We’ve living in a time where quiet, contemplative music is making a big impact on listeners.

I call it the “Khruangbin effect,” where the Texas (mainly) instrumental trio blend dub, reggae, ’60s psych rock, Thai pop, and other global influences and bring it together in a way that has allowed them to reach millions of streams, millions of fans, and sell out massive theaters around the world. 

What if that slick laidback song playing in the background at just the right level at that fancy restaurant you like was also your favorite band? They’re cool yet also fully adopted by Phish fans. It’s a stunning development.

I can’t think of another band that presents mostly instrumental tracks but has had such a glow up, although Mexican acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela comes to mind.

That means Khruangbin (and others) have opened doors for others doing instrumental music. One of the first that comes to mind is Hermanos Gutiérrez, the insanely attractive Swiss-Ecuadorian sibling duo Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez. Their album ‘Los Ojos Del Cóndor’ released Sept. 25, 2026 via Easy Eye Sound (the label of Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, who might be a better A&R guy than anything else).

Their single, “Los Andes,” is a great example of this wave of instrumental music making an impact in pop culture. With the interplay of guitar and lap steel, it’s cinematic and vast (much like the mountain range it’s named after). It’s capable of grabbing your full attention even without lyrics.

While I doubt this would make waves on commercial radio, it’s popular on public radio throughout the country and starting to infiltrate major swaths of music fans — many of whom likely listen to Khruangbin and Phish.

That’s right — I’m talking about Jack Johnson fans. Johnson recently collaborated with Hermanos Gutiérrez and took them on tour. It’s actually an endlessly sweet full circle story, with the brothers growing up idealizing Johnson and finally getting to collab with their hero.

With the door wide open for instrumental bands to find footing with new audiences, Hermanos Gutiérrez is by far one of the most captivating entries into this bubbling up genre. They’re great storytellers… even without uttering a word.

This story was originally published on Midbrow. 

New music from Stef Chura, The Tubs, Tyler Ballgame, Sam and Louise Sullivan, Aldous Harding, Westside Cowboy and many more. Plus, Detroit artist Richard Wilson stops by to talk about his favorite Stevie Wonder tracks and his adventure to NYC to see Cleo Sol at Radio City Music Hall.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 28, 2026

• “Danny” — Stef Chura
• “Who’s Gonna Love You Now?” — The Tub
• “Live It Down” — Tyler Ballgame
• “Down on Love” — Sam and Louis Sullivan
• “One Stop” — Aldous Harding
• “Miffed It” — Way Dynamic
• “Up on the Sun” — Meat Puppets
• “Days” — Television
• “Kick Stones (The Boys)” — Westside Cowboy
• “Beige Days” — SOYUZ
• “Midnight (Acoustic)” — Jessie Ware
• “Cha Cha Slide” — Getdown Services
• “Lazy Daisy” — Tara Clerkin Trio
• “If I Let You” — The Womack Sisters
• “Waiting on the Right Time” — Thee Sacred Souls
• “Enchantia” — Domenique Dumont
• “free fall” — berlioz
• “Love Is Stronger Than Pride” — Ian Fink
• “Soul Lament” — Kenny Burrell
• “Crazy He Calls Me” — Aretha Franklin
• “Like Swimwear (feat. Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose & Josh Johnson)” — Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet
• “This Is How We Walk on the Moon (feat. Tirzah)” — Speakers Corner Quartet
• “Shadows From Nowhere” — Blue Gas
• “In The Middle of the Night” — Ronald Langestraat
• “On the Level” — Mac DeMarco
• “My Love Is On Fire (DJ Spinna Remix)” — Stevie Wonder
• “God in Disguise” — Sault
• “Can We Pretend” — Bill Withers
• “Knocks Me Off My Feet” — Stevie Wonder
• “As” — Stevie Wonder

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

The fall song-a-thon on In The Groove rolls on with so many excellent selections from you. Thank you again for all the great messages and songs—this is by far the most listener-picked songs we’ve ever played on this show! 50+ and counting…

