Kristi Kates | Author
Mumford and Sons – Delta – Glassnote
Dec. 1, 2018
Of course critics are going to be stomping around about Mumford and crew’s latest: How dare an established, successful band attempt to evolve? But thankfully, the band deftly does its own thing here, combining its earlier acoustic sensibilities and third album’s pop turn for a...
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Charli XCX Pops Into a Rockumentary
Dec. 1, 2018
Charlotte Aitchison, aka Charli XCX, is the latest singer featured in a new radio rock documentary from the BBC. The doc follows Charli on both her own recent tour, Pop 2, and went along with her as she served as opening act for Taylor Swift’s Reput...
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Ben Poole – Anytime You Need Me – Manhaton
Nov. 24, 2018
Poole’s latest is a somewhat short effort, with only eight songs, but the tracks themselves have enough depth that you’ll find this worth repeated listens. “Take It No More” is a tune that’s actually over a year old, and while good, it also sho...
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Avril Lavigne Returns
Nov. 24, 2018
After five years away from the music scene while she struggled with Lyme disease, Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne is back with the first single from her upcoming sixth album (title TBA). The track “Head Above Water” is an emotional and personal power ...
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Ready, Set, Shop!
Nov. 17, 2018
Looking to put some local gifts under your tree this year? Look no further: We've scoured the shops of northern Michigan to find a mix Up North classics and out-of-the-box surprises — at all price points — that'll excite everyone on your list. Behold: Our 2018 picks for 2...
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Macy Gray – Ruby– Artistry
Nov. 17, 2018
Gray, best known for her '90s hit “I Try,” a slice of unhurried soulful blues-pop imbued with regret and a catchy refrain, is back with more on her latest set. Album opener “Buddha,” featuring attentive guitar work from Gary Clark Jr., shows off Gray’s abilit...
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DG - Elbow - Ben Howard - Capital Cities
Nov. 10, 2018
Bad Moves–Tell No One – DG
Washington, D.C. outfit Bad Moves puts plenty of secrets into this power-pop outing – their debut full-length – and one that well shows off the interplay between the bandmates. By turns just punky enough to stay in t...
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Petoskey Native Stevens Teams Up With Gallant
Nov. 10, 2018
He might be a Brooklyn, NY kinda guy now, but indie-rock multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Sufjan Stevens has roots in Petoskey, even though he departed for bigger locales to kick-start his music career. Currently, Stevens has teamed up with Grammy-nominated musician Gallantto ...
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Muse Is Back With a Brand New Theory
Nov. 3, 2018
British modern rock band Muse is returning with its eighth studio album, Simulation Theory, produced in collaboration with Rich Costey, Shellback, Mike Elizondo, and Timbaland. Several singles ha...
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Richard Reed Parry – Quiet River of Dust – Anti/Epitaph
Nov. 3, 2018
Parry’s spent plenty of time working with his main musical project, the Canadian Grammy-winning indie-rock outfit Arcade Fire. But on his solo work, he’s more ’60s avant-garde than current-day dance-tronica. On his own, he shows an even deeper passion for layered harmoni...
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Silversun Pickups– Swoon – Dangerbird
Oct. 27, 2018
At times you might think you’ve stumbled across some long-hidden Billy Corgan/Smashing Pumpkins track — but it’s just Silversun Pickups bringing that grungy, distorted-guitars ’90s sound into the modern age. With Dave Cooley again behind the boards, opener “T...
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Deep Thoughts With Lynch and Badalamenti
Oct. 27, 2018
Fresh from the “unexpected bands” category: a team-up of Twin Peaks’ co-creator David Lynch and composer Angelo Badalamenti, which resulted in a little known musical duo named Thought Gang. Turns out, that duo recorded a...
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Halloween for All!
Oct. 20, 2018
During Halloween week, you might see a dramatically-styled witch dancing with a knight in full armor; a head-to-toe pumpkin boogying along next to a cowgirl; or a crew of misfits from Alice in Wonderland enjoying some music and punch together.
&nbs...
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Hawkwind – Road to Utopia – Cherry Red
Oct. 20, 2018
Dave Brock, Mr. Dibs, Haz Wheaton, Magnus Martin, and Richard Chadwick make up the current incarnation of Hawkwind, now (remarkably) on its 31st album. The band brought along conductor and writer Mike Batt to add some orchestral elements to reboots of a selection of their tracks; it&rsquo...
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Who Knew Ben Stiller Had a Band?
Oct. 20, 2018
You may or may not have heard of the post-punk band Capital Punishment — but chances are you’ve heard of its drummer: actor and stealth musician Ben Stiller. Stiller' first album with the band, Roadkill, was recorded waaaay back in 19...
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Supper with a Side of Ghost Hunting
Oct. 20, 2018
Want some acorn squash with those apparitions? Pasta with phantoms? White wine with wraiths? You never know whom you might be sitting down to dinner with at Petoskey’s Haunted Halloween Feast.
Always scheduled for the last Friday in October and always downtown, the Hallo...
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Get Scared
Oct. 20, 2018
Looking to get frightened, fooled, spooked, or scared? Or just looking for a place to show off your awesome costume and enjoy some Halloween treats? We’ve got the scoop on some neat happenings around northern Michigan this Halloween. Oct. 13, 2018 Canadian bluesman James dug pretty deep for this collection, stretching his own songwriting abilities on several new originals, and also going well beyond clichés to point a spotlight at some much-lesser known blues covers by the likes of Howlin’ Wolf and Blind Willie Johnson...
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Oct. 13, 2018 The ’80s/’90s musical icons from Athens, Georgia, will release a big box set this week called R.E.M. at the BBC. Eight CDs and one DVD, the set will include a variety of live sessions that the band recorded for the BBC, plus a short stack of live concerts that the ban...
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Oct. 13, 2018 Thrift stores, consignment boutiques, and resale shops, while always useful, seem to cycle around as far as popularity or trendiness is concerned. Generally, in tough times, they thrive: There are more buyers looking for cheaper goods and more sellers hoping to offload what they have for ...
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SCREAMS I...
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Colin James – Miles to Go – Stony Plain Records
R.E.M. Get All Boxed Up
Thrift-O-Rama!