Detroit post-punk outfit Protomartyr released their sixth studio album Formal Growth in the Desert earlier this month. Recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, the album has flourishes new to the group’s soundscape, including pedal steel guitar and cinematic synths. As desolate as deserts can be, it’s clear that the group’s time spent in the arid land was paradoxically fecund, illustrated by the unusually sanguine lyrics of vocalist Joe Casey. For more Midwest soul baring, get there early for opener Idle Ray, a Michigan-based alt-pop group led by singer-songwriter Fred Thomas. TUES 7/11, 7 PM, $20, 21+
2023-07-11