Sponsor

Microtones

Our newsletter-first column brings you the notes between the notes.

A black-and-white photo of three potted plants sitting on a carpet by a large window with the blinds drawn. Bright sunlight streams in through the slits in the blinds, spilling onto the carpet in the foreground.

A secluded summer

By
●
Microtones
●
September 5, 2025

Climate change is directly making our quality of life worse.

Sponsor
Latest in Microtones
Close-up photograph of a tan-colored, scuffed City Of Madison garbage receptacle filled with boxes. It sits on the grass near the curb next to a discarded mini-Christmas tree on North Carroll Street in Madison.
Hippie Christmas has come and gone again. But what exactly are we celebrating?
By
●
Microtones
●
August 29, 2025

Get some free stuff, but let's stop putting a cutesy spin on housing instability and waste.

An angled photo shows a row of slim, boxy, similarly designed housing units stretching into the distance. The houses are modest in their appearance, but painted colorfully- including shades of blue, red, yellow, and green at the far end.
The outsides of other people’s homes
By
●
Microtones
●
August 15, 2025

Complaints about ugly new housing abound in Madison, but they aren't getting us anywhere.

Joe Pera is shown from behind, gazing up at a lights show at Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Domes. There's an interconnected web of lights that illuminate the image in a cool blue. Pera's centered but very low in the frame, amplifying the scope of the Domes. He's wearing a dark, fashionable jacket and his face is not visible.
Wisconsin in film and television: through the looking glass
By
●
Microtones
●
August 8, 2025

Perseverance stands out as a common denominator in our state's cultural representation.

A close-up photo of a grey Super Nintendo video game cartridge sitting on a shelf in a wooden display case. The label on the game shows the title and graphic of "Zombies Ate My Neighbors." A yellow and white Half Price Books price sticker below the label reads "Our Price 100.00" in black font.
Against collecting
By
●
Microtones
●
August 1, 2025

Embracing sentimental value and resisting the urge to splurge in an era of inflation.

A one-quarter headshot of Tone Madison's incoming News and Politics Editor, Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez. He wears a black collared shirt, stands against an eggshell-colored wall, and faces the camera.
Meet Tone Madison’s new News and Politics Editor, Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez
By
●
Microtones
●
July 18, 2025

Listening to underrepresented perspectives and continuing our impactful politics coverage.

An illustration colored in shades of purple, black, and white depicts a young woman in a wheelchair looking outside at the landscape of trees and buildings. It is framed at the center of a large, inclusive Pride flag that surrounds the illustration.
QueerCrip Pride from home
By
●
Microtones
●
June 27, 2025

What disability can teach us about queer culture, care, and pride.

A superimposed collage of various headlines, article text, and illustrations from the Wisconsin Historical Society's LGBTQ History page. Some references include "Wisconsin's Gay History," "LGBTQ+ History," a book jacket for "We Will Always Be Here," illustrations of queer couples, and the pride flag.
Good luck avoiding politics, Wisconsin Historical Society
By
●
Microtones
●
June 13, 2025

A missing Pride flag and the impossible neutrality of public institutions.

Photo of a tan-colored cobblestone wall with the ornate UW–Madison institutional insignia or crest on the right-hand side. The crest contains a decorative pattern that surrounds a smaller red oval and large white "W" capital letter. The photo is graphically altered, distorted by wavy lines.
A leftist critique of top-heavy public institutions
By
●
Microtones
●
June 6, 2025

More investment in the actual laborers will better serve everyone.

A photograph depicts a row of homes placed closely together along a sidewalk on Madison's east side. The sun is setting and there is a pale blue tint to the image.
Madison house-hunting: 2025 edition
By
●
Microtones
●
May 30, 2025

Local housing exploration offers windows into the past, present, and future.