The Monday Mix is an occasional roundup of compilations, live recordings, videos, podcasts, and more by Washtenaw County-associated artists, DJs, radio stations, and record labels.

This edition features an interview with Kerrytown Concert House's Artistic & Executive Director Monica Swartout-Bebow on Michigan Creates; a chat with Ann Arbor cellist Thor Sigurdson on Music Un-Tuxed; two short promo videos for Ann Arbor Art Center's 2024 public art projects; Blue LLama concert live streams; and the numerous arts documentaries created for the Ann Arbor 200 birthday celebration.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features emo-punk by The Great Homesickness, experimental jazz by Marc Hannaford, electronica by Catspangold, cloud rap by Nem?, and hip-hop by Gostbustaz.

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This edition features hyperpop by GVMMY, hip-hop by Dastardly Kids, country by Kandy Fredrick, electronica by Kaito Ian, and jazz by Eric Nachtrab.

At the end of Pinion, the poet confesses, “Last night, I let in all the birds.” Ann Arbor writer Monica Rico does just that in her new poetry collection, Pinion.

Poems in Pinion contemplate birds. Moreover, the people—a father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, uncle, sister, and husband—take on the qualities of the birds: owls, a cardinal, a robin, ravens, and more species. The poem “Five Things Borrowed” shares a memory that merges with geese and an owl:

Who killed Michael Porter in the pantry with a candlestick during the preview party for the annual house and garden tour?

This question sets the scene for the cozy mystery novel Murder at Twin Beeches by Ann Arbor author Maria Leonhauser. The book is the start of a series, and the intrigue builds, detail by meticulous detail, in short chapters with a brisk pace.

Twin Beeches is a family estate that briefly changed hands but went back to the same longstanding family when the short-term owner, who was known to throw parties, disappeared. Louise Jenkins, the current heir after five generations of men named Samuel, appreciates the history and setting:

It’s been a nerve-wracking year.

The country is divided. Americans say they’re pessimistic about the future, even those who voted for a change in the White House.

Could a little girl be just what we need to make us more optimistic about our future and see that we always have tomorrow?

The Encore Theatre seems to think so and is offering the perfect Christmas musical that just might provide a little lift in our spirits, Annie.  Director Daniel Cooney draws together an excellent cast, combining seasoned stage veterans to young performers giving seasoned performances.

If you're an Ann Arbor District Library cardholder, you receive a weekly email newsletter listing news, upcoming events, and a slew of recommendations from the catalog. Those recs are also available at aadl.org/reviews, and we're always happy to make suggestions for books, audiobooks, streamable content in the catalog, DVDs, board games, tools, etc. if you visit us at the branches.

But our 2024 Staff Picks allow the AADL crew to go beyond the library catalog—and the calendar year.

We don't limit our year in review to things that came out in 2024 or that can be checked out from AADL; the staff comments on whatever favorite media and events they experienced this year, no matter when or where they originated. Maybe a favorite album of 2024 came out in 1973, or the best book someone read this year is so old that it's out of copyright. It's all good, and it all counts.

Here are the categories of AADL's 2024 Staff Picks:

➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Homepage
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Screens
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Audio
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Pulp Life
 

AADL 2024 STAFF PICKS: WORDS
Books, audiobooks, graphic novels, comics, websites, and more:

➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Homepage
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Words
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Audio
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Pulp Life
 

AADL 2024 STAFF PICS: SCREENS
TV, movies, DVDs, video games, YouTube, streaming, etc.

➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Homepage
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Words
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Screens
➥ AADL 2024 Staff Picks: Pulp Life

AADL 2024 STAFF PICS: AUDIO
Music, podcasts, CDs, records, and more: