Album Review: Kevin Drew – Darlings

Score: 8.0/10 Broken Social Scene’s founder, songwriter, and front man drops a dime with this beautiful gem Published by JB on April 24, 2014 Release date: March 18, 2014   Far more than just a mere appetizer to the next

Concert Review: twenty | one | pilots at the Skyway Theater in Minneapolis, MN. – April 17, 2014

Openers: NONONO and Hunters Hunted Skyway Theater, Minnepolis, MN April 17, 2014 Published by Joe Stadele on April 21, 2014. If you were to attend a twenty | one | pilots  performance and not know anything about  the band’s schizophrenic percussive hip-pop

Concert Review: Broken Bells & Au Revoir Simone at Humphreys Concerts in San Diego, CA. – April 16, 2014

Published April 20, 2014 by TWTHS All photos provided by Garcia Borgo photography Random thoughts from the sold-out (1400 capacity) Broken Bells at Humphrey’s Concerts on the Bay: Broken Bells, well known as the acclaimed duo of James Mercer and

New track from the tUnE-yArDs – Wait for Me from upcoming album Nikki Nack

Concert Review: Cloud Cult at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN. – April 5, 2014

Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN April 5, 2014 Published by Joe Stadele on April 8, 2014. To label Cloud Cult’s sound as “eclectic” may be an understatement.  While eclectic it certainly is, singer-songwriter Craig Minowa’s music has grown increasingly bold

Album Review: Sally Seltmann – Hey Daydreamer

Score: 7.5/10 Dreamy, beautiful pop record from Australian singer-songwriter standout Published by JB on April 5, 2014 Release date: March 4, 2014   With a list of impressive credentials that includes the Australian Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year for 2008, and

Concert Review: St. Vincent and Noveller at the State Theater in Minneapolis , MN. – April 3, 2014

State Theater, Minneapolis, MN. April 3, 2014 Opener: Noveller Published by JB and Joe Stadele on April 5, 2014. Hendrix would be clapping. (Jeff Becker review of St. Vincent) The coolest thing in prog-art-rock-pop-fuzz-funk-and indie glory is a 32 year

Concert Review: Blouse and the Dum Dum Girls at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis , MN. – April 1, 2014

Vixens and their Axes Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN. April 1, 2014 Published by JB on April 2, 2014. There was no lack of talented girl-power Tuesday night at the Triple Rock Social Club – located just on the outskirts

Concert Review: Warpaint at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN. – March 29, 2014

First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN. March 29, 2014 Opener: Cate Le Bon Published by Joe Stadele on March 28, 2014. Warpaint’s sound is a pastiche. Slinking bass lines weave in and around percussive textures.  The keys and guitars (and at times, vocals)

Concert Review: Bear’s Den at Turf Club in St. Paul, MN. – March 27, 2014

Turf Club, St. Paul, MN. March 27, 2014 Published by Joe Stadele on March 28, 2014. When Bear’s Den wrapped up their Thursday night performance at the Turf Club in St. Paul, two things were very apparent: This was the

Album Review: Tycho – Awake

Score: 8/10 Buoyant, instrumental pop bliss in a 36 minute burst…. Published by JB on March 15, 2014 Release date: March 18, 2014   Why can’t everyone make albums 36 minutes long?   Unless the first name of your band

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