Grant

YouTube video by Molto Fresco John Cale - Hedda Gabbler

heard this track (and the rest of ANIMAL JUSTICE) for the first time last weekend. 15 to 20 years ahead of its time. not surprising, tho, from the former VU virtuoso

it should alarm everyone in Southern Wisconsin that we're seeing consecutive days of 86-degree weather in October. no better time than now to reconsider the tenets of veganism and sustainability. (conveniently, there is a fest happening atm at Lunney Lake Farm County Park.)

On The Eve Of Hope, by Nick Hudson 18 track album

#bandcampfriday rec: the new Nick Hudson. in an era of despair, the artist and wordsmith offers a bated-breath vision ON THE EVE OF HOPE

Cropped screenshot of the Metacritic page for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER shows an excerpt from the film's first glowing "100" review, written Ty Burr at The Washington Post.

we need editors, because ineffectual sentences like this can be pull-quoted: "ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER isn't really a political film, but neither is it not a political film." that shouldn't be the first thing anyone reads about the new PTA

Madison folks! Can you support @tonemadison.bsky.social 🙏❤️

continuing my tradition of wearing avant-metal band shirts to these meetings (Genevieve back in April & Wreck and Reference this time)

queer cinema double feature for the unending summer:
BEACH RATS (2017, dir. Eliza Hittman) and BEAU TRAVAIL (1999, dir. Claire Denis)

our publication is the only one in town still devoting substantial space to film analysis (and not primarily offering cursory, compartmentalized arts listicles). help us continue to do so, and support a terrific team of freelancers. 🙏

tonemadison.com/donate/

Donate to Help Us Tell Stories of Dignity at the End of Life, organized by Nathan Deming Hi, my name is Nathan Deming. I’m an independent filmmaker based in E… Nathan Deming needs your support for Help Us Tell Stories of Dignity at the End of Life

if you're passionate about supporting films with Wisconsin ties, this WINTER HYMNS project by Nathan Deming looks impactful

American light box movie poster for Joachim Trier's OSLO, 31 AUGUST (2011)

watch this movie, and you'll never forget that August has 31 days. promise ya

I'll also disclose that the dynamics between structures and styles sometimes nebulously suspended me and left me unmoored, not unlike the generally fraught goings-on of Jan thru June.

what sustained me: the core of CLAIR OBSCUR and ecstatic post-MPB-shoegaze aesthetics of Antropoceno

before the day is done... a recap of the bizarre first half of 2025. yet, it forced me into musical territories and niches that would have otherwise gone unexplored. I suppose this list of 25 reflects a convoluted push-pull between the formerly unknown and those most familiar to me.

My Challenger, by Turbo World 9 track album

my #bandcampfriday recommendation is simply to support Stephe Cooper, sound engineer and kind creative behind catchily offbeat prog projects like Cloud Becomes Your Hand and Turbo World.

the 2022 record by TW is among the most sorely overlooked of the decade. strong Art Bears vibes on "Shylocking"

remember the feeling back in June when you thought Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet was going to play North Street Cabaret on Sept 6? yeah... no. 😔

shaw!

Support us – Tone Madison A message from Christina Lieffring, Managing Editor We can’t do what we do at Tone Madison without support from our readers—nor do we want to. It is incredibly rewarding (and […]

Tone Madison hopes to raise $5,000 by September 12 to help us stabilize and grow.

Your support allows us to do more high-quality investigations, cultural deep-dives, and biting commentary. Help us build a more-expansive future—with more information, art, and ideas. 🙏

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YouTube video by SuperDeftoner deftones - Rapture

my brother nudged me to listen to Deftones' latest, PRIVATE MUSIC, a few days ago (which is p solid); so ofc I then felt impelled to revisit their other records from my teens and college yrs. SNW is def up there. always enjoyed this track, but I feel like it rips more than ever

Crises of faith and fortune in "The Phoenician Scheme" David Boffa and Sara Batkie contemplate the spiritual and reflexive dimensions of Wes Anderson's latest deadpan adventure.

I also enjoyed it more than I anticipated. Sara Batkie and David Boffa had an equally fun and inspired dialogue about the film for @tonemadison.bsky.social towards the end of June, if you're interested. :)

Evelyn Drach phone interview @ WSUM, December 28, 2019 After discovering UP WITH THE SMOKE this past spring, I just had to reach out to the enigmatic Evelyn Drach to talk about her process of creating this incredibly intoxicating and affecting record, one

logged into SoundCloud yesterday for the first time in a while, and casually listened to a few interviews I did for my old 2010s radio show. this international call with Evelyn Drach might be her only audio interview. I sound a little tired and monotone, but it's a good one

Webber/Morris Big Band: Pulse YouTube video by Roulette Intermedium

the Just Intonation Etudes For Big Band are rapturous

I understand what you mean, but think you're being a little harsh here, lol. Toffer isn't charging admission and just wanted to try something for a different audience with a live-music element. it's more important that the DJs know and approve the films, which seems to have been the case.

Physical CD copy of the upcoming Webber/Morris Big Band record, UNSEPARATE, with the street date of September 26, 2025. The cardboard gatefold package sits upright on a royal-blue colored chair.

always nice to receive a record a full seven weeks early

Atwood Music Hall is putting century-old silent film on its grand new stage The east-side venue launches a free trio of Silent Movie Nights featuring live DJ accompaniment, starting with "Metropolis" on August 8.

New east-side venue Atwood Music Hall is launching free Silent Movie Nights this month with live DJ accompaniment. DJ Slimzy will be on the decks for the inaugural screening of Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS (1927) this Friday, 08/08, at 8 p.m.

@nothingunfinished.bsky.social has the full story. 📽️

captivating interview with one of the most uncompromising, undefinable musical artists of the past quarter-century.

people calling EVERY ROCK, EVERY HALF-TRUTH UNDER REASON "boring" after one spin are incapable of deep listening and have walled themselves off from the hauntological

it's at least $60 too much! if you'd like a copy, there are several on eBay for $30-35 plus shipping. and if you'd go to Video Game X-Change and pay cash, I bet Lance would sell one that's traded in for even cheaper than that. have no idea what HPB is thinking, lol

Endofloema, by Tubo de Ensaio 6 track album

new wave of MPB / prog coming out of Brazil right now is exquisite. Tubo de Ensaio is just another example. one of the most enrapturing listens of 2025, and my #bandcampfriday recommendation

wrote about my usual sprawling number of things in a personal essay—this time, about recent factors that've repelled me from collecting.

though, I also argue in support of Lance at Video Game X-Change, a genuinely generous person. hope his store continues to stick around. 🎮

...how close to the top is DEAD RECKONING (PART ONE)? lol

whether EDDINGTON will age terribly, who knows. I like some things about it, but the execution is invariably tedious for a good stretch. I've had too many things come up recently to be able to commit, also. still, I think it's worthy of a reflection later in the year, if you'd want to participate

lol, I saw EDDINGTON last week and wasn't appalled by it, actually. but our satirists these days just don't seem to be meeting the moment. tbf, though, this moment is unhinged / unmoored. at least Aster is working from a relevant template and premise. it just sometimes (or frequently) lacks focus