Bon Iver @ The Orpheum Theatre 9/7/11 (Concert Review)

I like to consider myself fairly well read and rarely ill-informed when it comes to a lot of modern music, but last night, I was completely unprepared for how big a full Bon Iver band could sound. Justin Vernon brought his namesake to Minneapolis' largest theatre for the second of two sold-out shows, and all the adjectives in the world couldn't describe the positive energy that resonated from its seats. There are always bound to be a few shows a year that will live on in "were you there?" lore, and last night was one of them.

Doing with ease what Iron & Wine failed to do with effort a few months back, Vernon's troupe built each and every song into sweltering, encompassing anthems, with every guitar strum or french horn blast or triangle 'tink' executed to perfection. Opening with the understated but pounding "Perth" and [arguably the best song on the new record] "Minnesota, WI," the band immediately asserted their dominance over an awestruck crowd, many of whom were in attendance the night before.  The duel drummers could have come across as cheesy, but instead they sounded epic. No time was this more evident than on "Creature Fear," which morphed into a no holds barred jam session for several minutes as the simple light towers pulsed hypnotically behind Vernon and his eight collaborators. After "Creature Fear" screeched to a close, I was already [pleasantly] convulsing, and I would've been fine just hearing that be played 12 more times.

To help us gain our proverbial footing, we were given a restrained version of "Hinnom, TX" which turned out to be one of my favorite songs of the night. Vernon holds himself with such modesty on stage, even when the output is the antithesis. Shortly thereafter, it was cover time. Admittedly, I've never been a huge Bjork fan, but to hear Vernon reinterpret the vocals to "Who Is It" to fit his famous falsetto was nothing short of remarkable (all while his trombonist/trumpeter/percussionist expertly beatboxed rather than just playing a recorded version of the song's vocal beat loop). Later, a haunting quiet respect befell the crowd as Vernon (and he alone) played a gorgeous rendition of "Re: Stacks." Book-ended by singles “Holocene” and “Calgary,” I'm fairly certain the only thing that was heard from the crowd during that song was the figurative dropping of jaws.

The main set closed with a steadily growing sing-along to "Wolves." Vernon invited the receptive crowd to join the entire chorus, with a booming "what might have been lost." What couldn't have been foreseen was watching members of the audience slowly rising to their feet in random aisles, bellowing the refrain from the top of their lungs, acting as an equivalent to a 'slow clap' in high school movies. After a brief break and some ear-shattering applause, Vernon and his gang took the stage for a relaxed three-song encore, consisting of “Beth/Rest,” “Flume” and possibly one of the most smile-inducing songs of the evening, “Skinny Love.”

But really, you had to be there.

SoundTown 2011 @ Somerset Amphitheater (Concert Review)

SoundTown, the 2-day festival marking the musical rebirth of the newly renamed Somerset Amphitheater, has come to an end, and despite possibly the most telling aspect seemed to be a negative (lack of attendance), it can be deemed a success. The Flaming Lips, New Pornographers, DeVotchKa, Delta Spirit, Okkervil River, Sims, Solid Gold, Pink Mink and more charmed crowds varying from a couple hundred up to 5,000+. While the turnout was definitely modest the bands (for the most part) acted as if they were playing to 10s of thousands, something definitely welcome for a festival in its infancy.

SoundTown Artists Mural

HIGHLIGHTS

Delta Spirit - Coming off a raucous Lollapalooza set a couple weeks back, the impassioned Californians truly broke-in the new massive mainstage with their energetic early Friday evening performance. They weren't the first to play on it (Cory Chisel played an endearing but less spastic set earlier in the day), but they did inaugurate it by truly exploring it's ridiculous size. Matt Vasquez bounded back and forth and hit all the right notes with a crowd eager to start their weekend party.

Sims - This year's breakout Doomtree member packed the Summit Tent for his prime Friday 8:00pm time slot. While he expertly delivered a high-powered set drawing mainly from his new album, Bad Time Zoo, it was hard for the crowd to keep their eyes off of Sims' partner in crime, Lazerbeak, who recreated most of the intense beats for the live setting. (Note: I recorded video of "Burn It Down," but the bass is overwhelming, drowning out everything else. I'll post it if it can be fixed)

The Flaming Lips - The festival veterans and appropriately chosen headliners delivered the kind of spectacle you would expect but could never fathom. Hell, I had seen it before, yet it still induced a jaw-dropping reaction. As they marched through their set, delivering the psychedelic showmanship that has garnered them such a devoted fan base, Wayne Coyne continuously urged the crowd to let their inner wildness loose. The countless balloons, confetti cannons, inflatable catfish and Wizard of Oz themed dancers didn't hurt either. They drew their set (and the festival) to a close with the communal "Do You Realize?," making for a truly sincere moment of appreciation from the glowing crowd.

The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne

The New Pornographers - The people that were complaining that The New Pornographers were without Neko Case or Dan Bejar for their Friday night headlining slot probably haven't seen the band live; the crowd is lucky when either or both of them are on tour with the group. Frankly, after Neko Case's disappointing Rock the Garden set, I was fine without her; Kathryn Calder shines a bit more sans Neko, and her voice pleasantly pierced through the crowd all evening. They played the songs fans would want them to play, even throwing in a Bejar-less "Testament to Youth in Verse," which thrilled the small number of devotees in attendance.

Best of the Rest - Solid Gold gave off the ideal sunny day vibe with their Saturday afternoon set, focusing heavily on new material (which sounds excellent) / Heiruspecs closed off the Summit Tent with authority Saturday night / Pink Mink was blistering as always

Solid Gold

LOWLIGHTS

Slick Rick - It didn't help that Doug E. Fresh was a last minute cancellation, but the old school hip-hop icon was out of place and seemingly out of breath, almost remaining stationary during his 30+ minute set. The Lifted Crew proved to be a commendable backing band, but let's be honest, no one was there to see them.

Ghostland Observatory - Their Friday night set looked impressive from afar (lasers! lasers! lasers!) but their synth and beat-heavy output sounded repetitive, obnoxious and dated.

Ghostland Observatory

Okkervil River - After putting on one of the better First Avenue shows I've seen this year, Okkervil River (unlike Delta Spirit the day before them) seemed taken aback by the lack of people attending their main stage set. It took a solid 40 minutes for Will Sheff & company to really hit a groove, but the late inning rally couldn't save the performance as a whole. (Note: bassist and all around good guy Patrick Pestorius hung out with the crowd to catch The Flaming Lips, and graciously offered to go on a backstage beer run for me and my friends...which we of course agreed to with no arm-twisting required)

Other Misses - Roma di Luna's much publicized planned split brought them a nice sized crowd for their Friday night set, but the shock of seeing the band without key/founding member Alexei Moon Casselle was too much to overcome, ultimately giving us a band that was just phoning it in / White Light Riot failed to connect with a crowd trying to rock out while Slick Rick was napping on the main stage.