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 25, 2026

• “Golden Brown” – The Stranglers (fall song picked by you!)
• “Boy With a Coin” – Iron & Wine (fall song picked by you!)
• “Out on the Weekend” – Neil Young (fall song picked by you!)
• “First Glimmer” – Paul Westerberg (fall song picked by you!)
• “October (Love Song)” – Chris & Cosey (fall song picked by you!)
• “Pass This On” – The Knife (fall song picked by you!)
• “Sunset” – Thornetta Davis (fall song picked by you!)
• “Your Song” – Elton John (fall song picked by you!)
• “Nervion” – Allison de Groot & Rich Ruth 
• “Last Train Home” – Pat Metheny Group (fall song picked by you!)
• “You Know You Know (with John McLaughlin)” – Mahavishnu Orchestra (fall song picked by you!)
• “Across the Universe” – Fiona Apple 
• “Ask Me Anything” – The Strokes 
• “Alberto Balsalm (Aquarium Drunkard’s Lagniappe Session)” – Dungen 
• “Fallen (feat. Momoko Gill)” – Matthew Herbert 
• “Train Song (Columbia Single, 1966)” – Vashti Bunyan 
• “My Love Mine All Mine” – Mitski 
• “All Mirrors” – Angel Olsen 
• “Transmission” – Joy Division 
• “It’s No Reason (Remastered)” – The Church (fall song picked by you!)
• “The Rip” – Portishead 
• “La Femme d’argent” – Air 
• “Repetitioner” – THUS LOVE 
• “Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix)” – Alex Kassian 
• “Across That Fine Line” – Nation of Language 
• “Untitled” – Interpol 
• “Plainsong” – Seefeel 
• “Pink Sky” – Loma 
• “words fell out” – Goat Girl 
• “I Don’t Know You” – Mannequin Pussy 
• “only tomorrow” – my bloody valentine 
• “ “Heroes” (2017 Remaster)” – David Bowie 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.”

New music from she’s green, Kurt Vile, Aldous Harding, Courtney Barnett and more of your fall songs (Death Cab For Cutie, Donovan, Big Thief), plus the wonderful Detroit singer-songwriter Stef Chura stops by the show to preview her new album, “Dancing Alone on the Concrete,” due out this Friday via Saddle Creek.

You’ll be the first to hear tracks “Leadweight” and “Babydoll,” plus we chat with Stef about the influences into her new album (the first in 7 years!) and lots more. You can hear the full segment with Stef Chura starting at the 2:06 mark—enjoy!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 29, 2026

• “Paradis” — Donna Blue
• “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” — Pixies
• “Silver” — Say She She
• “Africa” — Bill Laurance & Michael League
• “Baltimore” — Nina Simone
• “Hey Now (When I Give You All My Lovin’)” — Romare
• “Amor Inteiro” — Bruno Berle
• “Road to Nowhere” — Rogê
• “Chance to Bleed” — Kurt Vile
• “Fall On Me” — R.E.M.
• “Train on the Island” — Aldous Harding
• “One Thing At A Time” — Courtney Barnett
• “The Payback” — James Brown
• “Protection” — Massive Attack
• “Drive” — Deftones
• “mettle” — she’s green
• “When You Sleep” — My Bloody Valentine (fall song picked by you!)
• “Long Division” — Death Cab for Cutie (fall song picked by you!)
• “Hurdy Gurdy Man” — Donovan (fall song picked by you!)
• “Velvet Ring” — Big Thief (fall song picked by you!)
• “A Fond Farewell” — Elliott Smith
• “There She Goes” — The La’s (fall song picked by you!)
• “1979 (Remastered 2012)” — The Smashing Pumpkins

Interview with Stef Chura

• “Leadweight” — Stef Chura
• “The Concrete” — Stef Chura
• “Danny” — Stef Chura
• “Babydoll” — Stef Chura

The rest of the show!

• “Maybe I Got It Wrong” — Ruti
• “Last Forever (feat. Wyatt Waddell)” — Patchwork Inc.
• “Nancy from Now On” — Father John Misty
• “Let ‘Em In” — Wings
• “Clover” — Billie Marten
• “Guns of Brixton (feat. Camille)” — Nouvelle Vague
• “Paper Tiger” — Spoon

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

“It is not easy listening. It’s essential.”

That’s part of the messaging behind Detroit’s own Protomartyr and the band’s seventh album “Hotel Usona,” released September 25 via Domino Recording Co.

The “not easy listening” part is certainly more focused on the lyrics themselves as songwriter and vocalist Joe Casey imagines America’s current state as an aging, sagging hotel. Down every hallway, an issue. Inside every room, a horror to be seen. Sure, there’s continental breakfast but it’s likely contaminated, at least in the eyes of Protomartyr.

Musically, on lead single “Sounds We Cannot Hear,” Protomartyr is the most accessible they’ve ever been. It is the easiest listening they’ve offered up, joining waves of post-punk bands that slowly grow over time, chill out on the aggressiveness, and start applying a lot of texture and sampling that you’d find on a Madlib record.

The result is the same punch you’d want out of a Protomartyr song, but way more sonically to chew on and enjoy. There’s even a brass section on “Sounds We Cannot Hear,” which guitarist Greg Ahee layered with influences from the Middle East and ’50s exotica. 

