Kristi Kates | Author

Peter Green – Kolors – MOV

Nov. 16, 2019

Composed of leftover blues-rock tracks from several of Green’s earlier recording sessions (ones that didn’t make it to the actual albums), this is an interesting collection — especially considering any of the tunes would’ve fit in to his other sets seamlessly. It&r... Read More >>

Kraftwerk, Houston, B.I.G. for Hall of Fame

Nov. 9, 2019

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its annual list of nominees, Among those on the list of 16 performers up for inclusion in the rock hall in 2020 are Whitney Houston, The Notorious B.I.G., Kraftwerk, Soundgarden, and Todd Rundgren. The ceremony itself, presented by Klipsch Audi... Read More >>

Yeasayer – Fragrant World – Secretly Canadian

Nov. 9, 2019

There’s a lot of machinery on Yeasayer’s latest, as the experimental indie-popsters dig into more eclectic, diverse sounds and steer away from classic indie-rock guitars. Piling layers of synths and drum machine tracks atop each other would seem to result in disorder, but the ... Read More >>

Meaningful Music from Kittel & Co.

Nov. 9, 2019

If you’re a music fan living in Michigan, chances are good you’ve heard of Jeremy Kittel. Originally hailing from the Ann Arbor area, the Grammy-nominated composer and musician — aka violin, fiddle, and viola master — is a force to be reckoned with, and not just in... Read More >>

Lamp Light Fest Dimmed

Nov. 2, 2019

Eight years in, Grand Rapids Lamp Light Music Festival is closing down the early November event that showcased live “house concert” performances in various Eastown area homes, citing difficulties with community support, accessibility, financial sustainability, and safety. Word... Read More >>

Various Artists – Big Little Lies Season 2 – ABKCO

Nov. 2, 2019

A big-time roster of actresses leads this Emmy-winning HBO series — Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern — and the series’ accompanying soundtrack is equally impressive. Here, you’ll find tracks deftly themed to the show&... Read More >>

What’s trending in northern Michigan music

Nov. 2, 2019

Music trends come and go like everything else, but it’s always interesting to take the pulse of our region to see what’s happening on our stages and in our music stores. We checked in with some in-the-know folks, and here’s what’s hot on the local music scene.
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Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles – Interscope

Oct. 26, 2019

British singer-songwriter Fender is an interesting case. A storytelling performer primarily influenced by Bruce Springsteen, he’s openly hostile to what he calls “wimpy” performers like James Bay and Ed Sheeran. Nevertheless, his latest, an album of modern folk-rock comp... Read More >>

Greta Van Fleet Gets Soundtracked

Oct. 19, 2019

Greta Van Fleet got its start in Frankenmuth, Michigan, and now is a nationally known band with a full-length major album under its collective belt, 2018’s Anthem of the Peaceful Army. Now, a single that surfaced from the sessions for that album but wasn’t included in the fina... Read More >>

The Lumineers – III – Dualtone

Oct. 12, 2019

This is quite a switch-up for the Grammy-nominated band.While III includes the sharp vocals and shifting arrangements that you’ve come to expect, everything’s encased in a much darker tone. Not a cheerful album — or an easy listen, lyrically — the album is... Read More >>

Supergrass, The Strange Ones

Oct. 12, 2019

Supergrass fans will be glad to see that the band — following its reunion, after 10 years apart, at Glastonbury’s Pilton Party — has just announced a full reunion tour as well as the release of a career-spanning box set (which includes a great cover of T... Read More >>

Tune Into Taylor Cramer

Oct. 12, 2019

An MVP of a European basketball team. A single dad. A woman who was widowed at the early age of 33. A man who was unexpectedly injured out in the wilderness. And a plethora of local entrepreneurs, each with their own unique startup story.

These are some of the people you’ll ... Read More >>

Belinda Carlisle – Gold – Demon Records

Oct. 5, 2019

Following her ’80s star turn with The Go-Gos, frontwoman/singer Carlisle embarked on a solo pop career that sold over eight million records, and you’ll hear most of the reasons for that success in this hits collection. Carlisle combined a distinctive voice with the ability to ... Read More >>

Iggy Pop Rocks Out with The Roots

Oct. 5, 2019

Detroit vintage punker Iggy Pop collaborated with The Roots, guitarist Noveller, and jazz trumpeter Leron Thomas to perform a track from Pop’s new (18th) solo album, Free, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The musicians played Pop’s tune “James Bond,&rd... Read More >>

5 Seconds Bare Their “Teeth”

Sept. 28, 2019

5 Seconds of Summer just dropped a new single that’s getting some solid traction — or perhaps we should say bite— on the charts. The band’s “Teeth,” featuring Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/AudioslaveRead More >>

Various Artists – Trip Hop Vibes Vol. 1– Wagram

Sept. 28, 2019

Whether you’ve long wondered what “trip-hop” exactly is — or you’re already a longtime fan of the genre — this is an exceptional overview of it, with some of the mainstays of the sound bringing their best tracks. Moby’s catchy “Natural Blues... Read More >>

Jawbreaker, Unbroken

Sept. 21, 2019

Post-hardcore/emo band Jawbreaker is the subject of a new documentary you can stream on Amazon Prime or purchase on Google Play or iTunes. The doc, titled Don’t Break Down, follows the band’s road from when it formed in New York City in 1986 and relea... Read More >>

Dude York — Falling — Hardly Art

Sept. 21, 2019

The Seattle band returns with another set of pop-punk tracks that will bring to mind teenaged late nights on suburban sidewalks, sneaking just one more cigarette before curfew. Vocals alternate between Peter Richards and Claire England, with standouts including the dark ’60s feel of... Read More >>

Fall Restaurant Roundup

Sept. 14, 2019

Please be seated for these abbreviated versions of the restaurant reviews we’ve featured since our last RestauranTour issue. Bon Appetit!

THE TRIBUNE ICE CREAM AND EATERY – Northport
Just a stone’s throw away from the shores of Northport ... Read More >>

Iggy Pop Chills Out

Sept. 7, 2019

Detroiter Iggy Pop has a new solo album out: Free, which arrived last week on Loma Vista Records. The album’s first single, “James Bond,” is a good indicator of the rest of the album’s direction, a surprisingly jazzy-meets-ambient effort t... Read More >>