WELL DONE

The Grounds - The new festival grounds were a welcome improvement for those of us that remember the Edgefests of yesteryear. The concrete floor eliminates the risk of mud pits on rainy weekends, while the permanent seating was a nice touch for concertgoers wanting to be closer to the action, but not on their feet.

Drinks - No Bud Light here. SoundTown's main beer stations served up Summit EPA and Summit Pilsener (and rumors of Summit Oktoberfest being available in the VIP area turned out to be true) for a reasonable $5 (in ticket form). For the same price, a variety of bottom tier mixed drinks were available as well, and were poured with a heavy hand.

Local Influence - Minneapolis loves its musicians, and its musicians love Minneapolis. Some of the most rabid sets of the weekend were headlined by local bands/artists, and many lesser known local acts got a nice taste of a larger crowd. The Arms Akimbo played a crisp early Saturday set and Pink Mink rocked as expected, but I was especially impressed by live hip-hop troupe More Than Lights, who delivered an early Friday set that really worked up the crowd.

The Arms Akimbo

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Food - Upon arriving back home Sunday morning, the only thing I craved were vegetables, lots and lots of vegetables. The fest's noticeable lack of variety in food vendors was incredibly disappointing (and I'm a carnivore...a Polish carnivore). Next year, maybe tame down some of the stereotypical fair food and focus a bit more on a quality/real ingredients. It took Rock the Garden a couple years to get it right, and I have the same hope for SoundTown.

Restrooms - I'm shocked that it took until Day 2 for my female compatriots to start tweeting about the lack of locks on the new [surprisingly nice] permanent bathrooms. Both sexes' bathroom stalls were sans locks, and that made doing your business all the more adventurous (but hey, still beats a porta-potty). These were a great addition, now they just need to be completed. 

Stages - While all three stages were impressive in their own right, it was the two temporary stages (The Summit Tent and Metromix stage) that were placed all too close to each other. While their speaker systems rarely competed, there was occasional overlap, making it more logical to move the confined tent to the other side of the grounds. The tamer Metromix stage also suffered from the immense sound delivered from the main stage, often drowning out its performers completely. 

SoundTown Festival Grounds

While it would be impossible to not notice this was SoundTown's first year, the experience was overall a positive one. The organizers were absolutely clued in on where to start, and can easily improve on the festival for the future. Throughout the day Saturday, buzz started to pick up regarding SoundTown 2012, to the point where 89.3 The Current's DJs (who introduced many of the bands) pushed fans to head to Facebook for recommendations on next year's lineup. SoundTown was definitely a step in the right direction, and it's comforting to know that the organizers are committed to making it bigger and better in the years to come. We need this kind of festival near Minneapolis, and it's on the right track.

Quick Hits 8/11/11 (Album Reviews)

The Head And The Heart * The Head And The Heart - Blushing & sincere folk-pop melodies with a dynamic piano focus that will resonate with a less adventurous crowd. Avett Brothers-lite (B)

I'm From Barcelona * Forever Today - Nothing new from the 186-person band, but entertaining nonetheless. Poppy and uplifting, but without ever surprising or progressing. (B-)

Cass McCombs * Wit's End - "The Lonely Doll" may be the most gorgeous song released this year. The rest of the record oozes with similar earnest, but never quite reaches the level of this fantastic track (B+)

Dawes * Nothing Is Wrong - The sophomore effort from these [not from] Minneapolis favorites sounds awfully familiar, probably because they've been playing nearly every song consistently in their recent stops to the Twin Cities. While they're live shows bring out the energy in the tunes, the record showcases the intricate layering of instruments and vocal harmonies we expect from the four-piece. (A-)

The Elected * Bury Me In My Rings - Rilo Kiley, Salute Your Shorts and Boy Meets World alum Blake Sennett returns with another collection of sunny California-centric tracks to keep himself busy as Jenny Lewis is now traversing the globe solo (or with "Johnny"); only a handful live up to the high expectations he set for himself early in his career. (C+)

Frank Turner * England Keep My Bones - Boisterous and raucous, this is the kind of music you'd expect to hear in a London bar as you're waiting for a pint of bitter to be poured (while getting a chair broken over your back). (B+)

Sims * Bad Time Zoo - Signature Doomtree sound without being redundant. P.O.S. broke out two years ago; Dessa ruled last year. 2011 belongs to Sims. (A-)

tUnE-YarDs * w h o k i l l - I'll forgive the ridiculous grammar of frontwoman/namesake Merrill Garbus on account of the album's thunderous rhythms and intoxicating loops. I really didn't expect to like this album, so color me sUrpR15eD. (B+)

Bon Iver * Bon Iver, Bon Iver - Majestic, encapsulating, epic, and all other synonyms of awesome. A flawless album that will dominate Top 10 lists at year end. (A+)

Big Audio Dynamite @ First Avenue 8/7/11 (Concert Review)

Big Audio Dynamite's Sunday night gig at First Avenue was 17 years in the making. If my memory serves me correct, 1994 was the last time ex-Clash member Mick Jones and his band of eclectic jungle beat and ska loving misfits last graced our fair Minneapolis (as part of defunct 93.7 The Edge's Twisted Christmas, which also featured Hole, Grant Lee Buffalo, Dada and Love Spit Love...all sharing a too-giant Target Center stage). That holiday night was my first live taste of BAD, and almost two decades of patience paid off last night as the quintet played a blistering 90 minutes to an elated audience.

Starting off with an extended version of "Medicine Show," the five-piece shattered the eardrums of the eager crowd, who instantly reconnected with songs of decades past, all sounding decidedly more modern than half of the stuff Pitchfork has been declaring 'Best New Music' this year. "V Thirteen" was an early highlight, and saw the Transmission-centric crowd really start dancing for the first time...dancing that didn't stop. Their go-to theme song "BAD" and the brand new "Rob Peter Pay Paul" were equally connecting, the latter of which was not the least bit out of place amongst its mid-1980s counterparts.

As far as seasoned rock veterans are concerned, Jones could be considered one of the least jaded. For anyone that has seen The Hold Steady in concert, you've heard Craig Finn proclaim "there's so much joy in what we do." Mick Jones obviously lives by that same credo as well. Throughout the night, he had a beaming smile and the look of youthful exuberance, something that the aging crowd also shared. He introduced each and every song with accomplished positivity, showing real pride in the music he and his rock brethren have created.

While it could easily be assumed that Jones would be the center of attention, the entire band was eye-catching, bouncing around the stage with the energy one would expect from a bunch of teenagers, not some heavily-traveled group well into their 50s. With dreadlocks hanging as low to the ground as Martin Landau's testicles, multi-instrumentalist and scat virtuoso Don Letts repeatedly ran the whole length of the stage (and up the stage left stairs to the sound booth) spitting out indecipherable but engrossing interludes.