While Protomartyr released essentially a concept album with a lot of lyrical density, “Sounds We Cannot Hear” suggests it could be their most accessible release yet. For one of the biggest bands to come out of Detroit, I’d predict they’re about to get even bigger and adopt a whole new audience with a more mature, layered sound.

This story was originally published on Midbrow. 

Sept. 23 is John Coltrane’s birthday, and this is his 100^th. Covers and his original works comprise a lot of our show today, but we’re also including new works like “Pursuance” by Nicholas Payton and Butcher Brown. So, sit back and get spiritual with us for today’s In The Groove!  

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 23, 2026

• “Equinox” – Jessica Williams 
• RIP with John Coltrane” – Patchworks 
• “Bright Moments” – Admin 
• “open this wall” – berlioz 
• “why my love?” – aja monet 
• “Lansana’s Priestess (Remix)” – DJ Spinna 
• “Evolution” – Shola Adisa-Farrar & Florian Pellissier Quintet 
• “L.O.V.E. and You & I” –  Jazzanova 
• “Coffee” – Yuna 
• “Thin Lines” – Kidnap 
• “Equinox” – John Coltrane 
• “Pursuance” – Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown 
• “The Message Continues” -Nubya Garcia 
• “Everybody Loves the Sunshine (feat. José James)” – Takuya Kuroda 
• “Rising Son” – Takuya Kuroda 
• “Roscoe (Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve Remix)” –  Midlake 
• “free fall” -berlioz 
• “L.A.” – Elliott Smith 
• “It’s Real” – Real Estate 
• “Caring Is Creepy” – The Shins 
• “I AM!” – pôt-pot 
• “Cloudy” – Daphni 
• “The Homeless Wanderer” – Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru 
• “Blue Train” – John Coltrane 
• “A Love Supreme, Pt. 1: Acknowledgement” – John Coltrane 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Today’s show is your submissions for your fall weather soundtrack into one amazing playlist full of new (like unreleased music from the band Morphine) and old, heard and unheard by many, and we’re thrilled that you guys are continuing to send in! If you want to add your own, call our hotline: (313) 577-3134.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 24, 2026

• “Change” – Alex G (fall song picked by you!)
• “The Shining” – Badly Drawn Boy 
• “Harvest Moon” – Neil Young 
• “Sound & Color” – Alabama Shakes (fall song picked by you!)
• “Move with the Season” – Temples (fall song picked by you!)
• “Another Country” – Shadowfax (fall song picked by you!)
• “Lydia Wears a Cross” -Julia Jacklin (fall song picked by you!)
• “Oscillate Wildly” – The Smiths (fall song picked by you!)
• “Comment te dire adieu (It Hurts to Say Goodbye)” – Françoise Hardy (fall song picked by you!) 
• “Never Known” – The Durutti Column (fall song picked by you!)
• “One Good Spliff” – Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers (fall song picked by you!)
• “Watching The Wheels” – John Lennon (fall song picked by you!)
• “Fall in a River” – Badly Drawn Boy 
• “Camping Next to Water” – Badly Drawn Boy 
• “September Gurls” -Big Star (fall song picked by you!)
• “Northern Sky” -Nick Drake (fall song picked by you!)
• “Some Birds” Jeff Tweedy (fall song picked by you!)
• “Seasons” -Chris Cornell (fall song picked by you!) 
• “Ramble On” -Led Zeppelin (fall song picked by you!)
• “The Rat” – The Walkmen 
• “Walking With Thee” – Clinic 
• “Season of the Witch (Secrets Edit)” – Donovan 
• “Breathe” – Romare 
• “I’m Straight” – The Modern Lovers 
• “I Don’t Want to Get Over You” -The Magnetic Fields 
• “In Spite of Me” – Morphine 
• “Cocoon” – Morphine 
• “Buena” – Morphine 
• “Everything and Nothing” – SOFT PLAY 
• “Words” – Big Thief 
• “Heart Is a Drum” – Beck 
• “Sleeping Lessons” – The Shins 
• “Nu Tones” – NOMO 
• “Water No Get Enemy” – Fela Kuti  

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Starting off today with Brian Eno (what a good omen for a great call-in show). We’ll be diving into a lot of autumn-inspired tracks along with some classics from The Who, Led Zeppelin and others — many of them picked by you! Thank you to everyone who shared a song on the groove hotline, which is still open & taking fall picks: 313-577-3414. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 22, 2026

