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Hi! Happy weekend.

Heavy week; a lot has happened and is going to keep happening. I hope you are doing okay. 

I made an INDY January playlist of local music — you can listen to it here. As with many roundup mixes, you should not listen if you’re seeking a jazzy dinner party playlist with seamless transitions. However: you should listen if you want to hear wildly talented local artists in a broad range of genres. Here are my liner notes:

  • Track 1: “GRWTH.” – this single was released today by Tre. Charles (a Durhamite profiled in this beautiful 2023 INDY story) ahead of his April EP, Here We Are. 
  • Tracks 2 & 3: “Vestige” by Alli Blois and “North Carolina” by Anne Malin – I recommended these Durham artists’ Duke Coffeehouse show in last week’s INDY Selects, and it was indeed fantastic. Lovely, lovely music. Alli Blois’ band wore cloaks!
  • Track 4:. “Arpa Banjo Merengue,” a new release from local Llanera-bluegrass band Larry & Joe. Here’s our 2022 profile of the duo in English and Spanish.  
  • Track 5: “Deny Depose Defend” by Mipso’s Joseph Terrell. Yep, this insurance murder ballad is exactly what it sounds like—give it a listen.
  • Track 6: “Reading & Writing,” a new release by Raleigh rock, punk-ish band Thirsty Curses, who have a new album, Music Is a Scam, out on February 27. 
  • Track 7: “Wristwatch” by MJ Lenderman. Alas, sadly the Triangle cannot claim MJ Lenderman as our own, but the North Carolina musician has spent a lot of time here in recent months and has a Cat’s Cradle show next week. Here’s our 2023 interview with Lenderman!
  • Track 8: “All in Good Time” by Iron & Wine. This track is performed on the first episode of Shaped by Sound, which premieres February 6. 
  • Track 9: “Still Here” by Rissi Palmer and Miko Marks. An oldie, but a goodie, and as Lena Geller reported today, Durhamite Palmer is about to co-headline a tribute tour for country music’s “holy trinity.” This is also just a good song for this moment. 

Here’s to confusing the algorithm, discovering new music, and keeping it local. More culture tidbits from around the Triangle below. Thank you for reading!

Rissi Palmer’s Trailblazing Women of Country tour begins February 20 at the Newberry Opera House. Photo Chris Charles.

elsewhere in the culture section

What are you up to this weekend? Here are our suggestions of some things to do. 

You won’t have any trouble finding a biscuit, bagel, or donut in the Triangle. English Muffins are a little more niche, as far as breakfast breads go—but in our cover story this week, Elliott Harrell explores how Raleigh resident Annabelle Comisar carved out a thriving business, in that niche, with her wildly popular business, Michael’s English Muffins.  

More food news: Nation Hahn goes long on Scott Crawford’s newly opened Crawford Brothers Steakhouse — read on for more about how Crawford toes the line between a traditional and modern steakhouse, and to see the dramatic, elegant photos by Jessica Crawford that grace the piece. And, as I’m sure you’ve seen this week, the Triangle has numerous James Beard Award semifinalists, including a Bollywood-themed bar and a handmade pasta restaurant. Read more here! 

ICYMI: David Lynch’s Durham footprint. Tips on making friends. Buzz, sans booze.  

— Sarah Edwards —
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Sarah Edwards is culture editor of the INDY, covering cultural institutions and the arts in the Triangle. She joined the staff in 2019 and assumed her current role in 2020.