The second half of the set saw BAD elevating their game even further, pounding through the upbeat and in-your face "Sightsee M.C.!" and "C'mon Every Beatbox," before ultimately closing the 70-minute main set with a spastic rendition of "Rewind." With that, they left the stage to one of the largest, continuous ovations I've heard in Mainroom over the past two years. I think we all knew we were in for a treat, but were given more than we could have imagined.

As their guitar techs did some quick tuning in anticipation of an encore, BAD pretty much just hung out stage right at the base of the stairs. I made quick eye contact with Jones as he waited, then reached out and 'cheersed' beers with him, which was an obvious fanboy highlight for me. The troupe took back to the stage and delivered the crowd-pleasers "The Bottom Line" and "E=MC2," before exiting the stage once again. As the applause became even more deafening, they sprung to the stage one last time. Jones stared blissfully into the crowd, grabbed his mic and boomed 'If I had my time again,' busting into a raucous version of "Rush" that worked the appreciative crowd into one last frenzy.

We waited this long once, so let's hope we're not on hold for another 17 years before their next local performance.

Cloud Cult @ Orchestra Hall and Ike Reilly Assassination @ First Avenue (Concert Review)

Three weeks ago I was at Orchestra Hall for the opening of Sommerfest and an evening of Waltzes. While enjoyable, it was a tad stuffy at times...what you'd expect when you're the youngest one in the crowd by 25 years listening to centuries old pieces. Last night was decidedly more hip and saw a median age that didn't remember watching the moon landing live, as Cloud Cult brought their robust sound to the typically understated room.

Caroline Smith opened up the show with a half-dozen songs over the course of 25 minutes, introducing herself to what seemed like many new fans. Her poise and booming voice are almost unmatched on the local scene, and her performance last night, most notably a stunning cover of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me," proved exactly that.

Next was Cloud Cult, who understood Orchestra Hall's penchant for breaking up performances into several sections. The first 45 minutes of the set didn't catch the band taking a single break...songs flowed seamlessly, all tied together with a recurring Light Chasers theme (their latest album). Anyone that has seen Cloud Cult lately may have found it curious that they busted out "There's So Much Energy in Us" as their second song of the evening. The 7+ minute epic has been a staple closer of their live sets, but here they gave us one of the most emotional and uplifting songs in their catalog to essentially kick off the show.  Shortly thereafter, we were treated to one of their recent singles, the churning push of "Running With the Wolves," which was accompanied by a lovely stop-motion animated video on the mammoth screen behind the band. This became a recurring theme throughout the evening as another 3-4 songs had their own specially created videos as well.

After the monstrous 45-minute song weaving kicked off the show, frontman Craig Minowa admitted that they had to do an acoustic set to take advantage of the beautiful room. As the crowd took their seats (yes, an Orchestra Hall crowd had been standing), Minowa made it known how special it was that his 95 year old Grandma was in the crowd. After he encouraged her to stand up and wave, he jumped right into a touching song about his Grandpa, her late husband. While the beginning of the show focused heavily on new material, the acoustic portion featured all pre-Light Chasers songs, stripped down to perfection. If pushed for a highlight, it'd be hard to ignore the cleverness of "The Ghost Inside Your House." Back in January, Cloud Cult was supposed to play The Current's 6th Birthday Party, but those plans were derailed after Minowa's health scare (which has since been rectified). Trampled by Turtles filled in admirably for Cloud Cult, and even did their own rendition of the aforementioned song to pay tribute. According to Minowa, he and his bandmates liked it so much that they decided to play it that way from now on. While it lacked the banjo and a few other bluegrass elements that TbT is know for, Cloud Cult still presented it commendably, along with a thoughtful tip of the hat.

Cloud Cult picked up the energy one last time before heading off the stage, but it wasn't until they came out for the first of two encores that you began to realize how much the crowd really loved them. As they walked back onstage, all 8 members (painters included) seemed to take a mental snapshot of what they saw in front of them. Minowa said that they didn't know what to expect from an Orchestra Hall show ("would people clap?") and that this crowd blew away any expectations that they could even dream. He continued in typical uplifting Cloud Cult fashion, inviting the crowd to sing along (and consciously remember their deceased loved ones) with the reflective "Dance for the Dead." After losing my Mom a little over two months ago, I held this sentiment especially close, and found myself tearfully chanting in refrain while a volunteer choir curiously did the same from the stage. After this heart-wrenching moment, Minowa and company jumped right into their "theme" song, the frenzied "Everybody Here Is a Cloud," which would've served as an appropriate closer were it not for the fact that the crowd and band alike had no intention of going home. After a brief pause, we were treated to one more encore, consisting of the anthemic "Love You All" and their most recognizable hit as of late, the emotionally intense "You'll Be Bright." As the band members lined up to take a bow, they were given the most floor rattling applause I've ever heard in that room.

After nearly 2 hours of Cloud Cult, I would have been content just calling it a night. Rather than packing it in, though, I headed over to First Avenue to catch Ike Reilly playing all of his seminal album, Salesmen and Racists, in full. Throughout the last decade, Minneapolis has adopted Ike as one of its own, and in that time, fans of the Chicago-born singer songwriter know what to expect from an Ike show...songs about women, drugs and drinking. Always the wisecracker, Ike decided to play the record back-to-front, much to the chagrin of my friend Kristen who always pines for "Last Time," the album's opening number (hell, the only other time he's played it recently was last year's Thanksgiving Eve show where Kristen ran into him at O'Donovan's beforehand and threatened to murder him if it wasn't on the set list). Needless to say, it was played...and no charges were filed.

The hour long tribute to Salesmen and Racists was entertaining, but offered little in terms of surprise. The crowd was most manic during the songs that Ike has been mixing into his sets for years, most notably "Hip Hop Thighs," "Commie Drives a Nova" and the participatory "Wasted Friends" & "Duty Free." The tracks that Ike seldomly plays live, like "Crave" & God Damn Shame," ultimately fell short. After the 13 songs off his breakthrough record were finished, I couldn't help but think that this type of show wasn't necessary; Ike shines when he offers a little more mystique to his sets, and that's something that was missing last night. After a brief break, Ike hit the stage again (um, in a bathrobe) to give us plenty of new songs, but frankly, none of them can really hold their own against much of Salesmen and Racists. As he jumped into "Suffer for the Trust" a little before 1:00 am, I decided to call it a night, but not before I watched two bros attempt to arm wrestle each other on the curb outside of the Record Room.

Yup, that happened.

Yuck & Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Varsity Theater 7/19/11 (Concert Review)

Ever since Yuck released their fantastic self-titled debut album earlier this year, there has been a bit of contention regarding how the British quartet would translate their fuzzed-out sound in a live setting. As was seen through several of their streamed SXSW showcases in March, they appeared bored, lackadaisical and tired. I had my doubts going into their Twin Cities debut last night at the Varsity Theater, but I'm happy to say that those doubts were completely unfounded. Long story short? Anyone that claims Yuck sucks in concert has probably never seen Yuck in concert.

Before I dip into their booming set, though, let's talk about openers Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Yuck's label and tourmates (and creators of another one of my favorite albums of 2011 thus far). The Portland-based trio made their mark on many Minneapolitans this past February opening up for Smith Westerns at the Triple Rock. Their return to our fair city was hyped a great deal, and they more than delivered last night. Shrouded in darkness (after requesting the stage lights be kept off due to the Varsity's increasing steaminess), UMO ripped through much of their new album over the course of 30+ intoxicating minutes. From "Ffunny Ffriends" to "Jello and Juggernauts" to "Nerve Damage" and everywhere in between, the young psych-influenced rockers commanded the dark stage and left nothing but intrigue amongst the onlookers. If I were a high school student in the mid-70s, I would want UMO to play every single house party I threw.

After UMO left to substantial applause, Yuck took the stage to an even bigger ovation (maybe the crowd was just happy they could now see the performers). They opened with a bang, giving us "Holing Out," one of the biggest sounding tracks on their only album before kicking up the fuzz quite a bit for "The Wall." Over the course of about 50 minutes, the four-piece played 75% of their new record and spliced in a couple of b-sides to boot, most notably the dreamy "Milkshake."

Now, if you came in expecting a raucous stage show, that's not what you got. Yuck is not going to bounce around aimlessly just for visual satisfaction. They did, however, play each and every song brilliantly (especially their current hit "Get Away") and gave their own restrained punch of verve for presence. For how much guitarist and lead singer Daniel Blumberg gazed at his shoes while jamming out to some of Yuck's blistering arrangements, I'm pretty sure the poor dude is going to end up with some serious scoliosis.  While they said their thank yous and acknowledged the beauty of Minneapolis, there wasn't much stage banter....well outside of calling out the super tall dude with the afro that most of us have seen at some local show in the past year. Blumberg and lead guitarist Max Bloom commented how he looked like drummer Jonny Rogoff's dad (Rogoff has an afro himself, and resembles a modified Wooly Willy). For a band that many people think are standoffish, they created quite the connection with the appreciative crowd.

As the set came to a close, we were treated to an upbeat and relentless version of "Operation," followed by a new track and the dirty grinding anthem "Rubber," which saw the entire band become totally unglued, pounding their respective instruments mercilessly. They slowly and humbly left the stage, making their first Twin Cities appearance an unforgettable one.

The Elected @ Triple Rock 7/3/11 (Concert Review)

I found a spot in the Triple Rock's parking lot on Sunday.

Blame it on the fact that the Black Keys were in town playing a sold-out show at Roy Wilkins. Blame it on the holiday weekend. Blame it on it being a late show on a Sunday night. Any way you look at it, the turnout for The Elected's return to Minneapolis was about 1/3 of what my high-school ska band drew for our final show at the Foxfire over a decade ago. There weren't even 50 people there...and that was including the bands.

With that knowledge, one would expect a weak "go-through-the-motions" type of show. Frontman Blake Sennett (of Rilo Kiley and Salute Your Shorts fame) & company offered nothing of the sort, though. After opener Tristen playfully went through her 35 minute set, often times exuding the same kind of vibe as Sennett's Rilo Kiley bandmate Jenny Lewis (just with a little more twang....and a drum machine), The Elected quietly took the stage and treated the empty room as if it were near capacity. The fans that were there were devoted, and Sennett realized that from the get-go as he and his 3 backing members ushered in their 55 minute set with a trippy rendition of "Sun, Sun, Sun," the title track from The Elected's breakthrough 2006 release on Sub-Pop. The response was upbeat, and so was Sennett, who continuously joked that he, steel-guitarist/bassist Mike Bloom and Buddy (Tristen's accompanist and possible boyfriend) were all on herbal ecstasy, which still hadn't kicked in. The early part of the set showcased Sennett on a beautiful Telecaster and saw the band ignore much of their recent release (Bury Me In My Rings) in favor of their earlier output. "Not Going Home" sounded especially energetic, although a bit out of place as it's more of an exclamation point than a comma.

Before Sennett toned things down a bit, he promised us one more electric tune, and it's a good thing that's all he promised as the PA at the Triple Rock decided to give out about 6 songs in. Rather than fumble around aimlessly, Sennett just grabbed an acoustic guitar, stood in front of the monitors and invited the welcoming crowd to surround him as he performed "Ripchord" from Rilo Kiley's 2004 hit record, More Adventurous.

After a little crowd participation and a quick fix by the Triple Rock staff (it was a blown circuit), the PA was back and The Elected burst into the ukulele-happy "Babyface" from the new album. Aside from this joyful song and a couple others, though, the new record was largely ignored (and probably for the better given its unevenness). The night wound down with a rousing rendition of "The Bank and Trust" and a taste of their 2004 debut, Me First.

Was this a show for the ages? No. Was it one that I could've skipped? Maybe...but I'm glad I didn't. Despite the awful turnout, it's comforting seeing musicians dedicated to their craft and giving it their all, whether they're playing in front of 50 people or 550 people. 

Okkervil River, Titus Andronicus & Future Islands @ First Avenue 6/12/11 (Concert Review)

Last night at First Avenue, Okkervil River finally made their long-awaited and highly anticipated return to Minneapolis. Playing to a full (but not sold out) house, Will Sheff and company delivered on every level...but we'll get to that in a second.

If you didn't show up early for Future Islands, let's just say you missed out big time. For 35 minutes, frontman Sam Herring bounced around the stage like a dog chasing its tail. He was the spawn of Morrissey, Henry Rollins and the monster from Cloverfield. He wailed and screamed and howled and cried in anguish, then was chipper beyond belief between songs. He once stuffed his entire right fist into his mouth before slapping himself continuously on the face and chest. He gave it his all to a crowd with little to no background info on the trio. It worked...and Future Islands, with their sprawling synthed out vibe, sounded damn good in the process.

Titus Andronicus, arguably one of the hardest working young bands touring today, came on next and did what they do best...treated the receptive and appreciative crowd to 45 minutes of ear-shattering, face-blistering rock and roll. After supporting Bright Eyes over 2 nights at First Avenue in April, I really expected Titus Andronicus' next Minneapolis gig to be a headlining one of their own. Rather, they have carved out a nice little niche as go-to openers, easily getting the crowd revved up for that night's headliner. I don't know what I can say about them that I didn't already address the last time I saw them, but let's just say that they continue to push the limits of what good old blood on your fingers rock and roll should sound like. Last night was no exception, as they one-upped themselves a mere two months after they were last in town.