• “Taking Tiger Mountain” – Brian Eno (fall song picked by you!)
• “White Winter Hymnal” – Fleet Foxes
• “Love Ain’t for Keeping” – The Who (fall song picked by you!)
• “Who’s That” – The War on Drugs 
• “Balloon Drop Shadow” – The Cleaners From Venus (fall song picked by you!) 
• “September” – David Sylvian (fall song picked by you!)
• “Harvest Moon” – Maya Delilah (fall song picked by you!)
• “Moondance” – Van Morrison (fall song picked by you!)
• “Autumn Leaves” – Lou Rawls (fall song picked by you!)
• “Linus and Lucy” – Vince Guaraldi Trio (fall song picked by you!)
• “Partido Alto” – Azymuth (fall song picked by you!)
• “Enchantia” – Domenique Dumont 
• “False Start Dub” – Kings Of High Speed & JKriv 
• “Black Mountain Side” – Led Zeppelin (fall song picked by you!)
• “Shelter from the Storm” – Bob Dylan (fall song picked by you!)
• “Ordinary People” – Twin Peaks (fall song picked by you!)
• “Southern Point” – Grizzly Bear (fall song picked by you!)
• “Gone by Fall (feat. Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson & Josh Kaufman)” – Bonny Light Horseman (fall song picked by you!)
• “These Days” – Nico (fall song picked by you!)
• “Gold Dust” – Duster (fall song picked by you!)
• “Autumn Sweater” – Yo La Tengo (fall song picked by you!)
• “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” – Wilco 
• “All The Rage” – Wishy 
• “Detroit Has a Skyline” – Superchunk 
• “Lifer” – Wye Oak 
• “Clover” – Billie Marten 
• “Paper Tiger” – Spoon 
• “Chinatown” – Destroyer 
• “The Ones We Loved” – Georgie Sweet 
• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus 
• “Belong To You (feat. Kate Bollinger)” – Cut Copy 
• “Bloodlines” – Franc Moody 
• “La Ceiba” – Antibalas 
• “QADIR (BADBADNOTGOOD Remix)” – Nick Hakim 
• “Vitamin C” – Can 
• “Dove” – Cymande 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Coming off the heels of a successful fall fundraiser (a massive THANK YOU to everyone who made a gift during IN THE GROOVE) and considering today’s date being what might as well be a musical holiday, we’re starting with Roy Meriwether and continuing into tracks both modern and classic. We’ve also got Munan’s single “Disco In My Room,” which just dropped last week.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 21, 2026

• “Marching Into Hell” – Roy Meriwether 
• “Together” -Misha Panfilov Sound Combo 
• “Swing Lo Magellan” – Dirty Projectors 
• “Miffed It” – Way Dynamic 
• “Disco In My Room” – Munan 
• “Blue Nile” – Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics 
• “Sunday Morning” – Amanaz 
• “A Place to Go” – DJ Day 
• “For Pete’s Sake” – Sweetwater 
• “Draft Morning” – The Byrds 
• “San Franciscan Nights” – Gabor Szabo & The California Dreamers 
• “Girl from the Mountain” – Ghetto Brothers 
• “I Wish It Didn’t Bother Me” – Getdown Services 
• “New Drug (Original)” – Matthew Dear 
• “Booger’s Bounce of Joy” – Karate Boogaloo 
• “Bicho auto” – Juana Molina 
• “Acid and Honey” – Babe Rainbow 
• “Macho” – Jaakko Eino Kalevi 
• “TOY NO” – MUGRE 
• “⁠Colour Pillow / Kologo” – Blind Yeo 
• “Brakhage” – Stereolab 
• “Ocotillo” – Ghost Funk Orchestra 
• “Seven Mile (feat. Dames Brown)” – Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler 
• “Sun Circles (John Beltran Project Remix)” – Gratts 
• “On Your Face” – Earth, Wind & Fire 
• “September” – Earth, Wind & Fire 
• “Yeah Yeah” – Will Sessions 
• “Light My Fire” – Africa 
• “Nome de Deus” – Sessa 
• “La torre (feat. Devendra Banhart)” – Gabriel Rios 
• “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat. Yazmin Lacey)” – Ezra Collective 
• “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” – Cécile McLorin Salvant 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

At some point, it gets hard to just think about the music even if Phoebe Bridgers’s new single is quite the well-produced earworm.

The California artist is lauded as a generational songwriter for Gen Z. I won’t even begin to argue with that. My 20-year-old intern talks about her breathlessly. She’s certainly not alone. As an old man, I like her, too.

As Bridgers gets launches her third album, “Lost Weekend,” it is a major affair — so major that the music feels like a secondary affair.

