It’s that time of year again, when a new calendar invites a special kind of optimism: a feeling that the world is waiting to unfurl in front of you, that you will get your screen time under control, and that it is time to try something new.

It is in that same spirit of change that I would like to first thank Steven Spoerl, Tone Madison‘s Music Editor of the last five years, for his wonderful service to the Madison music community as he departs for new challenges. Spoerl’s work since the pandemic began has been invaluable, as he’s highlighted emerging sounds and trends in the Madison area during a time when it was so badly needed. To a certain extent, this has always been a town of transience, acting as an incubator for bands and students (and many of your friends) to grow for a few years before setting sail for new frontiers.   

For myself, music has always been a reflection of identity, time, and place. It’s an ever-welcoming sink to hold your hopes, frustrations, sorrows, and passions as life piles them on. As a musician, I’ve channeled those interests into an album entirely about Wisconsin birds. As an observer, I started the Madison Music Radar social media page to try and catalog every release that I could for the city and the scene that I love.

Taking on that curation work has opened my eyes to the immense amount of talent, creativity, and collaboration constantly flowing from this place. Tapping into your local scene provides much more than just recognizing band names on a Mickey’s bill; it brings the joy of discovery, art that reflects your shared surroundings, and the feeling of connection to the community. With that, I’d like to highlight some great local projects and tunes from January and February that helped kick off 2026.

I’ve included links to the projects as well as the Madison Music Radar posts for further information.  —Aaron Grych

If you’re a local artist who would like to submit your release for consideration, please send tracks to @MadisonMusicRadar on Instagram (preferred) or quokkamadison@gmail.com.

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Singles

alewives, “Runnin’“

Alewives first surfaced about a year ago, popping up to play the occasional gig, but had yet to release any of their own music, until now. “Runnin”’ is the alt-country group’s debut single, a sub three-minute sprint that will leave you nodding your head and wondering from which Tom Petty album it originated.

Despite its condensed runtime, “Runnin”’ feels light and open due to the mix that affords space to each band member playing on the track. Frontman Gunnar Schmitz gives each vocal line room to breathe, and the resulting air is filled out by quick drum fills, pedal steel, violin lilts, and tidy turnarounds. The chorus is brief but sharp and hinges itself on a loose and catchy main guitar riff.

The band boasts an impressive roster with some familiar local names, including drummer Luis Acosta Jr. (Dicot, Mail Manipulators, Please!, Bad Crime), bassist/violinist Shelby Len (Dicot, Mail Manipulators, DJ Yuppie), and Schmitz (One Beer Please, Porchflowers, Max & The Fellow Travelers). With a pedigree like that and a debut like this, I’m expecting big things. Plus, the cover art is a alewives-themed version of the Caribou Bar painted by drummer Sasha Pearl (Jackson and the Janks, Chris Acker). Really, what’s not to love here?

Alewives will also be featured in the upcoming Tone Madison and Madison Music Radar “Rising Artists Showcase” on Saturday, March 14, at Gamma Ray Bar alongside Bloodroots, Sapsucker, and Dicot. All proceeds will go to a Minneapolis rent relief fund. Tickets are available here.

Cause and Control, “Paved“

One associated name will make any song sound good, and that’s Isaac de Broux-Slone. Cause and Control have been working with the Disq co-founder and producer extraordinaire for their last few singles, forming a fantastic partnership that has left all of their tracks coming out fresh and sparkling.

“Paved” is the latest single in the series and kicks off with a fun mixture of swirling samples and sound effects before launching into Cause and Control’s trademark ’90s-inspired Promise Ring-style alternative rock. Written by bassist Alex Cope, “Paved” is structured around a rollercoaster-like walking pattern that ferries the song from phase to phase. According to Cope, the track was written about returning home after time away and realizing you no longer recognize it, a truth as old as time—whether it be Madison, the bassist’s hometown of Kenosha, or anywhere in between.

The single feels meticulously planned, from their coordinated instrumental runs in between choruses (with bongos!), to drum breaks and breakdowns, to a tidy main riff. By using a less traditional structure, the band gives the listener plenty to ponder, keeping their attention and toes tapping at every junction. “Paved” is another highlight in a really strong run of singles ahead of what I can only assume will be a really strong incoming album as Cause and Control continue to grow their catalog and their profile in the region.

