Evan Rytlewski

Graceless pivot to survival: I’m launching

THE FUTURE IS OURS TO MAKE

A music newsletter of reccos, rants, illumination, shade, endangered forms (concert/album reviews, human interviews), formless dangers (trash talk, love lore, bespoke illos) — an expansion of my work as your critic + co-listener

I’ve been laid off by The Washington Post

Serving as this newspaper’s pop music critic for the past 16-plus years has been my privilege, my joy

Endless solidarity to my righteous colleagues, endless gratitude to our faithful readers

this is the reason i left too. maybe a few hundred people would pay for a newsletter about niche music, but that’s an enormous amount of work for not enough money to pay my bills. kudos to those who do it regardless but personally i could not

YouTube video by GreatGrandpaVEVO Great Grandpa - Doom (Official Music Video)

A little late in the album cycle for a video but still an absolutely massive track youtu.be/heXjjQLnKuc?...

it's so good!

the accuracy

Cover Story: xaviersobased In a new FADER cover story and rare interview, xaviersobased talks his new album 'Xavier,' popularizing jerk rap, his music becoming a meme, and more.

let's gooooo www.thefader.com/2026/02/03/x...

Xaviersobased - Big Ben (ft Zaytoven)

Beck, Asher White, Friko and more of the week’s best new songs : All Songs Considered The Beck rarity “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime” has officially hit streaming services and we can’t get enough of it. We’ve also got new (not-yet-announced) projects from Friko and Asher White, a wi...

Come for my Grammy snark, stay for the love I bestow upon the Valencia-via-Montreal bedroom pop artist Rat Penat, sister folk duo Sibyl and Polish composer Szymon Wójcik.

I'm on All Songs Considered today with my pal @robinpr.bsky.social @npr.org

www.npr.org/2026/02/03/n...

‘We have to keep showing up for each other’: In Minnesota, caregiving is a form of resistance School pickups, diaper runs and mutual aid funds are central to how many Minnesotans are challenging the militarization of their state.

I am usually a very behind the scenes person but I stepped outside of my comfort zone because I hope reading this will inspire other people just to step up and do the thing.

You never know what your impact can be.

‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’: Rifftrax, Shout! Studios Team for New Episodes of Cult Classic Series (EXCLUSIVE) RiffTrax and Shout! Studios have teamed to produce four new episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 with Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy

Extry, Extry!
variety.com/2026/tv/news...

Do people still not know this?

I do wonder what she makes of the squint going more viral than the dress (both were great imo)

I saw The Evens play it, but just once, in 2009. It was really powerful; some of the crowd stood up (we were sitting).

The Herbie Hancock thing, man. A Herbie Hancock Joni Mitchell covers album for album of the year. Brutal.

“Walkin' on the Sun” was originally a Fugazi song but Ian MacKaye didn’t think it fit the more experimental purview of Red Medicine so he gave it to Smash Mouth

The challenge for the Grammys is there’s no room for contrarian picks. When Pitchfork picks Los Thuthanaka as its album of the year it’s fuck yeah. When Grammys pick Jon Batiste as album of the year it’s cringe. The mandate to reflect consensus is very limiting.

100%. Especially by the standards of network TV, it’s one of the better broadcasts to watch. And the winners themselves have at least some loose relation to what is popular, relevant or good

excited for post malone’s one man tribute to PET SOUNDS

ICE agents tried to quietly get Mexican food in Minneapolis, local neighbors and protesters found out and shamed then out of the neighborhood!

A whole article anout how Trump appears in the Epstein files, but it never mentions Epstein consulting with a lawyer about statuatory rape claims against Trump. I get not reporting the FBI tips but this came directly from Epstein himself www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/u...

Somebody explain all the equal signs to me

I’m extremely confused by The NY Times coverage of the Epstein releases. It dedicates a full article to Epstein insinuating Bill Gates had an affair, but as far as I can see not a single mention of Epstein consulting with a lawyer about statutory rape allegations (with a witness) against Trump.

Ratboys Are Playing the Long Game The nicest indie rock band in Chicago has finally uncorked its true sound—it only took 16 years. We catch up with the humble, hard-working Ratboys and talk about swinging for the fences with their new...

Ate hotdogs, got tiki drinks, and holed up in a snowstorm with Ratboys, who've never sounded more like their truest selves than on this album

Less than two months until opening day

The family from Bobby’s World

Don’t tread on them

JD Vance Places Candle Outside Hooters Where ICE Agents Were Heckled

JD Vance Places Candle Outside Hooters Where ICE Agents Were Heckled

Personal milestone: Last week marked five years reporting on this place we call home for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Thank you to the sources that helped bring a story to publish. From tragedies to triumphs, I feel like we’ve covered a lot.

My husband didn't know, so I'll repeat it here: Border Czar isn't a real job. Tom Homan has a fake job with a fake title. It also means that he wasn't confirmed by anyone in Congress. (Trump tried to confirm Homan in 1.0 but he failed bc Homan was too corrupt even pre-cava bag.)

Administration placing Bovino beyond the reach of MN law enforcement