Album Review: St. Vincent – St. Vincent
Score: 7.5/10 The most idiosyncratic, psychedelic and fuzz-guitar chick in indie pop delivers signature tracks on an aptly self-titled 4th album. Published by JB on March 4, 2014 Release date: February 25, 2014 The coincidental synchronicity of St. Vincent
Concert Review: Broken Bells and Au Revoir Simone at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN. – February 28, 2014
First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN. February 28, 2014 Published by JB on March 2, 2014. The term supergroup kind of sucks. It’s an obvious misnomer now that it’s been overapplied ever since the Traveling Wilbury’s created a couple over-hyped mediocre albums about
Album Review: Beck – Morning Phase
Score: 9/10 Beck’s new gem provides an early entry for Album of the year Published by JB on February 26, 2014 Release date: February 25, 2014 To call Beck’s new album, Morning Phase, as a followup or sequel to
Album Review: Cosby – In Flight
Score: 7/10 The 80′s-style British synth-pop revival. Welcome back. Published by JB on February 23, 2014 Release date: November 29, 2013 The debut album from the Cosby brothers (Chip and Chris) is a fevered return to those MTV
Album Review: Broken Bells – After the Disco
Score: 8/10 Mercer and Danger Mouse show up to the party dressed to impress Published by JB on February 15, 2014 Release date: February 4, 2014 The 2nd album by the Broken Bells (moniker for the dynamic duo of Danger
Concert Review: Cloud Cult at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth, MN – January 31, 2014
Clyde Iron Works Duluth, MN January 31, 2014 Photos and review by Joe Stadele for The Way That He Sings on February 4, 2014. “There [were] a lot times we tried to do this live over the years…every way that
Concert Review: Lord Huron at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN – 01/28/2014
First Avenue Opener: Night Moves Minneapolis, MN January 28, 2014 Photos and review by Joe Stadele for The Way That He Sings on January 30, 2014. To the distorted loop drone of singer/songwriter Ben Schneider’s voice singing “I’ve seen your
Album Review: Dum Dum Girls – Too True
Score: 7/10 Dee Dee steps halfway out of the punk/pop garage for a quick (um, like 30 minutes quick), slick followup to 2012′s End of Daze Published by JB on January 28, 2014 Release date: January 26, 2014 2012′s
Concert Review: Jake Bugg at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN 1/17/2014
First Avenue Opener: Albert Hammond, Jr and The Skins Minneapolis, MN January 17, 2014 Photos and review by Joe Stadele for The Way That He Sings on January 19, 2014. Jake Bugg’s star and following have risen quickly in two short years,
Album Review: I Break Horses – Chiaroscuro
Score: 6/10 The Swedish duo return with an album rooted firmly in the 1980/90′s. Published by JS on January 13, 2014 Release date: January 28, 2014 I Break Horses sophomore album, Chiaroscuro, spares no expense to recreate the spirit of
Album Review: Painted Palms – Forever
Score: 9/10 The first great, tiny masterpiece of indie pop in 2014 arrives. Published by JB on January 12, 2014 Release date: January 14, 2014 A continuous blend of ethereal, psychedelic San Francisco-blended pop and beautiful Beatles-esque melodies
The Year in Live Music Photography – 2013
Published January 12, 2014 by JB and Joe Stadele Three music photographers provide their best (or favorite) photos of 2013 Joe Stadele Photography Garcia Borgo Photography Jeffrey Becker Photography
Top 10 albums of 2013
Published December 25, 2013 by Jeff Becker and Joe Stadele Our trip down memory lane in 2013 started early in the year with an unexpected bang from My Bloody Valentine, and then an equally unexpected release from Beyonce’. While Rolling
Album Review: Best Coast – Fade Away (EP)
Score: 7/10 Cosentino and Bruno go back to 2010 and just turn up the amps a little. Published by JB on December 7, 2013 Release date: October 22, 2013 They call this a mini-album. I call it an
Album Review: of Montreal – Lousy with Sylvianbriar
Score: 7/10 The most prolific man of indie returns with a live studio band and more new words to learn “Everything is conceptual and All is rhetorical You can feel so powerful” from ‘Obsidian Currents’ Published by JB
Concert Review: Lissie at Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis, MN – 11/30/2013
Skyway Theatre Opener: Purple Apple Minneapolis, MN November 30, 2013 Photos and review by Joe Stadele for The Way That He Sings on December 2, 2013. “Lissie! Lissie! Lissie!,” the crowd chanted as the singer-songwriter playfully danced upon reclaiming the stage during
Album Review: Arcade Fire – Reflektor
Score: 8.5/10 Their ‘Achtung Baby‘ arrives and thus, let the historical comparisons begin Published by JB on November 30, 2013 Release date: October 28, 2013 Under Coldplay lead-man Chris Martin’s breath (the world’s most sensitive rock-star) he must
Concert review: Fitz and the Tantrums and Capital Cities at Stephens Auditorium in Ames, IA – November 19, 2013
Published by JB on November 21, 2013 Fitz and the Tantrums with Beat Club and Capital Cities Stephens Auditorium Ames, IA. This past summer, while driving back to my little corner of Iowa, I heard Capital Cities “Safe &
Concert Review: My Bloody Valentine at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, MN. – November 1, 2013
Published by JB on November 3, 2013 My Bloody Valentine Roy Wilkins Auditorium St. Paul, MN. Close my eyes Feel me how I don’t know maybe you could not hurt me now from ‘Sometimes’ off My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless
Album Review: Tristen – CAVES
Score: 7/10 Chicago-area singer / songwriter tour de force Tristen keeps it coming with a new turn towards straightforward pop and no country twist. Published by JB on October 28, 2013 Release date: October 8, 2013 Two years after
Album Review: Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts Right Words Right Actions
Score: 7/10 Strange title, Good album, Great catalog. Published by JB on October 24, 2013 Release date: August 26, 2013 Album #4 from Franz Ferdinand has the unenviable task of following a trifecta of opening albums that burst
Review: Poliça – Shulamith Record Release Show 10/21/2013
Electric Fetus Minneapolis, MN October 21, 2013 Photos and review by Joe Stadele for The Way That He Sings on October 23, 2013. The Electric Fetus In-Store Record Release Performance “Minnesota Nice!” as one audience member shouted and then repeated
Album Review: The National – Trouble Will Find Me
Score: 7.5/10 Music that makes me want to chop my neighbor’s head off. And then my own. Published by JB on October 18, 2013 Release date: May 21, 2013 Every time I listen to the National it
Album Review: MGMT – MGMT
Score: 5.5/10 Alien Days, indeed! Published by JB on October 17, 2013 Release date: September 17, 2013 Was it something we said? You had us at ‘hello’, and now, things seem different? Beginning with their 2008