After two very different bands warmed up the evening, it was just appropriate that a third (sounding very unlike the first two) was headlining. Okkervil River took the stage shortly before 11pm to a simple backdrop depicting two of the dog-people from the new "I Am Very Far." Opening with the slow burning "White Shadow Waltz," the [touring] six-piece gave us a mere glimpse of what was to come. The first songs felt purposefully restrained, as if they wanted the crowd to be equally urgent before they burst forth. This was especially true of "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene," which saw Sheff's teeth clenched as he searched for every important word. As "Rider" began, everyone (on AND off) stage had seemed to reach a comfortable state which allowed the performance to really open up. And let's talk about those drums on "Rider." Wow. I don't think the soundman at First Avenue has made a drummer sound that good in years. Cully Symington (also of Cursive fame) sounded brisk and pointed all night. Every fill was perfectly executed, every cymbal splash and crash expertly timed. His rhythm was the ideal complement to Sheff's hypnotic storytelling.

The set list was a nice mixture of new and old, and gave me a new understanding of the recent material. Two of my least favorite songs on the new record "Piratess" and "The Valley" were played beautifully back to back. Perceptions on recorded music can change when hearing live interpretations, and mine did just that. To everyone that heard me knock the new album's first two tracks in recent weeks, I stand corrected.

As the energy in the room peaked, Sheff did the unthinkable and brought the crowd to a self-induced silence (no 'hushes' or 'shhhhhs' here) with a captivating and intoxicating rendition of "A Stone" (a song noticeably absent from the setlist I snagged post-show). "A Stone" played out as one of those moments where you don't want to be anywhere else, and even if you did, your eyes, ears and feet would be motionless and useless as they fixated on Sheff, oozing his heart into the microphone. As he strummed the final chord, the crowd appeared to mouth a collective 'wow' before bursting into deep applause.

The main set closed with the one-two punch of "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe" and "Lost Coastlines," two crushing songs that revitalized a late Sunday crowd that didn't yet want to go home. After we were given a psych-out moment of the screen descending (cueing no encore), it did in fact raise again quickly so the band could give us three more songs, including the expected closer "Unless It's Kicks," which brought the room to appreciative hysteria, one that undoubtedly many of us had been waiting on for years.

Thanks for a good night Okkervil River. You're welcome back any time.

Architecture in Helsinki @ Varsity Theater 6/9/11 (Concert Review)

24 hours after Iron & Wine thoroughly disappointed me, I sought out musical redemption at the Varsity last night. Simply put, Architecture in Helsinki provided just that. The Aussie sextet delivered 90 high-powered minutes, mixing in a large part of their new Moment Bends LP (which sounds much better live than recorded) with a slew of older favorites.

The band took the stage one by one, dressed in various spectrums of white and teal, and kicked off their set with the smushy and sunny "Desert Island," which urged the 1/3 full Varsity crowd to stop standing still. While it did its trick, it was the spastic rendition of "Hold Music" that followed which really kicked the show into high gear. As I watched virtually everyone around me dancing their socks off (often times invading my personal bubble), I tried thinking about the last time I had seen such a high percentage of an audience dancing at a show...I've concluded that such a time did not exist. The crowd last night, young and full of energy (and, um, seemingly ecstacy), did not stop bouncing once throughout AiH's perfectly structured set. And the band, feeding off their fans, mirrored those actions.

"That Beep," the best track off the new album was especially entertaining as 4 off the 6 members participated in a hilariously straight-faced choreographed dance that will undoubtedly earn none of them tryouts on Janet Jackson's next tour. After slowing things down for a bit, but not enough to make the crowd keep both feet on the ground at once, AiH hit us with "Escapee" and crowd-favorite "Wishbone," both which transported me out of the Varsity and rather made me feel like I was at a house party in some/any John Hughes movie. A couple more new tracks followed, including the gorgeous "W.O.W." and a funked-up version of "Everything's Blue." Both tracks lured the crowd into a false sense of security as AiH ended the main set with the welcomely raucous "Do the Whirlwind" and the tribal beat-tinged "Heart it Races" to a chorus of duly deserved cheers.

A 3-song encore saw the band give us the Antony-inspired "B4 3D" before offering up a splendid, spot-on version of Londonbeat's classic "I've Been Thinking About You." They closed the night with Moment Bends' first single, the upbeat and in your face "Contact High," which gave the crowded front one last chance to shake out any remaining energy they still had left.

Hooray for Earth, the hotly hyped New York quartet opened to a less than accepting audience, but ending up winning over a ton of new fans with their swirling mix of guitar and synth. There's definite promise here, and they should take close notes to AiH's musicianship if they hope to one day headline a room like the Varsity.

Architecture in Helsinki said "see you in the Fall," and if their self-imposed prophecy is in fact true and they return to Minneapolis that quickly, I hope it's to the same loving response, just a little larger in size.

Iron & Wine @ First Avenue 6/8/11 (Concert Review)

First, let's get this out of the way. I love Iron & Wine's new record, Kiss Each Other Clean.

Now that I've put out there, I did not love Iron & Wine's set at First Avenue last night. Hell, I barely liked it. Rather than focus on the stellar songwriting that has somehow made him a heartthrob amongst lovers of indie rock crooning, Sam Beam decided to emphasize the kookiness of his all-too-big backing band (another 10 musicians that I could see, including The Swell Season's resident woodland nymph, Marketa Irglova).

The roughly 100-minute performance saw Beam expectedly show off the deep arrangements of the new record's songs, beginning with one of the album's weaker numbers, "Rabbit Will Run." I say 'expectedly' because the audience knew what they were getting into after hearing Kiss Each Other Clean. The unexpected and, sadly, low points of the evening were when Beam fiddled with the structure of his earlier work a little too much, leaving the crowd confused as to what in the name of Leftover Salmon was happening on stage. It really seemed as if Beam was heading into jam band/prog-rock territory, and that was evidently not connecting with the crowd, as couples started to filter out only halfway through the set.

And let's talk about the saxophones for a second. I can appreciate some good sax, but Beam gave a little too much leeway to the trio of brass players/multi-instrumentalists over his left shoulder. If word bubbles were made available during the set, there would have been a handful over the horn-blowers saying "I'm gonna Tim Capello the crap out of this tenor."

There were some solid moments throughout the night, though. The new "Walking Far From Home" resonated well with the crowd, and was one of the few songs that benefited from the expansive band on stage. "In My Lady's House" was left stripped down, as it should be, with Irglova lending some gorgeous backing vocals. Those highlights, though, felt out of place given Beam's inability to let a song remain finalized/written. He got all James Blakey on us during "The Sea and the Rhythm," another song he should have just left as is. Ending the main set with "Tree By The River" seemed quite out of place as well, especially since he gave a little Hall & Oates tweak to it, something that made it curiously poppy in relation to the rest of the set. The brief one-song encore was the gorgeous "He Lays in The Reigns," which was brilliant, beautiful and welcome...and probably his best song of the night.

