The Accidentals

(Tony Demin)

The Accidentals, an electrifying, genre-bending trio originally from Traverse City, have just released a new single that gives Michigan's unofficial state song, "My Michigan," a run for its money.

"Michigan and Again" is the band's first single off its forthcoming EP, and the upbeat, folk-tinged tune plays like a sunny-sweet love letter to the Great Lakes State. The song is temporarily available as a name-your-price download on The Accidentals' Bandcamp page.

"It really is kind of a love letter to the state, and a thank you for everyone supporting us," said The Accidentals' Savannah Buist, who wrote the song. "It's a homesick letter, too."

Buist, 20, and fellow multi-instrumentalist Katie Larson, also 20, founded The Accidentals when the two were still in high school. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Dause, 21, was later added to the line-up as the band's drummer, and the trio has been touring extensively the past year, opening for the likes of Andrew Bird, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Brandi Carlisle, and others.

"It's really blown my mind to spend so much time outside the state and see the rest of the country," Larson said. "I love traveling, but it's really made me realize how special our community is in northern Michigan, and how special the [Michigan] music community is."

"Michigan and Again" came to be thanks to an Indiegogo campaign The Accidentals held to help fund their travels to the South by Southwest Music Festival in Texas (where, incidentally, the band was named one of the fest's top breakout bands by Billboard Magazine). The campaign was "a musical garage sale," Buist said, offering up old instruments and other treats -- including a custom song written about any topic -- in exchange for donations. A fan who the band refers to as "Mark from Ludington" bid on the custom song and requested a tune about Michigan.

"We said, 'Wow, why didn't we think of that?'" Buist said. "There's so much we could say about Michigan. The song ended up being about how great it is to come home after being on the road for touring."

The Accidentals are headed into the studio this week to finish recording songs for the rest of their forthcoming EP. After that, they'll be hitting the road for more shows (schedule here), including EP release parties in Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Detroit, Lansing and Kalamazoo in the first week of June. They'll also be making the rounds on the Michigan festival circuit this summer -- where performing their homesick home-state tribute might feel just that much more meaningful.

"What we want people to take away from this song is that we are so grateful for where we came from, and we'll never lose sight of that," Larson said. "It's just a funny little state shaped like a mitten, and it's got so much to offer. It's incredible."

Emily Bingham covers Michigan life and culture for MLive, reporting on history, travel and other aspects of life in the Great Lakes State. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook, or contact her via email at ebingham@mlive.com.