This week on MI Local, we checked out three new albums by, of course, local artists, including the indie rock trio Idle Ray with “Airports”, Panda House with their self-titled EP coming out on Dec. 12, and indie-singer-songwriter Jesse Shepherd Bates, with “Extra Texture”—the latter has a release party this Saturday at the Lexington!

We also heard some Midwest emo/post-punk rock from the trio known as Marcus the Apex Predator, and the latest from the versatile producer Eddie Logix.

Our in-studio guests included Kristin Lyn from Ladyship Warship! Lyn is the drummer and vocalist from the husband-wife rock duo that also features Eric Myers on guitar, but as we note in our interview, more often than not it’s a Mandocello! Lyn talked about Ladyship Warship’s most recent album, “Lacrimosus Intolerantem,” as well as the two new music videos that they’ll be releasing, with one dropping Thursday ahead of their show on Thanksgiving night, Nov. 27 at the Outer Limits Lounge.

Sonic Smut, meanwhile, are a “loud” psychedelic rock trio who have a new album out next weekend, “Eye Bleach.” We sampled some of their invigorating new tracks before the trio successfully adapted one of their gnarly/groovy guitar/keyboard based tracks into a pared back acoustic version!

You can see Sonic Smut perform live next Friday, Nov. 28, at the Paris Bar as a part of a dual album release with The Idiot Kids, who are releasing their next album, “Instants.” Idiot Kids, led by Jon-Mikal Bartee, have been in-studio guests on a couple occasions prior; we spun one of their new songs, “Mr. E.”

Full tracklist below! Check it out and listen to the media player above for two weeks after it airs.

• “Memories Burn (Whenever You Dream)” – Idle Ray
• “M.M.M.” – Jesse Shepherd-Bates
• “Overexposure” – Panda House
• “Plenty & Shine” – Marcus the Apex Predator
• “Sun of Elizabeth” – Eddie Logix
• “Death By Nostalgia” – Sonic Smut
• “Freakquency” – Sonic Smut
• “Good Ones” – Ladyship Warship
• “Marks The Spot” – Ladyship Warship
• “The Only Way Out is Through” – Ladyship Warship

A legendary Detroit band has been recognized with one of music industry’s highest honors. 

The White Stripes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this month. With that distinction, the band is now alongside some of Detroit’s greats, like Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, and Aretha Franklin.

The duo exploded onto the national scene in the early 2000s and  released six studio albums across ten years. Songs like “Blue Orchid,” “Icky Thump,” and the iconic stadium banger “Seven Nation Army” are examples of the raw textures and driving beats that characterize their approach to garage-punk. 

Meg and Jack eventually split after 2011 but their contributions to music in Detroit and America will be forever recognized.  Mike Latulippe, host of The Detroit Move on WDET, played with Jack White back in the day. He joined the program to discuss the band’s legacy.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Meet the local music scene on MI Local! This week, I welcomed two unique in-studio guests, both of whom exclusively premiered new music for WDET listeners ahead of upcoming release dates and forthcoming concerts. With MI Local, not only will you stay in the loop, you’ll be ahead of the proverbial curve!

Early on in the show, we were joined by the Ypsilanti-based alt-rock/emo group Riot Course, premiering their brand new song “Stranger.” I chatted with the group about their origins, their sound/style, and a bit about what distinguishes their latest material from their previous release, “Skin Deep.”

Riot Course is performing on Friday, October 10 at Olympia Skate Shop to celebrate the release of their newest EP, “Before You Can Say Knife.”

Notably, Riot Course has also been a vocal advocate for public broadcasting, donating proceeds from previous shows to NPR, and keeping a link to donate on their website. We discuss that, as well, of course!

Later on in the show, the five-piece indie-rock group known as Rose St. Germaine joined me in-studio to premiere their new song “Haunt Me Baby,” which is officially out October 1. The lead singer and songwriter, Emily Rose Seward, is also known as Rose St. Germaine—but similar to, say, Sade, it’s also the name of the band. 

Now, if you’re reading this in time, you can catch Rose St. Germaine tonight at the Outer Limits Lounge, where they’ll celebrate the new single and quite likely dip into some spooky vibes and Halloween-adjacent aesthetics!

Stream the show above to hear my interview with the band, and Emily Rose’s curious journey from former teenage organist prodigy to dynamic indie-rock balladeer, who also happens to have  a penchant for performance art and intense punk-garage energies.

Other tidbits include some brand new local tracks by The Matthew Smith Group, The Quitters, and a look ahead to shows you can catch featuring groups like Cherry Drop and the Lonesome Skeleton Band!

Stream the show up top for two weeks following the air date and find the full playlist below! 

• “Cut the Line” – Cal In Red
• “The Mood is Everything” – Reggi Roomers
• “Stranger” – Riot Course
• “Comet Hyakutake – Via Mardot
• “Harvest Moon” – Lonesome Skeleton Band
• “Hitched” – CRAFTMATIK
• “Watch Me Fly” – Gar Den Boi
• “Disintegrating World ” – The Matthew Smith Group
• “Yeah (You)” – The Quitters
• “Loaded” – Cherry Drop
• “Haunt Me Baby” – Rose St. Germaine
• “You Will Always Love Me” – Rose St. Germaine, live in WDET Studios
• “Too Long” – Rose St. Germaine 

It’s never been a competition, but if there were one for most endearing band in Michigan, it might be The City Lines! I say “endearing,” but I also mean charismatic in an unapologetically kind and wholesome and down-to-earth sort of way.

Oh, and they can also rip: this is a band that blends power-pop melodies with gritty punk rock distortion and propulsive tempos, laced with lyrics that can, yes, be inspiring and heartwarming, but also cut-in with serious social commentary, reflections on life, and poignant self-revelations.

