than the cuts on Details & Desire. From the psychedelia of 'Last Goodbye', the straight rock of 'Statues' (which is the first upcoming single), the Americana of 'Gettin' There', or the hauntingly spacious and quiet sounds in 'Timeless', the band does rely on a single style, but have created a melting pot of its own.
"I wanted to focus on songwriting for this release," said band leader Scott Baker. "We worked hard to focus on the rhythm section groove and make the best out of each song."

'Then/Now' takes the band into new directions rhythmically, while 'So Aglow' boasts a 6/8 jam section in the middle of the rocker. Exploring the electric sides and acoustic tones of the band has helped shape the sounds into a songwriter's top-shelf; a little bit of everything and it's all the good stuff. The rest of the CD continues to bring rock and acoustic craft. 'Compass' is the group's first instrumental as well.

Comprised of Timmy Scott on drums, Pete Socha on bass, and Baker on vocals/guitar, the group has played everywhere around the state of Michigan over the past half-decade. They have also shared the bill with legendary musicians as well as headlined festivals. A little luck and a leap of courage has helped this group moving forward.

Releasing their debut CD Between Seasons in November of 2007, the music was a foray into singer/songwriter rock with a classic rock penchant. Throw in some modern day jam-rock chops and agile, witty, personal, and deep lyrics, Baker's songs run the gamut in every aspect, offering something for everyone. Songs were featured on NPR in Michigan as well as Z93.3 WKQZ. Chance Meeting featured former Norah Jones guitarist Adam Levy along with the band, giving a high watermark to the recording.

In a complete concert evening, The Universal Expressions handpick favorite cover songs reaching back over 30 years to as close as just the past year, for inspirational and majestic versions of favorite songs and one-hit wonders. Artists covered include Tom Petty, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Neil Young, George Harrison, The Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones, The Band, among many others.

"As funny as it sounds, I have found a correlation between local musicians that create their own music and independent craft breweries," laughed Baker. "Each of us that continue to pour our hearts and souls into our 'craft' reminds me of the great individual brewers around the states. The Midwest is synonymous for its regionalized flavors and I think finding a great local band, statewide or regionally, is very much the same thing. Each section has some great original music and you usually have to dig around to hear it. The ones that are the strongest will continue onward and hopefully branch out deeper across the region. It only makes sense." Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.