First, there were the small shows at tiny venues across the U.S. where no phones were allowed and a bevy of clues were leaked out to eager fans. And then, with just about a day’s notice, she sold out Madison Square Garden. After that, Bridgers snapped her fingers and sold out a full arena tour in the U.S. and overseas. That’s an astonishing 500,000 tickets in just a few hours.

Even the release of the lead single, “Lost Boys,” comes with its own merch line, limited edition 7-inch, and a lot of other swag — or “ways to interact with the artist” if you’re less cynical than I am. 

And when you finally do get to the music itself, it’s quite a lovely track. It’s Bridgers at her most anthemic, taking the tiny bedroom moments of her previous releases and amping them up for that run of sold-out arenas later this year. You’ll be able to sing “Lost Boys” at the top of your lungs if you were lucky enough to get a ticket. 

Super producer Jack Antonoff gives “Lost Boys” a hell of a lot of space to build and echo through the room. The result is a track that feels massive, has a nifty little brass section that gives it big time pomp-and-circumstance, and the lyrics are vague enough that anyone can shove their life experiences inside of them and cosplay as Bridgers herself.

If you’re not into Bridgers’ music, it’s going to be a long year for you. She’ll be everywhere, and you might take the route of simply rejecting what’s popular.

But if you can get over the hype machine, you’ll find that Bridgers is in fact writing some of her strongest material and is an artist who still hasn’t missed across three albums. “Lost Boys” proves that she’s not about to take a musical misstep anytime soon.

This article was originally published on Midbrow.

I love when Beck puts on a cowboy hat and tells a twanged-out story of heartbreak. He does this perfectly on “Ride Lonesome,” which dropped back in April as a stand-alone single. No word of an album to follow, but at least a U.S. tour to go with it.

Now, that “Ride Lonesome” single is even better with the voice of West Virginia songwriter Sierra Ferrell dueting with him. Ferrell is a star of the Americana roots scene and Beck knows his way around that musical world. 

This “Ride Lonesome” track with its longingly sad steel pedal guitar and massive, echo-y vocals will remind Beck fans of his excellent “Sea Change” album from 2002, where he stripped it all down and proved he could write a ballad. He did it again in 2014 with spiritual follow-up “Morning Phase,” which won album of the year at the Grammys upon its release.

The biggest strength here, however, is Beck’s willingness to collaborate with Ferrell, who is undoubtedly the star of the track. Without her voice wrapping itself around Beck’s songwriting, it would be an unremarkable affair, which is exactly how I felt about it when it was first released back in April. Dropped last month, this update with Ferrell is oh so welcome and adds an entirely new layer to the work. It’s more lush. It’s grander. It’s still sad, but with a bit of romance now. 

It reminds me of when John Prine collaborated with the Cowboy Junkies for “If You Were The Woman and I Was The Man,” or the countless other examples of great country-roasted duets from throughout the decades (Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn; Johnny Cash and June Carter; Tim McGraw and Faith Hill; you name it).

Who knows if this will lead to more collabs from Beck or even a new album. In the meantime, I’ll keep this one on repeat.

This article was originally published on Midbrow.

We’re back with a whole new set of bangers including new music from Matthew Dear, Babe Rainbow, Blind Yeo and Ghost Funk Orchestra. Plus, legendary composer Danny Elfman joins the show to talk about the music that has influenced him over the years ahead of his show tomorrow night at the Fox Theatre in Detroit and a fond farewell for legendary jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for September 8, 2026

• “Booger’s Bounce of Joy” — Karate Boogaloo
• “Bicho auto” — Juana Molina
• “Acid and Honey” — Babe Rainbow
• “New Drug (Original)” — Matthew Dear
• “Macho” — Jaakko Eino Kalevi
• “TOY NO” — MUGRE
• “Something Against You” — Pixies
• “Brown Rice” — Don Cherry
• “Colour Pillow / Kologo” — Blind Yeo
• “Ocotillo” — Ghost Funk Orchestra
• “Espionage” — Butcher Brown feat. Charlie Hunter

In The Groove with Danny Elfman

• “What’s This?” — Danny Elfman

• “Minor Swing” — Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli & The Quintet of the Hot Club of France

• “Night Boat to Cairo” — Madness
• “Los Angeles” — X
• “Breakfast Machine” — Danny Elfman
• “Ice Dance” — Danny Elfman

More from the show

• “Snowman” — Blonde Redhead
• “Harvest Moon” — Cassandra Wilson
• “Samois a Moi” — Cyrille Aimée
• “Train on the Island” — Aldous Harding
• “Tugboat” — Galaxie 500
• “Olive Branch” — ARTEMIS
• “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” — Cécile McLorin Salvant
• “Baby Blue” — King Krule
• “Sleeping Ute” — Grizzly Bear
• “Do I Move You?” — Nina Simone
• “The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday’s Kiss)” — Aretha Franklin
• “I Found the F” — Broadcast
• “Only a Shadow” — The Cleaners From Venus
• “R&B (Theo Verney Version)” — English Teacher
• “Ritual Union (Maya Jane Coles Remix)” — Little Dragon
• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix)” — English Teacher & Daniel Avery
• “Alone (Four Tet Remix)” — The Cure

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Did anyone notice that one of the city’s most valued cultural treasures got a paint job earlier this summer?