The City Lines started from the poetry that singer/guitarist Pat Deneau was penning while sitting in the front seat of a fire truck during quiet periods of his day job at the Ann Arbor Fire Department. You can hear the whole story about how he and drummer Bob Zammit, developed this band over the last five years after Zammit relocated here from Seattle, and all the “work” they’ve been putting in as they’ve advanced through their 30’s and became fathers.

Along with a touching and eloquent summary of the inspiration for their album title, we shoutout the crucial addition of Detroit-based musician and songwriter Megan Marcoux. Marcoux  also performs/records with the band, Twin Deer, who’s currently fundraising for public radio with their merch!

“Prescribed Fires” is The City Lines’ 2nd full-length album, following up 2023’s “Analog Memories”. As you’ll hear in the episode, Deneau and I already have a solid rapport, and there are some easy laughs interwoven with substantive discussions around the lyrical inspirations of the album.

“Precribed Fires” is officially out on September 19. During our show, we listened to a brand new song, “Do It All,” and were treated to a live in-studio acoustic rendition of a deep cut from the album titled “Out Loud.”

Speaking of “Do It All,” the group has just released a music video to accompany the single.

This week’s episode was heavy on indie-rock and punk vibes, with premieres from long-time locals like Norcos y Horchata, who have a new album titled “The Precious Little Album” coming out. We paired that with an intense medley showcasing a new song from the Lansing-based Rot Knot from their self-titled album, along with one of two new singles from the brand-new Detroit group, Twin Freaks.

Also, we heard the lead single “Horses Were Orcas” from Jesse Shepherd-Bates‘ forthcoming solo album, “Extra Texture”, and we got a sneak-preview of the new album coming from avant-indie-punk group Tin Foil, from their new album Chicken Sandwich. The latter has an album release party at the Outer Limits Lounge this Saturday night.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for August 26, 2025

• “Halos” – Absofacto
• “Tenspeed (Shallows)” – Racing Mount Pleasant
• “All I Can Do” – Ricochet The Kid
• “Horses Were Orcas” – Jesse Shepherd-Bates
• “Here to Stay” – Electric Huldra
• “Frayed” – Rot Knot
• “I’m Cured” – Twin Freaks
• “Lake Ave. Traffic” – Norcos Y Horchata
• “Sadonka” – Tin Foil
• “50 Miles” – Perren
• “Do It All” – The City Lines
• “Out Loud” – The City Lines – live in WDET Studios
• “Blood and Smoke” – The City Lines  

Dan Gilbert’s Hudson’s tower was sold as a symbol of comeback for Detroit — a shiny promise of jobs, growth, and a Woodward Avenue reborn.

But behind the glass, there is a more complicated story. 

State officials approved over $600 million in tax breaks across several Bedrock projects, including Hudson’s. Locally, Gilbert also won a $60 million city tax abatement, with the Downtown Development Authority playing a key role in downtown financing.

But the returns are uncertain. A University of Michigan study projects the incentives could generate benefits through 2052. 

Critics say many promised jobs are simply relocations from GM’s headquarters and other Gilbert buildings, rather than net new opportunities for Detroiters.

Meanwhile, the flow of public money remains murky. 

To see if the subsidies are paying off, the Detroit Free Press is now suing the Michigan Department of Treasury to gain access to state records. Detroit Free Press reporter JC Reindel is helping lead the fight for information. He joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss how this story asks a deeper question about public subsidies and if they serve Detroiters or developers.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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This weekend on The Progressive Underground, we dropped anchor in the world of Yacht Rock — that smooth, soulful, and yes, sometimes delightfully corny blend of soft rock, blue-eyed soul, and jazz-pop that soundtracked many a sunset in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

From Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, and Christopher Cross to deeper cuts from the California studio scene, we explore the polished grooves, lush arrangements, and the studio legends behind the music. Think creamy synths, tight harmonies and lyrics that make you chuckle while you vibe.

In this special episode, we navigate the genre’s cultural roots, its surprising resurgence and the smooth sounds that still go down easy, whether you’re sailing the coast or just cruising down memory lane.

This program coincides with a special performance by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as they present “Sailing: Soft Rock Hits of the 70s and 80s” on Tuesday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Orchestra Hall. For more information, visit dso.org.

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

The Progressive Underground: Yacht Rock Edition playlist (aired July 19, 2025)

• “Taking it to the Streets” by The Doobie Brothers
• “Tin Man” by America
• “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is” by Chicago
• “Baby Come Back” by Player
• “Moonlight Feels Right” by Starbuck
• “Crazy Love” by Poco
• “Ride Like The Wind” by Christopher Cross
• “Free Man in Paris” by Joni Mitchell
• “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes
• “Baker Street” by Gerry Raferty
• “Time Passages” by Al Stewart
• “What A Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers
• “You Can’t Change That” by Raydio
• “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rungren
• “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John
• “Magic” by Olivia Newton John
• “Midnight at the Oasis” by Maria Malduar
• “Reminiscing” by The Little River Band
• “Peg” by Steely Dan
• “Africa” by Toto
• “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago
• “How Much I Feel” by Ambrosia
• “This Is It” by Kenny Loggins
• “Sailing” by Christopher Cross
• “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac
• “Sarah Smile” by Hall & Oates
• “I Keep Forgetting” by Michael McDonald
• “Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille
• “Cool Night” by Paul Davis
• “Goodnight, Tonight” by Paul McCartney
• “Love Will Find A Way” by Pablo Cruise
• “Hey 19” by Steely Dan
• “Lowdown” by Boz Scaggs
• “My Best Friend” by Queen
• “Show You The Way (feat. Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins)” by Thundercat
• “Only The Beginning” by Chicago