Spotlighting Twin Cities' Music from the Basement Up.
One Man’s Story is a concept album recently released by Grant Glad & the Soo Line Loons. The album follows the life and experiences of a central character created by Glad as an homage to real men from his own life growing up in Minnesota, with song lyrics that ring true to these men’s lives (and details fictionalized to protect the innocent).
Read MoreDo you ever get the feeling that you should just hop into your car, turn your phone off and start driving with no GPS, just your intuition leading the way. You grab your favorite snacks (pizza flavored Combos and cool ranch Doritos obviously), fill the gas tank up and go. The only real question is what do you play on the radio. This is where Amanda Grace should come into play. When I played her first song “Give Me Away” I was instantly transported to my car with the windows down on I-94 or maybe it was 35W. Pushing the gas pedal a little too angsty while the Twin City skyline fades into the rearview mirror.
Read MoreDeathcore is in an interesting spot in the year 2024. There’s been a resurgence over the past 4 (or 5?) years going on that has been really great for the genre. One thing I’d attribute this to is the increasing importance in the role of the producer. Oftentimes in deathcore, these producers are also band members that write and play the music, but I’d argue that we’re seeing a growth in the role of the producer in this sector of heavy music.
Read MoreI adore how Dungeon Crawlers (Guide to the Cool) plays with rhythmic changes, it gets you amped and then it takes it down 50 notches. It becomes molasses, letting you hang there until it musically smashes a guitar right in front of your face. The lead singer is never the lead, it's never the same voice. It's like opening a box of cracker jacks and never getting the same prize.
Read MoreA double album with 22 fantastic tracks, Annie and the Bang Bang’s “Radio Baby” offers variety in just about every aspect that an album can. The title track states, “I am an FM radio baby raised in the back of a car,” and like an FM radio on a long road trip, the album switches tones and genres often. Its lyrics also give the listener opportunities to imagine music videos or feature-length films, the perfect thing to do on a long road trip. As songwriter and lead singer Annie Enneking puts it, the songs on Radio Baby are “drive-in movies you can dance to.
Read MoreIn her first release since 2014, Dani Erin’s sophomore album, Grow, displays her growth and talent both as a performer and composer. Born of a connection between Ms. Erin and her guitarist, Nathaniel Gillen, this album is no sophomore slump. Erin’s smooth, jazzy singing style and robust vocal tones pair perfectly with the laid-back, funk-inspired guitar stylings of Gillen. Filled out with drums, bass, and keys to form a talented and versatile band, this album is the perfect re-introduction between Dani Erin and music lovers anywhere and everywhere.
Read MoreBetween the dense, intricate layers of sound, the honest lyrics, and the use of a voice note that the artist recorded for his real-life therapist, each listen of Alex Delzer’s album Thoughts About My Loneliness brings something new. Topped with the artist’s genuine passion for his craft, these tracks are a music nerd like myself’s dream to pick apart — but the generally upbeat feel and other-worldly audio effects make for an exciting surface-level listen as well.
Read MoreA completely instrumental album and Marshall’s first solo effort, Octocopter might be described as an organ-powered, rollicking blend of funk, rock, jazz fusion, and psychedelics, but then you’d have no idea what it sounds like. Simply put, Octocopter is a display, a demonstration both of Toby Lee Marshall’s mastery of his instrument and of the range and sheer ability of a Harmon organ.
Read MoreThe Del-Viles’ latest EP, Daydreamer, condenses rock music down to the essentials - and does so extremely well. Self-described as “skeleton dance lessons from French pirates,” the three-piece garage band’s catchy guitar riffs are infectious, and the gravely vocals bring an edgy twist. As the band’s bassist, Gabs Semansky says, “I like to think of the three of us as some silly guys out at sea dancing along to some bluesy shanties. Sloppy bluesy shanties.”
Read MoreA riveting emotional journey, Ber deals with the fallout from a terrible relationship while immersing herself in a fanciful cookery adventure.
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