It’s like failing to notice that your sweetheart did something new with their hair.

The chimney of Pewabic Pottery’s Jefferson Avenue headquarters is one of those low-key icons of Detroit. For years, it was adorned with oversized Pewabic tiles with their signature iridescent glaze. It was part billboard for their well-known product. It was part beacon and attraction on the city’s humble eastside skyline.

Those tiles, however, were doomed. They were falling off and shattering on the ground below. It’s a costly and tiring thing to keep outfitting a building that dates back to 1907 with fresh tiles.

That’s where painters Sadie Heisler and Kelly Golden stepped in with a crafty solution.

Why not paint the chimney to imitate and recreate Pewabic tiles? No more cracked tiles. No more replacing them as they fell and shattered. Considering you can’t actually climb up and get up close to the tiles themselves, it’s a brilliant plan.

Soaring about Pewabic on a lift, Heisler and Golden used a trompe l’oeil approach. It’s an ancient decorative painting technique seen throughout the world where paint is used to create a visual illusion of depth.

“This job was the perfect opportunity to implement this technique, to create a subtle illusion of those iconic ceramic tiles,” Heisler told Midbrow.

So subtle, in fact, that no one really noticed. That’s how convincing the paint job is.

It’s a massive feather in the cap, however, for two painters who get to be part of Pewabic’s legacy. It’s also a clever approach to historic preservation that keeps the essence of their headquarters intact.

“My favorite thing about working on historic buildings is how each structure is imbued with a singular personality and history,” says Heisler. “Throughout the process of working on a project, you become familiar with its past and form a connection with all the craftspeople who came before you. It was a true joy to honor Pewabic’s legacy!”

Here’s to bringing a little more notoriety to a crafty execution on the city’s east side.

This article was originally published on Midbrow. 

Imagine Romare as a musical collagist instead of a straight-up producer-DJ combo. Even the name is a clue. Born Archie Fairhurst, the U.K. artist’s moniker is an homage to Romare Bearden, the American artist and hyphenate best known for his visual collages.

That’s likely why Romare’s music feels like scraps of old, dusty records being pasted together onto a snappy new canvas, but never with too much polish. There’s always the analog color still left hanging on, weaving together a dozen influences. There’s sonic snapshots of blues, R&B, and of course electronic dance music throughout.

Consider his latest single “Breathe” as a sort of intro to Romare’s sound. It’ll be featured on his upcoming album, “Oblivion,” due out in September on All You See.

“Place your hand beneath your nose / feel the rhythm of the air as it moves in and out…”

It opens with a sample of someone instructing you how to literally breathe. It reminds me of the old instructional records you might find in the basement of your local library.

“Feel the movement of your breath…”

This record, however, isn’t for staying still or finding calmness. It’s meant for the dance floor.

“There’s a rhythm…”

Some might find their zen doing yoga to that sample. In Romare’s hands, it’s an instructional how-to let go in the club with a thick earworm of a bassline that slowly breaks down and becomes a chunky, distorted version of itself as the song progresses.

“There’s a rhythm in you… and if you’re very still… you can find that rhythm…”

Like the vocal sample suggests, Romare’s latest “Breathe” is active listening.

This article was originally posted on Midbrow.

“Has it ever been easier to complain publicly about something without trying to change it?”

That’s one of the credos that Panda Bear and Sonic Boom have adopted for the upcoming release of their second collaborative album, “A ? of When,” which came out July 10 via Domino.

It’s a fist-waving-in-the-air against strictly online culture, where a lot of context gets lost. And a lot of musical memory is so brief that it’s easy to feel defeated as an artist.

So it makes sense that, like a lot of musicians, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom are struggling with how to release an album in the digital age. Fair enough. You spend all this time writing and pouring yourself into something. You release it. The internet gobbles it up in mere minutes. The cycle moves on. Did you even release an album? There’s already something else coming down the pipeline…

That’s where a sense of physicality comes in—a physical release like an actual piece of vinyl you’ve got to buy at the store. And, in the case of Panda Bear and Sonic Boom’s upcoming album, you can’t even stream this thing online if you wanted to. They’ve made the choice to keep it off of streaming services and to make a bit of an in-real-life-only event. 

