Brew City Sludge - August 2009

This Month: melaniejane & pat mAcdonald

Although she has toured throughout the U.S. and currently resides in Sturgeon Bay, melaniejane will always be a Milwaukee icon. Singer/songwriter, cellist, guitarist, pianist, and yes…even accordion, mj has taken all of her talents to many definable places. Her full length releases “flower” and “billets doux” capture a lifetime of experience in a collection of introspective and inspiring music.

Over the past few years, she has reinvented herself by way of collaboration. She still performs as a soloist, but most often she can be seen on stage with heavy hitters such as Victoria Vox. Her latest endeavor has brought her together with Pat mAcdonald. mAcdonald, while probably best known for his work with Timbuk3 has, since that band’s demise in 1995 continued to work as a solo artist becoming a legend in the art rock/folk rock scene. What seemingly brought them together is their shared love of music, as well as their reverence for the steel bridges that connect the land in the Sturgeon Bay area.

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Brew City Sludge - July 2009

Back in the late 80’s, Milwaukee’s Big Bang Theory became a household name in Brew Town’s then vibrant underground scene. Did I say underground? Yes, I did, however…the underground back then was damn big, and full of bands that were cutting edge as well as ground breaking. BBT was an act that incorporated styles that ranged from funk to hard rock for a sound that was truly alternative.

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Brew City Sludge - June 2009

This Month: Milwaukee artists The Color Truth, the Rusty P’s at Summerfest’ Briggs & Stratton Stage, and Willy Porter at Summerfest’s Potawatomi Stage

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Brew City Sludge - May 2009

Out of Milwaukee/Jackson, progressive rockers Wiszdomstone breathe fresh air into the half dead corpse that has become prog rock (in this scene) over the past decade….

Solid, intelligent songwriting escapes a lot of heavier acts. Not so with Milwaukee’s Shattered Red. In the style of System of a Down and other progressive bands, SR creates music that is as ear pleasing as it is bone shaking. Bantering between acoustic intros and anthemic choruses…

With song titles such as Visualize to Terrorize, Belly Up, and I am Diseased; I think you get the message. Milwaukee’s 9mm Solution is heavy….

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Brew City Sludge - April 2009

This Month:

In the world of eclectic pursuit there are a lot of bands that reside under the radar. Usually, this is due to the fact that so much music is dedicated to getting hips to shake in 4/4 time. Nothing wrong with that, but, eventually one needs to seek an alternative to music fit to shag by. One such Milwaukee band offers this up with genius. Canyonsofstatic is ambient at it’s best…

As long as we’re talking “off the beaten path”, a Milwaukee act indeed worthy of mention is Endless Blue. With roots deeply steeped in trip hop, this two piece band takes everything that is urban and injects a jazzy, raw flavor that is incredibly delicious. Vocalist Laura Hillman shows a wonderful duplicity with a style straight out of the 1940’s St. Louis lounge scene ramped up to the current day with an underlying edge. Just when you’re thinking “this is so lo-fi”, Guitarist/keyboard man Nick Mitchell kicks it up a notch creating a sound that is at times completely radio friendly…

Speaking of art rock…it seems that our boys The Danglers at back at it again. Appearing here and there around town, the band continues to shock and amaze. Dave Gelting, Jason Loveall and John Sparrow are three of the finest musicians this area has ever produced. Their style is completely their own and difficult to write about…after all…how many different ways can you say “HOLY SHIT THAT”S UNBELIEVABLE”! ...

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