The Head & The Heart opened the show and made the crowd open their wallets to snatch up tickets to their upcoming gig at the Varsity in August. I swung by the Electric Fetus for their in-store earlier in the night, which was decent, but nothing ground-breaking. Their 45 minute set in the mainroom, though, was filled with folky energy and perfectly layered harmonies. All in all, I would've been content just seeing them and calling it a night.

The Kills @ First Avenue 5/5/11 (Concert Review)

Every generation has its notable musical duos. Whether it be The Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, Milli Vanilli, The White Stripes (or somewhere in between), the two-person group is one of the most difficult things to pull of in modern music. Last night at First Avenue, The Kills tossed out a giant middle finger to that notion as they commanded the sold-out Minneapolis crowd with a near 90 minute barrage of punkish energy mixed with bluesy sophistication. Never did being a duo seem so simple, but Alison Mosshart & Jamie Hince did exactly that, while at the same time exuding a confident "this is how you perform" aura.

Opening with "No Wow" which brought many a 'wow' from the capacity crowd, The Kills were welcomely in our face but eased into our ears (which was very much appreciated after Cold Cave's, um, loud opening set). After they continued with the rocking "Kissy Kissy," the duo jumped into their most recent work, Blood Pressures, head on. "Heart is a Beating Drum" and "Future Stars Slow" were heard back to back, while Mosshart & Hince seductively scanned the the audience with entrancing eyes. Mosshart flailed back-and-forth wildly, her jet black hair whipping through the cold blue lights as her hilarious Paddy Costello-emblazoned tee seemed to get equal attention.

Soon after, they got into their current single, "Satellite," which was given a jolt of live energy, something the album version can never live up to. The real treat during the early night show for me, though, was the excellent rendition of "Baby Says," easily my favorite song on the new disc (and the most perfectly reimagined of their live set). Mosshart paced along the stage, brushed her hair back and spit a few times (which, yeah, she can make sexy), all while somehow sounding innocent and empowering at the same time. As they quickly got into the main set closer "Sour Cherry" a few songs later, not a single sweaty soul in the club had eyes for anyone but Mosshart.

After a brief break, the two stepped back onstage for a breather of an encore opener, "The Last Goodbye," which allowed Mosshart to showcase her chops (and her hair some more). This would've been a perfect closer, but alas, they had more. "Pots & Pans" was especially epic, but it was "Fried My Little Brains" that put the proverbial cork in the night. Hince & Mosshart bounded spastically as the clamoring crowd urged on every note, every movement. Seeing two performers of this stature destroy the conventional thinking of duos so painlessly was truly a sight (and sound) to enjoy.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart & Twin Shadow @ Triple Rock Social Club 4/25/11 (Concert Review)

Last night, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Twin Shadow both made their Minneapolis debut, rewarding a sold-out Triple Rock crowd for their patience with two equally invigorating sets filled with 80s & 90s nostalgia, without ever sounding dated or forced.

Twin Shadow (aka George Lewis Jr.) kicked off the evening with a commanding 50-minute set focusing solely on 2010's Forget, a successful freshman record that I had found to be good, not great. After last night's set, though, I'm eager to revisit the 11 songs on Forget, as Lewis and his 3 backing touring members gave refreshing new touches on the entire record. "Slow" and "When We're Dancing" were executed perfectly, adding some spastic hi-hat to already danceable tunes. "Castles in the Snow" was the set's highlight, as Lewis & crew seemed to breathe in the positive energy that was being hurled at them from the appreciative crowd.

While the musicianship was first class, so was the banter with the crowd, allowing Lewis' endearing side to shine. Mid-set, someone exclaimed "Do you have shirts for people without chest hair?" After a quick grin, Lewis coyly retorted, "paint it on and become a fucking man." With two songs left in the set, one member of the crowd yelled out what could've been a collective perception of his peers, "why aren't you headlining?" It took a smitten Lewis a full song to answer, giving The Pains of Being Pure at Heart their due as deserved headliners. Twin Shadow launched into their final song, which delivered the only groan of the evening, but a positive one as it was just an indication that the crowd didn't want the set to conclude.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart took the stage after a fairly quick intermission which saw some of the bouncing crowd disperse to make way for the shoegazers in the audience to move to the front of the stage. Kicking off with the title track to their excellent new record Belong, Pains instantly showcased why their young talent has been blessed with so much positive buzz in recent months. Much of the early set selections were from Belong, which somehow didn't manage to exhilarate the crowd as one would have expected (or maybe they were still tired from hopping around during Twin Shadow's set), but they still shone with expert craftsmanship. "The Body" and "Heart In Your Heartbreak" were dominant, while the nice little addition of "Higher than the Stars" was a welcome treat.

Like Twin Shadow's Lewis before him, Pains frontman Kip Berman has the poise of someone twice his age. The way his vocals ease into then ooze out of the microphone is reminiscent of 1/2 the bands you would've seen on Alternative Nation back in the day...maybe that's why I kept on thinking I was in an episode of My So Called Life...or at the Peach Pit After Dark. Berman's boyish charm began displaying itself in the second half of the set, and he began to look a little more comfortable as well, opting to chat with the crowd about, surprisingly, football. "Sorry about your quarterback situation," he said with minimal sarcasm, before discussing the merits of Adrian Peterson during the next song break. As Pains spiked in "Young Adult Friction" and a couple other tracks from their debut self-titled record, the crowd became just as relaxed. Berman blushingly thanked the crowd for their hospitality (while keyboardist Peggy Wang declared  they need to come back to the Triple Rock for Free Bacon Night) before launching into Belong's closer, the crunching "Strange."

While an encore wasn't necessary, Pains came back for a quick two songs and an invitation to the crowd to discuss football & indie-rock with them after the show, conversations in which several crowd members happily partook. 

Beastie Boys Stream Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2

Beastie Boys know exactly how to kick off the week. After a planned leak of their new Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 (which actually is the track list for Pt. 1, which was delayed...and caused many headaches) at Madison Square Garden this past Saturday via center court boombox, the rap legends have made their entire new album available for  free streaming online. The record will be released May 3, but check it out via SoundCloud below. And fair warning, it's pretty dope.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two by Beastie Boys

Rock the Garden 2011 Lineup Announced!

After a couple months of guessing, speculating and just joking about possible bands for this year's Rock the Garden, The Current & The Walker Art Center officially announced the lineup this afternoon. As anticipated, the 4 artists bring together a wide variety of sounds, and trigger the unavoidable difference of opinion from local music "critics."

My Morning Jacket will headline the event, definitely bringing "rock" back into its title. While this can't necessarily be considered a coup for the promoters (that would've been reserved for the likes of Arcade Fire or The Strokes), they have tapped a reputable, relevant and intense live band to cap off the festivities. Kudos to the Walker for actually securing a legit headliner for this year's edition. The middle of the day will be taken over by R&B/Blues legend Booker T. Jones and the always stunning and intoxicating vocal prowess of one Neko Case (to which I give another huzzah!). This year's local opener is Pitchfork riches-to-rags rockers Tapes 'N Tapes, definitely the least exciting act of the day, but one that will undoubtedly get the 10,000+ crowd in shape for an overall impressive lineup.

