The songs on Madison band Trophy Dad’s latest EP, Dogman, are relatively old in the band’s lifespan—they formed just a few years ago and began recording these tracks in early 2016. That said, it represents a big step forward from their 2015 debut EP, Shirtless Algebra Fridays. Both releases capture the band’s gift for skewed, catchy guitar […]
The meaning of that “You Are Beautiful” mural
If you’ve headed down East Washington Avenue toward the Capitol lately, you’ve likely seen a new mural proclaiming “you are beautiful.” It’s on the side of art space and venue Art In. Behind that colorful lettering and the friendly sentiment is a local effort that aims to empower marginalized youth, especially queer and transgender youth, […]
History of Greenbush Podcast
By: Shreya Shrestha My podcast is about the history of Greenbush, an old neighborhood in south Madison. I interviewed original members: Tony Bruno (Italian Workmen’s Club) and George Fabian (Park Street Shoe Repair). I spoke to cookbook author Catherine Murray who collected and wrote about the recipes from Greenbush.
Music, neighbors, and grand hotels
It’s a classic conflict in Madison: The people who live closest to fun stuff tend to get really ornery about all that fun stuff. In two stories over the past month, Isthmus reporter Allison Geyer has chronicled a dispute over live music at the Edgewater, a hotel that sits on the shores of Lake Mendota just a few blocks north of the […]
The electronic netherworld of Syneva
The new album from Madison electronic project Syneva, Limbo Victorian, is basically an ambient record but it covers a lot of territory in a short amount of time. Its 20-year-old creator, Hendrix Gullixson, uses software and a couple of MIDI controllers to explore eerily gritty soundscapes (opening track “Storm Presents Itself Wise” and “Soaring Together”), […]
A sampling of Madison’s finest beatmakers
Beats sold over Soundcloud may have a huge influence on hip-hop in this day and age (if it be Chano’s will, at least), but the appeal of in-person, local, on-the-ground collaboration is tenacious. It certainly shows in Madison’s hip-hop output, where producers ranging from young upstart Engelwood to platinum-certified DJ Pain 1 keep a hand […]