DRIFTLESS MUSIC

AMERICAN MOSAIC + MISTER GROOVYS WEBSITES

2011-09-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings friends, all is well here in my little corner of the Driftless as fall is now upon us. From preparing for KPVL's fall membership soiree to working on Michelle Lynn's forthcoming book of lyrics from her first five albums, I've been busy with many creative endeavors. I'm writing here today to share with you a pair websites I've recently created.

The first site is for Mister Groovys, a used music, games and movies store in downtown Decorah. The store is another excellent example of the type of cultural and entertainment amenities that small town Decorah, Iowa can support. The store's proprietor, John Shriver, is a true music-lover and a strong supporter of the local music and arts community.

The website is simply a customized template built over a Blogger site--just like the one you're looking at now. Although I did cover some new ground for myself in being able to successfully code the javascript page slider that is integrated into the template. Check it out:
http://www.MisterGroovys.com

The second site I created is for the American Mosaic radio show. The show is produced by Robert Wolf's literary non-profit Free River Press. The show started at 89.1 KPVL last year and is now syndicated on several other stations throughout the country via the Pacifica Radio Network. Mr. Wolf admittedly began producing the show in order to create another vehicle through which to showcase Free River Press books. However, the project has taken on a life of its own through the high quality of its content, the hard work of several Luther College interns, and a strong response from listeners and community radio stations.

The website is built on Wordpress and utilizes a "premium" (paid) template called Spiegel Magazine. The template is created by German developer Michael Oeser--who I must admit provides excellent tech support (and speaks fluent English)! Check it out here:
http://www.AmericanMosaic.org

THE BRILLIANT BEAST + GENERAL B & THE WIZ IN DECORAH 9/24

2011-09-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Saint Paul, MN alternative-folk quartet The Brilliant Beast will be in Decorah to open for Luther College blues-rock darlings General B & The Wiz on Saturday September 24th at the Americana Bar & Grille. The concert is sponsored by Norheast Iowa's truly independent community radio station, KPVL 89.1 The Blend.

The Brilliant Beast is led by siblings Jordan and Hannah Porter; the former handles lead vocals and rhythm guitar, while the latter adds vocal harmonies and lead lines on both fiddle and guitar. The brother-sister duo is backed up by an experienced rhythm section that includes Driftless Area native Eric Whalen.

The band regularly performs throughout the metro and has gotten some attention of late by Italian music blog OndaRock. Click HERE to check out the apparently positive Italian-language review of the band's 2010 EP "Bestiary". Click HERE to listen a cover of Waylon Jennings' "I've Always Been Crazy" that the band recently contributed an OndaRock compilation of Outlaw Country covers entitled "Oneway Ticket to Nowhere".

In the time since I blogged about them in late July, General B & The Wiz have steadily continued to build their reputation as one of the more exciting young rock bands in the area. Their back-to-back Nordic Fest gigs were extremely lively and well-attended; with the band debuting new lights and stage props during their Club Pyramid show. In August, the band rocked Steve McClellan's Wild Tymes DEMO showcase in downtown Saint Paul and also performed at a Monday night Afton Presents show at the Fine Line Music Cafe in downtown Minneapolis--that has led to a more desirable Friday night gig at the venue on September 23rd. Lastly, the band also submitted an interesting (albeit losing) entry to Koo Koo Kanga Roo's cover song contest.

So come on out to the Americana Grille on Saturday, September 24th and catch two great bands with roots in both the Twin Cities and the Driftless Region.

GENERAL B & THE WIZ

2011-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

General B and The Wiz is a gritty blues rock band led by Luther College seniors Seth Duin and Quincy Voris. I hesitate to use the phrase "gritty blues rock" here, because their sound is so much more compelling than your stereotypical fat-white-boy-on-a-slide-guitar dive bar act or the ubiquitous gang of nappy-haired garage rock wannabes. While their sound is indeed evocative of bands like The Black Keys, Cream, The White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors; it's their flawless execution and songwriting prowess that jumps out and rattles your cage like a good rock band should.

