The Unpredictable Feedback of the Natural World
This week: Green-House, Sam Wenc, Nubiyan Twist, Juanma Trujillo, Isabel Pine, and Bellbird. Plus: our man about town checks in from Big Ears 2026.
Friction, Overtones, and the Fluent Pedal Steel of Sam Wenc
Sam Wenc spent thirteen years recording as Post Moves before putting his own name on 'Language at an Angle,' an eight-part tone poem for pedal steel and piano that reflects his extended techniques, his meditation practice, and the defiant spirit of the late Susan Alcorn.
The Tonearm's Guide to Big Ears 2026
The 2026 edition of the Big Ears Festival commences this Thursday, March 27. Here are our suggestions for the artists you should check out once the music kicks off in downtown Knoxville.
A Deliberate Case of Serendipity
This week: Zeena Parkins, Sam Wenc, Kodomo, Momoko Gill, and more. Plus a newsletter-exclusive interview with New York band Amiture and a bevy of links and recommendations.
Zeena Parkins, Under Constant Revision
The experimental harpist discusses the hand-built electric instrument at the center of her practice, the spatial approach to composition she developed through decades of work with choreographers, and the grief behind 'Lament for the Maker,' her first solo record since Mills College closed.
The Ethics of Serving the Archive
This week: Bette A., The Raincoats, Zeena Parkins, Lost Noises Office, Modha, and more. Plus oodles of recommendations and links filled with adventure.
Putting the Performance First — Michael Graves on Archival Audio
The five-time Grammy winner discusses the daily tension between preservation and intervention, his analog-first approach to archival audio, and what his restoration of unreleased Stax songwriter demos revealed about the ethics of serving the archive.
Spring Forward, Breakdance
This week: Loula Yorke, Erik Hall, Rachel Beetz, Fågelle, Aukai, and much more. Plus captivating recommendations out the ying-yang.
The Solitary Ensemble of Erik Hall's Minimalist Trilogy
Erik Hall's 'Solo Three' closes his minimalist trilogy with works by Glenn Branca, Charlemagne Palestine, Laurie Spiegel, and Steve Reich, each part performed and layered entirely by Hall alone in his Michigan home studio.
The Honesty of Instruments
Now playing: Ratboys, Patrick Smith, Erik Hall, Winged Wheel, Ian Wellman, and so much more.
Shelf-Worthy — Patrick Smith and His Technicians of Tone
The Toronto saxophonist joins guitarist Dan Pitt and drummer Lowell Whitty on 'Words Underlined,' a live session cut in a beloved Toronto bookstore that became, almost accidentally, one of the year's most assured jazz records.
A Melodic Center You Can Feel
Jam-packed with stories on Stephen Vitiello, Justin Hicks, Patrick Smith, and many more. Plus: a multitude of snazzy recommendations.