All the concern about battling internet release schedules and creating a tangible, physical release also means the title track, “A ? of When (Ultimate Drive Time Mix),” sounds like the full-throated rock and pop records of the late 1960s and 1970s. 

There are elements of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, mostly due to Panda Bear’s uncanny vocals that remind me so much of Wilson. Massive guitars call back to Pete Townshend’s best and biggest work with The Who. Plus, the “Ultimate Drive Time Mix” edit actually takes out the sirens and some of the background clutter from the original version that makes it more suitable for actual radio play – talk about nostalgia!

There’s a throwback sound to the whole affair that makes as much a battle against streaming services as it is a throwback time machine to making music sound a lot like it did back in the day when you had to get up and buy the record and sit and listen to the whole damn thing in your bedroom while reading the liner notes.

And I’ll do just that.

This article was originally published on Midbrow. 

It feels so good to go to an art show you can actually touch.

At this mini-show for textile artist Katrina Santa Ana Jose’s “The Room Breathes In,” you can actually sit down on one of her pieces. 

It’s a small foam cushion called “Soft Landing” (a steal at $250!) sewn with competing flannel-esque textiles on the outside. It’s warm and inviting with at least one patron sprawling out on “Soft Landing” to take a photo.

You know how good it feels to go to a show that’s actually functional? 

When I say “mini-show,” it’s not a comment on the substance of the show. It’s the fact that it’s actually quite small. Not just the collection itself (six pieces total), but the space it’s in.

Grüna Gallery is basically a makeshift hallway separating the facade and the artist studio of Louise Jones, who operates Grüna and is hosting “The Room Breathes In.” The location blends in with the rest of the brick-and-mortar retail on this block in Grosse Pointe Park.

It’s a bite-sized model I’d love to see more artists’ consider using their own space for.

Outside of the use of space and location, the show itself is a lovely one that likely wouldn’t feel as welcoming and comforting in a larger space, or if it was stuffed in as part of a group show. 

Like the natural fibers she’s using, Santa Ana Jose’s textile creations breathe. Aside from the cushion, the rest are hanging pieces — perhaps as standalone art but here mainly envisioned as curtains allowing light to pour into the mini-gallery. As guests walk by, they grab the fabrics and stretch them out to see the details and let go to watch the fabric waft back into its hanging position. It’s a simple yet utterly satisfying part of “The Room Breathes In.” It’s material you’re used to, but presented as art, which you’re never able to play with like this (gently, of course).

For this show, they are made from a bunch of leftover aprons and other oddities from a former butcher shop in Mount Clemens that she stumbled upon during an estate sale. You can see some of the original logos and uses for these materials still on her creations.

That’s the beating heart of her practice — breathing new life into old fabrics or, as it’s described in a release about the show, the “process of grief becoming material reconstruction.” Because the fabrics she’s using are natural fibers (for this show, mainly cotton and linen), they can “ultimately return to the earth, completing a cycle of reuse and regeneration.”

“Upcycling” is the common term thrown around, but that feels cheap and a bit overused for something like this exhibition, which feels elegantly simplistic and light and fresh. 

That’s likely because it’s got an actual ethos behind its creation that goes far beyond a buzzy term.

Katrina Santa Ana Jose’s “The Room Breathes In” is located at
Grüna Gallery, 15304 Kercheval Ave. in Grosse Pointe Park.

This story was originally published on Midbrow. 

 Wishy is my new favorite band, plus new music from Fontaines D.C. as they get ready to release their new album “Dopamine Chamber,” plus fresh selects from Logic1000 and Allison de Groot & Rich Ruth.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for August 19, 2026

• “All The Rage” — Wishy
• “1000 Pounds” — Superchunk
• “She Walks” — Poster Children
• “You Can Have It All” — Yo La Tengo
• “Nervion” — Allison de Groot & Rich Ruth
• “False Prophet (ashnymph Remix)” — Nightbus
• “Marianne” — Fontaines D.C.
• “I Love You” — Spacemen 3
• “The Dreaming Moon” — The Magnetic Fields
• “Full Spectrum Dominance” — Dummy
• “Jersey (feat. Jam City)” — Logic1000
• “Destroy Everything You Touch” — Ladytron
• “Jumbo (Remastered)” — Underworld
• “Heaven’s on Fire” — The Radio Dept.
• “Mercury” — Automatic
• “It’s Starting” — RIO KOSTA
• “Kelly Watch the Stars (Vegyn Version)” — Air
• “Sad Makeup” — Yukimi
• “Selenge” — Céline Dessberg
• “Consulate Case” — Surprise Chef
• “Blueberry Beads” — John Carroll Kirby
• “Burnin’ Coal” — Les McCann
• “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone (Single Version)” — The Temptations
• “Sad Cowboy” — Goat Girl
• “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” — King Hannah
• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix)” — English Teacher & Daniel Avery
• “Radio Free Europe (Jacknife Lee Remix / 2025)” — R.E.M.
• “The Revolution Will Not Be Telefonin'” — Tonico 70
• “Groove” — Beans
• “Mágica” — El Michels Affair & Rogê
• “Pinball Number Count (feat. Dames Brown & Nicholas Payton)” — Brandon Williams
• “Brian” — Alfa Mist
• “Constellation” — The Circling Sun
• “She Raised Us in Sunset Park” — musclecars
• “Para Chick” — Tania Maria
• “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (“1999″ B-Side)” — Prince

