Isthmus | Music | Profiles & Interviews | AAN.org

Dumate Brings Together Underground Hip-Hop and Street Rapnew

It seems that backpack rap is alive and well in Madison. That's thanks in part to dumate, the five-person hip-hop collective that performs with sharp rhymes, sizzling samples and progressive themes.

Isthmus | Jessica Steinhoff | 04-27-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: dumate, hip-hop, Madison

Marty Finkel is Chasing the Melodiesnew

Finkel's new album The Good Life is a collection of 14 alt-country and rock songs that establishes him as one of the best new music artists in Madison.

Isthmus | Rich Albertoni | 01-12-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: The Good Life, Marty Finkel

Pigeon John Breaks the Rules of Hip-Hop and Winsnew

Pigeon John claims to be an average Joe, the kind of Taco Bell-eating, Xbox-playing guy that only John McCain couldn't relate to at least a little bit. He's got a gift for language, pop hooks and wisecracks that brings together people who might never interact otherwise.

Isthmus | Jessica Steinhoff | 11-03-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: hip-hop, Pigeon John, And the Summertime Pool Party

Fleet Foxes is Closing the Generation Gapnew

The Seattle quintet embodies the new pan-generational trend in indie music.

Isthmus | Rich Albertoni | 07-21-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Fleet Foxes

The Von Bondies Aim for Immediacynew

Jason Stollsteimer is famous as the guy that Jack White of the White Stripes once slugged in a barroom fight. He's also well known as frontman of the Von Bondies, the Detroit garage-rock band that formed in 2000. I recently talked to Stollsteimer about the band's upcoming album.

Isthmus | Rich Albertoni | 05-19-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: The Von Bondies

Matt Pond PA to Break Up, but No One Will Leave the Bandnew

Pond has announced plans to end the musical project he began in Philadelphia 10 years ago. Then he'll team up with the same four guys to record and tour as the Dark Leaves. Call it a gimmick, but to Pond it's all about shaking up the band's artistic balance of power.

Isthmus | Rich Albertoni | 04-29-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Matt Pond PA, Dark, Leaves, the

Laurie Anderson: Queen of Quirknew

The pop-tech performance queen's subversive stories speak truth to power.

Isthmus | Susan Kepecs | 04-14-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Laurie Anderson

Brother Ali Deals with Life as an Outcastnew

He may be an albino and legally blind, but what defines this 29-year-old hip-hop artist from the Twin Cities is a gift for fighting his way to musical redemption.

Isthmus | Rich Albertoni | 03-04-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Brother Ali

Local Acts Come Close to Real Thingnew

Ever since Bob Dylan inaugurated the era of the singer-songwriter, most pop acts write their own material. But some local musicians are finding great success in playing the songs of other, more famous artists.

Isthmus | Kenneth Burns | 02-05-2008 | Profiles & Interviews