Tickets are on sale now to Walker/MPR members (well, so says The Current...yet again, there's nowhere to enter in your Member ID # on the Walker's page, essentially making the tickets already available to the general public). Get them now, because they won't be available for long.

Quick Hits 4/11/11 (Album Reviews)

Architecture in Helsinki * Moment Bends - Abandoning their quirky, spastic pop shifts for a more cohesive and structured sound, the Aussies still find a way to connect on a fun-loving level, despite the fact that (aside from "That Beep") a lot of what made them so easily lovable is not heard this time around. (B)

Panda Bear * Tomboy - Panda Bears are cute. Panda Bear is boring. I'll take the black & white bamboo-eaters over this laptop drivel any day of the week. (C-)

Cold Cave * Cherish The Light Years - It's as if Placebo and Deadsy [for some reason] hooked up, spawned a son that listened to way too much Bauhaus and forced his friends at knifepoint to be in a band. They should prove to be a worthy opener for The Kills next month at First Avenue. (B)

Thursday * No Devolución - The band that once defined the screamo genre now seems tired & uninspired, and way too hung up on synths. It's been a slow decline since 2001's Full Collapse...but now, they may have finally hit rock bottom. (D+)

The Joy Formidable @ 7th Street Entry 4/6/11 (Concert Review)

Every so often, a band comes along that makes you say, "damn, I fricking love music." When that same band also makes you say, "damn, I love live music," you know you're onto something. Wednesday night at the apparently sold out 7th Street Entry (I guess the tickets sold at the door pushed it to capacity), The Joy Formidable were that band. For me. For my friends. For every single audience member that was conscientious enough to be there.  I say 'conscientious,' because this was The Joy Formidable's first time in Minnesota, and the large majority of people in attendance were there by word-of-mouth, either by witnessing one of their webcasts from SXSW, or strictly sight-unseen thanks to tremendous written buzz. There was a certain energy churning throughout the Entry before either opener took the stage. We all were waiting for this, and expected to be impressed.

The Lonely Forest kicked off the night with a surprisingly provocative set. The young Washingtonians ripped through a handful of songs over the course of 25 boisterous minutes. For those that showed up early (about 1/3 of the overall crowd), The Lonely Forest played their hearts out, spinning poppy hooks with angst-filled breakdowns. For those looking for a loud evening, The Lonely Forest started it off justly. They'll be back in town opening for Death Cab for Cutie at First Avenue on 5/21. If you've got tickets to this show, get there early and be equally impressed.

Mona was next, and awfully forgettable. The Nashville foursome had matching haircuts and equally consistent attitudes. They seemed like they had a ton more fun watching The Lonely Forest's set than they did playing their own. I was uninterested in their generic Nashville-rock sound, even before the lead singer/guitarist spit his fourth loogie into the Entry's overhangs.

After what seemed like a 16 hour set break (it was actually just a little over 40 minutes), The Joy Formidable took the stage to a buzzing and breezing crowd, half of which were on their tiptoes, trying to get a glimpse of the tiny but commanding Ritzy Bryan. Throughout the next 45 minutes, our senses were blown. Any idea I had of how to play rock music seemed to not matter. The trio played with unbridled passion and the kind of verve you'd expect from a band headlining Glastonbury, not playing to a crowd of 250 sweaty Minnesotans, touring in support of their first full length record (The Big Roar). Opening with a non-album track, the three-piece immediately grabbed the small club's attention. It wasn't until they followed with "The Magnifying Glass" and "Austere" that the crowd got truly frenzied. There was a kind of lovable tension in the room....like we were all going to burst with excitement, but were doing our best to contain ourselves since we couldn't take our eyes off the stage.

Speaking of eyes. Jesus. Throughout the set, Ritzy's glare soared over the crowd...and if you ask any guy in the audience, she was starting directly into his respective soul. I'm fairly certain she only bothered to blink between songs. The rest of the time, she was fixated on thrashing her guitar or giving the crowd welcome goosebumps. As the set continued on, "Cradle" became much more epic than it is on disc, and "I Don't Want To See You Like This" saw the crowd shouting the dynamic chorus right back at Ritzy. I felt enthusiastic about the band's connection with the crowd, and it was clear that everyone in the room was on the same page.

Then it was time for "Whirring," their recent single that's been getting a fair amount of airplay on The Current as of late. It's an approachable alt-rock jewel that turns into a monstrous 7-minute jam, and the translation from record to stage was nothing short of remarkable. Ritzy and company lured us into a false sense of security with the accessibility of the first three minutes, then absolutely tore us apart with a barrage of effect-laden guitar & bass, and ferocious drumming that I think had me headbanging at one point. Ritzy flung herself around the stage, her gorgeous platinum hair bouncing with her. Not a single member of the audience knew what to do. We just stared, seemingly mouthing a collective "HOLY SHIT." As the grandiose guitar crunched to a close, the band left the stage, with absolutely no intent of coming back out for an encore. Although we all stood there, staring...we didn't want them to come back out either.

The Joy Formidable put on a near-perfect show, one of the best I've seen in recent memory. I want to see them again. Now.

Bright Eyes @ First Avenue 4/4/11 (Concert Review)

First Avenue was crowded and sweaty last night, both with good cause. Conor Oberst and his Bright Eyes troupe took to the stage for the first show of a two-night stand, one that saw him celebrate highlights of his young but expansive career & catalog.

Titus Andronicus expectedly tore through their opening set, mixing punk energy with folky empathy, all while having a damn good time up on the stage (one that they could headline in a heartbeat if The Current gave them the kind of airplay reserved for bands that don't embody half the energy as Titus Andronicus). Throughout their 40-minute set, the New Jersey natives displayed the kind of verve that veteran bands would envy, all while bouncing around with looks of sheer fun-loving gratitude (especially guitarist/violinist Amy Klein, who I'm pretty sure didn't stop moving during their entire set). Existing fans were more than pleased, while new ones were instantly created.

With the kind of energy swirling the room during Titus Andronicus' set, it would be easy to think that Bright Eyes would have to kick it up a notch just to keep pace...and that's exactly what happened. As the house lights dimmed, we were given "Firewall," the curious spoken word to glimmering soundscape that launches the new record, The People's Key. Immediately following this build-up of an opener, Oberst & company launched in to the always crowd-pleasing "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)," which had the packed house hanging on every word. The quick 1-2 punch of "Haile Selasse" and "Jejune Stars" followed, proving that even with his new songs, Oberst could enrapture his fans in a moment's notice. As the new songs raged, so did the stage show, our eyes being offered a stunning mix of deliberately futuristic lighting and pseudo-camera work that projected some scrappy guitar images on the digital backdrop.

