Music

Driveway Thriftdwellers sharpen sound on new album

January 14, 2019

The Driveway Thriftdwellers are from Milwaukee. And Madison. They’re a country band. And a rock and roll band. And if your local record store has an Americana section, you’ll probably find the band’s albums fil...

Milwaukee Record Recommended (January 14-20)

Milwaukee Record Staff

January 14, 2019

Our fat-free, dolphin-safe Milwaukee events calendar is chock-full of things to do, but only a handful of events are worthy of the lofty honor of "Record Recommended" (patent pending). Here are our recommendati...

MKE Music Rewind: Heidi Spencer & The Rare Birds, “Alibi”

Matt Wild

January 10, 2019

In our MKE Music Rewind series, we revisit a notable Milwaukee song that was released before Milwaukee Record became a thing in April 2014.Every few years or so, there's a Milwaukee artist that seems to be ...

57 Milwaukee releases (probably) coming your way in 2019

Tyler Maas

January 9, 2019

It seems like we’re just days removed from celebrating the best albums and EPs Milwaukee managed in 2018. With all the promise a new year brings also comes the promise of new music. In the same way many of us r...

Sincere Engineer discusses breakout year, 2019 plans, her Norm Macdonald tattoo

Tyler Maas

January 8, 2019

Deanna Belos is on fire.In the roughly 15 months since her project, Sincere Engineer, released Rhombithian—the band's debut album—on Red Scare Industries, the Chicago singer-songwriter has earned heaps of a...

Here’s the Burnhearts Mitten Fest 2019 lineup

Tyler Maas

January 7, 2019

Now that New Year’s festivities have come and gone, folks in Milwaukee are forced to come to terms with the harsh realization that winter is here and there’s not much to do outside. Fortunately, we’re less than...

Milwaukee Record Recommended (January 7-13)

Milwaukee Record Staff

January 7, 2019

Negative/Positive kick off new year with ‘Kick Me In Both Of My Shins At The Same Time’

Matt Wild

January 4, 2019

For artists with a unique backstory, there comes a point when that backstory takes a backseat to the music itself. For Milwaukee's Negative/Positive, that point is now. Yes, Negative/Positive is the guitar-bass...

Surprise! Phylums just released an excellent new album called ‘phylums ii’

Tyler Maas

January 4, 2019

We're only four days into 2019 and the year has already been chock full of surprises. So far, we've learned Café Centraal will reopen as a “ Grand Café & Tappery,” ice bars will take over the city (weather ...

Public Domain: ¡palabra! performs “El Son de la Má Teodora”

Milwaukee Record Staff

January 3, 2019

Milwaukee Record is proud to present Public Domain. The music video series features Milwaukee musicians setting up at Colectivo Coffee to adapt some of the world’s best-known songs in ways they’ve never been he...

Brendan Kelly talks Wandering Birds album, new Lawrence Arms material, memorable Milwaukee shows

Tyler Maas

January 2, 2019

While Chicago punk rock legend Brendan Kelly is probably best known for his work with The Lawrence Arms (closely followed by the hilariously bleak things he tweets as his "Nihilist Arby's" internet alter ego), ...

Chicken Wire Empire traverses new territory on ‘What Moves Mountains’

Tyler Maas

December 27, 2018

Chicken Wire Empire has done a lot in its first five years as a band. Since being formed by a pair of jam band enthusiasts, the contemporary Milwaukee bluegrass outfit has grown to five members. Along the way, ...

Kurt Vile feels at home at Turner Hall

Kevin Mueller

December 22, 2018

“I like this place. This place is cool. It’s cooler than the other place we played,” Kurt Vile remarked midway through his laid-back show Friday night at Turner Hall Ballroom.It’s one of the only things the...

Brush up on some of 2018’s best local music with the Silver City Sampler

Tyler Maas

December 20, 2018

In case you missed our various recent reminders, Milwaukee music is an incredibly good place. Though there's no shortage of Best Of lists and awards that help recognize the recorded efforts of Milwaukee musicia...

Riverside Theater celebrates 90 years

Catherine Jozwik

December 17, 2018

Milwaukee's historic Riverside Theater, now celebrating 90 years of operation, has a rich and colorful history that includes vaudeville, a fire, and even reported paranormal activity.Oh, and being one of Mi...

Caley Conway adds to her holiday repertoire with ‘Boleslaus The Cruel’

Tyler Maas

December 14, 2018

Struck with the yuletide spirit, Caley Conway gave listeners the gift of a holiday EP last December. Her Heart Be Light EP found the Milwaukee singer-songwriter taking artistic liberty “with abandon” in each of...

Christopher Porterfield talks about the long road to ‘Summertime Songs’

Tyler Maas

December 12, 2018

Field Report is on the tail end of a prosperous and busy year in which the band released a well-received album, toured throughout the country, garnered considerable radio play, welcomed in some new members, and...

Go nowhere fast with The DUIs and stream “Lowlife”

Tyler Maas

December 11, 2018

Since forming in 2011, The DUIs have operated with a pretty simple set of motivations. The band that lives to "Party, get drunk, and play punk" has put out a steady stream of albums, EPs, and splits in its seve...

Get in the yuletide spirit with 7 more Milwaukee holiday releases

Tyler Maas

December 10, 2018

Milwaukee musicians can be quite festive from time to time. Through the years, local bands and solo artists have amassed an extensive playlist of amazingly tolerable holiday songs. There list grows more and mor...

Green Day songs and football-focused lyrics come together in “Green Day Packers”

Tyler Maas

December 10, 2018

Way back in August, we announced the lineup of our Milwaukee Record Halftime Show series at Cactus Club. At that time, many of you asked about the "Secret Band" that was slated to perform on December 16. In all...