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Steven Spoerl

Music Editor at Tone Madison. Writer. Photographer. Musician. Steven created the blog Heartbreaking Bravery in 2013 and his work as a multimedia journalist has appeared in Rolling Stone, Consequence, NPR, Etsy, Maximumrocknroll, and countless other publications.

Steven's Latest Articles

A 3x4 grid displays the cover art for the tracks that appear on this list.

Tone Madison’s top songs of 2022, pt. II

By Steven Spoerl & Scott Gordon ● Music ● January 10, 2023 January 9, 2023

The second installment of a three-part series chronicling our favorite tracks from local artists.

Photo: A 3x4 grid displays the cover art for the tracks that appear on this list.

Tone Madison’s top songs of 2022, pt. I

By Steven Spoerl & Scott Gordon ● Music ● January 9, 2023 January 9, 2023

The first installment of a three-part series chronicling our favorite tracks from local artists.

An illustration shows multi-colored images of a keyboard, a turntable, a microphone, speakers, a "play" button," and sliders and indicators from a soundboard, all arranged in a grid-like pattern.

Looking back on a year of Madison music’s high notes

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● December 23, 2022 December 23, 2022

Honoring the potency of music coverage during a bounce-back year.

A simple image collage that depicts (at top left) a Monday night screening of "Sharknado" at Memorial Union Terrace in Madison with three other film stills. To its right, an shot of actress Katia Pascariu in "Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn;" below that, a shot of Kristen Stewart, Viggo Mortensen, and Léa Seydoux in "Crimes Of The Future;" and to its left, a still of Michelle Yeoh, a looming Jamie Lee Curtis, and reflection of Ke Huy Quan in "Everything Everywhere All At Once."

Everyone everywhere all at once: a Tone Madison year-end film thread

By Grant Phipps, Lewis Peterson, Edwanike Harbour, C Nelson-Lifson, Steven Spoerl, Alisyn Amant, Ian Adcock, Maxwell Courtright & Jason Fuhrman ● Film ● December 20, 2022 December 21, 2022

The bulk of our film team imparts their highs and lows of 2022.

All of the current Cribshitter members are shown posing in a room, the image is repeated across six tiles.

Cribshitter grows up, but just a little

By Steven Spoerl ● Music ● December 19, 2022 December 21, 2022

Karl and Christine Christenson open up about Cribshitter’s latest album, “Goin’ Soft.”

A still from a 2015 video that was produced by "The Guardian" depicting a shared conversation between "Tone Madison" author and musician Steven Spoerl and Perfect Pussy vocalist and journalist Meredith Graves. Both are smiling inside Hand & Detail Car Wash, which played host to a 2015 CMJ showcase that was presented by AdHoc.

Finding harmony in an avalanche of dissonance

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● December 16, 2022 December 16, 2022

The benefits of subverting traditional norms within music journalism.

A photo shows a dense field of plants in sunlight, with a small insect just barely visible in the frame.

Get our new Madison music compilation, “To Grow A Garden”

By Steven Spoerl ● Microtones ● December 2, 2022 December 2, 2022

Featuring unreleased tracks from some great Madison artists.

Histo's Donald Curtis' face is shown in the center of the image. The image is split into three panels. The side panels show Curtis' arms as they are painted on by children. The middle panel shows Curtis' face, which is also heavily painted. "Histo" is written across his neck. Underneath him, in all panels, the transgender flag is visible.

Histo’s jigsaw approach uncovers beauty via communal expansion

By Steven Spoerl ● Music ● November 14, 2022 November 14, 2022

Histo’s Donald Curtis discusses an eye-opening 2022.

An illustration shows a series of multicolored guitar necks pointing in from either side of the frame.

A homegrown emo fest and a heavy farewell

By Maxwell Courtright, Scott Gordon, Lewis Peterson & Steven Spoerl ● Music ● November 6, 2022 November 8, 2022

Plus more events we recommend checking out in Madison, November 7 through 13 edition.

Interlay performs as part of WSUM's Party In The Park 2022 event. Guitarist/vocalist Alexandria Ortgiesen is centered, singing through wisps of windswept hair, guitar slung low. Guitarist Alex Edlund is in soft focus behind her, to the left. Buildings and trees can be seen in the background.

Post-punk powerhouse Interlay returns with “Androgynous”

By Steven Spoerl ● Music ● November 4, 2022 November 4, 2022

Alexandria Ortgiesen taps into something big as the band around her shifts.