About Paytra Paytra was born in the small hamlet of Lambertville, Michigan, south of Detroit, to a mixed-Mexicana mother and a German father. Paytra made a very bold move and took a risk of a lifetime, alone, she moved to Brooklyn, New York. She already knew what she wanted in life, but with no money and lack of experience, she ultimately came to the reality...

Before listening to a single note of Suris’ new album, “Pertinax”, I spent a few minutes just looking at the word. Pertinax. It has the distinct ring of a Stoic philosopher’s last defiant utterance or maybe a type of beetle known for its unusually stubborn shell. What a curious flag to fly for a collection of songs in an age of fleeting distraction. But...