Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski

The Importance of Buying Localnew

The owners of Beans & Barley, the natural foods grocer and café on Milwaukee's East Side, expected to take a hit last year when the national chain Whole Foods opened a super-sized store just a few blocks away, but they were still surprised by the number of customers they lost.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 11-30-2007 | Business & Labor

Tags: business & labor

Modest Mouse + American Idol = Funnynew

When Modest Mouse released "Float On" in 2004, some dismissed it as the band's bid for commercial radio play. Its appeal proved broad enough for both a children's music compilation and a top-rated television program.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 11-12-2007 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Modest Mouse

Element Gets What She Wantsnew

The Black Elephant singer/rapper goes solo.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 11-05-2007 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Element, Life is a Heist

'They Wanted to Pressure Me to Stop Asking Questions'new

Hardball's Chris Matthews talks about the war and the press.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 10-29-2007 | Media

Tags: media

Maritime's New Outlooknew

Davey von Bohlen talks about the Promise Ring, emo, and his "new" band's soon-to-be-released third record.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 10-12-2007 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Heresy and the Hotel Choir, Maritime

Of Montreal Twists Pop Conventionsnew

Kevin Barnes talks about etiquette in hip-hop and his next album, which will be structured as one, long schizophrenic composition, comprised of eclectic 20- to 30-second snippets of music.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 10-05-2007 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Of Montreal

Milwaukee's Turner Hall Ballroom May Host Concerts Againnew

Under the proposed operating agreement, the organization that runs the Pabst and Riverside Theaters would also book concerts at the long-dormant, historic venue.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 09-28-2007 | Music

The National Escape into 'Boxer'new

After the group's supposed-to-be break-out tour was stolen by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The National returns with an album of quiet, meditative tunes.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 09-24-2007 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Boxer, The National

Ani DiFranconew

DiFranco's latest release, Canon, is a best-of compendium of her discography. Compiling it meant that DiFranco, her own harshest critic, had to re-listen to all those old albums, an experience she describes, with an exaggerated whine, as "awful."

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 09-14-2007 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Ani DiFranco, Canon

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Cope Through Songnew

The members of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are exiles who have witnessed horrors, but they make vibrant and often downright festive music.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 08-31-2007 | Music

Tags: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars

Rap Not For Profitnew

Rappers have boasted about spreading knowledge through their music for decades, but few have the bragging rights of The Figureheads, a rap group/non-profit organization that literally uses hip-hop as a teaching device.

Shepherd Express | Evan Rytlewski | 08-31-2007 | Music

Tags: The Figureheads