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Erykah Badu is heading to town on Sept. 11with the producer the Alchemist. It’s to support their upcoming album, which is out on Aug. 28—but still doesn’t have a name! Maybe the name of an album isn’t even important anymore… who knows! We do have a new single from the project called “Witch Doctor,” which kicks off the show today, plus new music from Dana and Alden, the Womack Sisters and lots more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for August 18, 2026

• “Witch Doctor” — Erykah Badu & The Alchemist
• “Goin’ Home (Remix)” — McCoy Tyner
• “Les ‘Là-bas'” — Henri Texier
• “Moon & I (feat. Céline Dessberg)” — Azekel
• “El Gaucho (feat. Marcos Valle, Mirella Costa & Zaza Desiderio)” — Dana and Alden
• “All Blues” — Nicholas Payton & Butcher Brown
• “Troupeau bleu” — Cortex
• “You Ain’t the Problem” — Michael Kiwanuka
• “Sunshine Kisses” — Sabine McCalla
• “If I Let You” — The Womack Sisters
• “Shadows From Nowhere” — Blue Gas
• “Blue Shadows (feat. Karen O)” — The Avalanches
• “Keep It To Yourself” — Love Spells
• “Star Blanket River Child” — Brightblack Morning Light
• “Computer Love” — Romare
• “In Loving Memory” — Gabriels
• “Carry Me Higher (Elite Mix) [10 Inch Version]” — The Blessed Madonna, Joy Anonymous & Danielle Ponder
• “Puaj” — Salin
• “Ya Banat” — Kazdoura
• “Shmaali شمالي” — Yasmine Hamdan
• “She Will” — Savages
• “Hand Me A Cigarette” — Twisted Teens
• “Believe” — Benjamin Booker
• “Waiting on the Right Time” — Thee Sacred Souls
• “free fall” — berlioz
• “Love Is Stronger Than Pride (Ian Fink cover)” — Sade
• “The World Is a Ghetto (Laroye Rework)” — George Benson
• “Home is Where The Hatred Is (feat. Lisa Fischer) [Main]” — Brian Jackson, Masters At Work, Kenny Dope & Louie Vega
• “Please Forgive My Heart” — Bobby Womack
• “A Couple Minutes (A COLORS SHOW)” — Olivia Dean

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

On their new album, Death Cab for Cutie isn’t wasting anyone’s time. At a crisp 11 songs clocking in at 38 minutes, it’s a quick listen—same as an episode of award-winning television. 

It plays out like a prestige drama, too. 

After 22 years, the Seattle band ditched their longtime record label Atlantic and signed with ANTI-. Songwriter and lead singer Ben Gibbard recently went through a divorce and poured those emotions into this album, including the stand-out single “Riptides,” which shocked me when I first heard it. 

It felt like vintage Death Cab for Cutie, a band I grew up with. It was personal for Gibbard. It was personal for me because I’ve been listening to this band damn near my entire adult life. We’ve grown up together. So, like everything they release, it’s under a bit of scrutiny. Any relationship like that is going to need some vulnerability to make it.

Gibbard, per usual, gets personal with his lyrics.

These days
I say goodbye without opening my mouth
I just stare into the distance ’til you figure it out
‘Cause I feel
As invested as a border guard
Who’s seen too many people leaving to take it to heart

Musically, this song will feel like throwback Cutie, too. It’s crisp, simple and catchy; at this point, you could use them as the definition of indie rock. Maybe they invented it – the natural evolution of Midwest emo from the 1990s turning into something more polished and twee, which is the perfect bedding for Gibbard’s words (always the star of the show). 

They’re a band growing up and looking back. As fans, we’re reaping the rewards of their best (and most honest) work in years.

This story was originally published by Midbrow.