As Oberst settled in to a groove, we were treated to a guessing-game of Bright Eyes highlights. Their entire catalog was explored throughout the set, and even for those of us that peaked at the band's set lists from prior dates on this tour, there was no way to tell what was going to be played next. "Trees Get Wheeled Away" and "Approximate Sunlight" were especially intriguing, while "Hot Knives" and the new "Shell Games" provided for two of the night's many highlights. Throughout the course of the 20-song main set, Oberst only hit a few bumps, and that could be attributed more to the increasingly [temperature] hot room mixed with dipping into his one true love, French red wine...as he put it, "something good."

After we were presented the highly-underrated "A Machine Spiritual (In The People's Key)," Oberst dedicated "Old Soul Song" to Michelle Bachmann, referring to the waste-of-space politician as "reptilian," prompting some hearty cheers from the still-alert crowd. The set ended not with "Lua" (which was expected), but rather with the subtle and sweet "First Day of My Life." Oberst walked off the stage to a booming ovation and only paused briefly before he and his fellow band mates gave us a stunning encore, consisting most notably of an in-your-face version of "Road to Joy," appropriate as we were taken through a welcome journey of Oberst's career the entire evening.

During the encore, Oberst noted that he would be doing his first DJ set at another Minneapolis club (which anyone on Twitter knew to be The 400 Bar) after the show concluded. I decided to make the trek, and for the most part, it was forgettable. Oberst coyly took to the small DJ booth shortly after 1:00 AM and proceeded to spin everything from The Cure to Kurt Vile to Cyndi Lauper. He seemed about 16 sheets to the wind, using the equipment stacks as support as he graciously took photos with the small group of fans that followed him (and Titus Andronicus) to the West Bank bar. I hope he was able to get some sleep last night, because another full crowd will be on hand at First Avenue tonight to witness the Bright Eyes spectacle.

The Kills - Blood Pressures (Album Review)

THE KILLS * BLOOD PRESSURES

(Domino Records)

The Kills are a raw, seductive band. Alison Mosshart is a natural, sultry frontwoman. Jamie Hince is a technical and innovative collaborator. Blood Pressures is a damn fine album, and a step forward for the duo. Building on their thunderous bluesy sounds that defined the band before Mosshart's brief stint fronting The Dead Weather, The Kills have tweaked their vision throughout their fourth full-length, stealing away any comfortable feeling we once had with their direction.

Blood Pressures kicks off with the driving chants of "Future Starts Slow," which shows the duo matching each other word for word, note for note, in perfect unison. Hince's guitar howls then fades to a close as we get into "Satellite," the album's first single, and a track surprisingly heavy on dirty upstrokes. The chorus (or was that the pre-chorus?) is a perfectly haunting collection of "ohs," again ideally doubled by both band members. As the track steadily thrashes to a close, we're reminded of the unique rhythms that these two have always been able to produce. Both "Nail In My Coffin" and "DNA" are deliciously head-nodding and capable of book-ending the curious inclusion of "Wild Charms," a brief intermission of sorts, featuring Hince on lead vocals in a "peekaboo I see you" manner. Enjoyable? Yes. Necessary? TBD.

The second half of the album kicks off with the album's best track, "Baby Says." This return-to-form showcases Mosshart's vocals oozing with with incapacitating want as Hince's perfectly delayed guitar scales the track's exterior. Reminiscent of their earlier [more] lo-fi days, "Baby Says" is a statement track, one that says "this is how you record music."  Mosshart continues to shine as "Last Goodbye" gives her plenty of room to put her vocals in the forefront, all while we hear Hince create a sound wall reminiscent of something you'd hear off of a Stars record. As the album comes to a close with the at-times upbeat "Pots & Pans," we can't help but notice that Mosshart learned more than a thing or two from Dead Weather band mate Jack White, as the occasional twang resonates between her vocals and Hince's buzzing acoustic guitar. 

Blood Pressures comes across as a reunion of sorts. Throughout the 11 songs, both Mosshart & Hince give off a "I missed you" vibe; one their fans will surely reciprocate.

Grade: A-

J Mascis & Kurt Vile @ 7th Street Entry 4/2/11 (Concert Review)

Last night, a couple hundred people packed into the overheated 7th Street Entry to see a legend of alt-rock and presumably a legend in the making; two stunning guitar technicians that have an ear and feel for the craft that's not just enviable, but one that also provokes stunned jealousy.

To kick off what essentially felt like a double-headlining bill, Kurt Vile played a spirited yet oh-too-short 40 minute set that left the steadily sweatier crowd clamoring for more. His guitar-work was tantamount to wizardry, showing progressive work throughout the mix of new and old tunes, even though he still seemed down from having his pedals stolen at SXSW a couple weeks back. Backed by 2 other guitarists (no bass) and a drummer that preferred maracas & mallets to typical drumsticks, Vile proved that the mountainous buzz he's been receiving lately is well-deserved. His current single, "Jesus Fever" got an energetic kick in the teeth while the rousing cover of The Boss' "Downbound Train" was a raucous and appropriate closer. Maybe this was all he had planned, or maybe his set was cut short because of opener Fauna fluting a bit too long, but after 7 electrifying songs, I couldn't help but want just a little bit more...and I know I wasn't the only one.

J Mascis started his set coyly, yet with an implicit bang. Opting to open with Dinosaur Jr. favorite "Thumb" rather than a track off his excellent new solo album, Mascis was winking at us (and the inexplicably large amount of frat boys & woo girls in attendance), showing that his set would be anything but ordinary. After dipping into the new record for a bit, this point was proven HARD. Answering Vile's earlier cover with one of his own, Mascis decided to treat us to a rendition of Edie Brickell's "Circle of Friends." Yes. Edie Brickell. And you know what? It was damn enjoyable. The way Mascis worked his loops and mixed in bone-chilling fuzz with his reverb-heavy acoustic all evening, he could've covered almost anything and made it sound good. Vile joined Mascis onstage mid-set for a couple tracks that sounded a bit muddy, but were still exhilarating in a teacher-and-student sense. After a few more Dinosaur Jr. numbers, a handful of songs of the new disc and a quick three song encore that took 28 seconds to begin, Mascis left the stage as humbly as he first took it, leaving a crowd of believers pleasantly astonished.

Soundset 2011 Lineup Revealed!

In what has become the kickoff to the MN outdoor concert season the past few years, Soundset released its lineup this morning for the 2011 edition. Joining Minnesota mainstays Atmosphere, Brother Ali and the entire Doomtree crew (P.O.S., Dessa, Sims, Cecil Otter, Papertiger, Mike Mictlan, Lazerbeak) will be one of the biggest coups this young festival has pulled, as they have secured a headlining slot out of Outkast member Big Boi. De La Soul, Slaughterhouse and Curren$y will also take the stage on May 29. Check out Soundset's Home Page for all the details. Tickets go on sale this Friday, and will of course be reasonably priced as always.