Worms for Sale, “Slime“

Among the genres represented in the heavily guitar-centric Madison music scene, “jam band” isn’t one that the wheel lands on too often. With their latest single and third song ever, “Slime,” Worms for Sale have filled that niche.

The track starts off with some light lounge funk before impressive drum work catapults it into a Pigeons Playing Ping Pong-esque jam phase. “Slime” takes a few different turns in a few different directions, keeping riff work front and center while the rhythm section brings the energy up and down. Guitarist Aaron Cudak is the captain of this ship on lead guitar, steering the melody of the entire journey with an impressive range of technique.

Vocals ebb in and out, marking space for thrilling changes as the groovy six-and-half-minute song gets progressively more psychedelic and oscillates between going for it and really going for it. The single puts some high-quality musicianship and band chemistry on display; and with such a small catalog, leaves the door wide open for more to come.

Projects

The Sandhill Strangers, Five Month Winter

The Sandhill Strangers released their debut album, Five Month Winter, at the perfect time. The five-piece string band looked outside, checked their thermostats, and knew that the world could use a new topically named folk/bluegrass album. Self-described as “a moodier version of bluegrass,” the Sandhill Strangers join the rich midwestern tapestry of Americana by paying homage to folk traditions over an extended 15-song, 53-minute runtime.

According to founder Greg Beaudoin, their sound itself is based on mid-late 20th century folk revivalists like Kate Wolf, Bela Fleck, and the Krueger Brothers. The first thing that hit me about this project was the high level of skill that each member has on their instrument. It is a true democratic collaboration of musicians, trading off solos and songwriting duties throughout the album, without ever favoring a single person or playing over one another.     

The album starts off with a bang in “Unsatisfied,” a deeply catchy song written by violinist Marin Danz that seems to check every songwriting box and worm its way into your head. It’s one of those songs that instantly feels familiar, settling in on the ears and the soul in a way that makes the entire album worth the price of admission. From there, the Strangers delve into stories of a bygone era, with songs about professions like quarrymen, coal miners, and chopping down a big tree with the whole town watching.

Everything about this project feels warm and antique, from the lyrics to the foot-stomping fiddle solos, and would be just as at home on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack as it would at an outdoor music festival. The Sandhill Strangers also splice in a few purely instrumental songs, including “Hexagenia” and “Knock on Wood,” where the players are given free range to showcase their chops in a few different tempos and feels. While I could write all day about this project and give each song the attention it deserves, I will simply say: The Sandhill Strangers are an utter delight.

(The Sandhill Strangers also appear in a mustard-tasting video with the one and only National Mustard Museum, as if my interests couldn’t be aligned any more.)

Hush Now, Sweet Halo, Sundial / The Fear

Shoegaze trio Hush Now, Sweet Halo crept on to the scene last year with a lone debut summer single and have since evolved into local venue fixtures. To kick off 2026, they released Sundial / The Fear, a pair of singles, to further define their sound and bring their grand total of released songs to three.

So far, I’ve learned that Hush Now, Sweet Halo writes songs that are contradictions within themselves—airy yet heavy, opaque, yet impenetrable. In keeping with the shoegaze tradition, instruments and voices melt into one huge, booming conglomeration with a guitar or snare poking its head around the wall of sound every once in a while. It’s a difficult sound to pull off well from the production side, but bassist and producer Ethan Kral, a.k.a. The Wizard, does a masterful job of balancing clarity, tone, and weight.

“Sundial” is the lighter of the two songs, written about being confined to bedrest while sick with a sound that mirrors the feeling of feverish unease perfectly. Vocals drone in and out, accented by a ride cymbal made to sound like crystal tear drops. The track bleeds seamlessly into the next, opting to go for a heavier, alt-metal feel on “The Fear.” The band’s vocal and instrumental choices remain consistent between tracks, creating a far more cohesive match than most pairs of singles. It’s clear that Hush Now knows exactly how to incubate and execute an idea, and I’m excited to see what song number four will bring.

Editor’s note: The Wristwatch blurb in the “Projects” section has been removed, as it did not meet Tone Madison’s editorial standards upon further review.