As evidenced in the video below of the band performing at my Driftless Music Showcase back in June, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Quincy Voris possesses a surprisingly mean falsetto and a smooth, commanding wail. The timbre of Voris' voice--along with a vulnerable, yet confident demeanor and a small, yet forceful stature--brings to mind comparisons to Mr. Jack Black. In fact, Voris and Duin started out together as a duo that covered a lot of Tenacious D songs. While the band is fun, I don't want to pigeon hole Voris--a native of Alaska--as a "yuk-yuk man" here, because his lyrics and vocal style also carry the credibility of someone like Mr. Jack White. Lastly, I think a portion of the band's originality also stems from the fact that Voris is huge fan of fellow Alaskan-reared band Portugal. The Man; a rock group with a wholly original Psychedelic / Indie / Glam / Art sound that signed to Atlantic last year and has only recently started to receive mainstream attention.

Lead guitarist Seth Duin is a nimble-fingered man trained by true jazz cat; and he certainly has the guitar chops to show for it. He is also a voice student and does provide contrasting vocal harmonies throughout the band's debut self-titled release (listen via the bandcamp player below). A self-professed fan of Beethoven and Bach, Duin is also the current student station manager of Luther College radio station KWLC and is well versed in both classical and contemporary rock music. This virtuosity is key to General B and Wiz's sound, which incorporates both interweaving blues riffs and flourishing lead licks. Of course, having a consistently killer guitar tone never hurts either.

The band is rounded out by a talented and versatile rhythm section, but Duin and Voris are definitely leading the charge. In fact, the two leaders' nicknames during their days as a duo is what give the whole band its namesake. As the guys told KPVL in an interview back in April (listen via the other bandcamp player below), Voris had returned from time commercial fishing in Alaska with a beard that he first styled in the fashion of General Ambrose Burnside before shaving it off entirely. Alternately, Duin's technical guitar skills earned him the the nickname "The Wizard" from Voris. And when the rest of the band members joined, they liked the name "General B and The Wiz" so much that they opted to keep it.

For a small Iowa town of approximately 8,000 people, Decorah certainly has an attractive live music scene. Solid traditional folk acts like The Foot-Notes, Contratopia, Switchback, and Maritza are complemented by unique singer-songwriters like Michelle Lynn, Ember Schrag, Amalia Vagts, and Mike McAbee. Damsel Fly, Done Doin' Laundry, and Joe & Vicki Price are also talented local groups. Furthermore, touring acts of all stripes come through town as part of either the The Baker London Presents series at Art Haus, the Luther College Center Stage Series, or the healthy house concert community.

Despite these assets, a lack of talented, original ROCK bands can not be avoided. There are many things about living in the Twin Cities that I miss, but being taken by surprise and having my mind melted by a kick-ass rock group playing their own songs is certainly toward the top of the list. The random jam / cover bands from Madison, Milwaukee, or Winona that play the Haymarket can no doubt be fun (I'm not afraid to call out the People Brothers Band here), but there is definitely something about the tasteless, predictable depravity of those shows that leave me feeling flat. Judging by the mythic nostalgia some locals regard Baker London's 2007-2008 shows in Decorah, I'd like to think I'm not alone here...

So, thank goodness for the gentlemen in General B and The Wiz! They have effortlessly attracted an audience in Decorah and have also made in-roads into the Twin Cities music community. They will be performing a pair of shows in Decorah during Nordic Fest, including a show on Friday July 29th at Club Pyramid with Michelle Lynn & The Bad Passengers. Again, I've embedded a bandcamp player with the new album below. It is available there for download on a pay-what-you-want basis. Choice tracks include "There Was a Time", "In The Trees", "Desperate Woman", and the epic "The Wind". You owe it to yourself to check it out.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://generalbandthewiz.bandcamp.com/album/general-b-and-the-wiz"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;General B and The Wiz by General B and The Wiz&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://891theblend.bandcamp.com/album/fasten-your-seatbelts-w-jungleboy"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Fasten Your Seatbelts w/ Jungleboy by 89.1 The Blend&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

FOLLOW-UP ON MUSIC CRITICISM

2011-06-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

HELLO THERE, for a while now I've been meaning to follow up on a bit of the feedback I received about my last post "LOCAL MUSIC CRITICISM 101." Despite a fair amount of long-winded (and potentially unnecessary) lecturing on what a good writer should or shouldn't do; the point I wanted to get across was that good album reviews are grounded in things like credibility, context, consistency, and an honest stab at "objectivity". In other words: do your homework and go get the story, and consider the views of your audience while you artfully communicate your unique opinion.
I probably clouded that point a bit by trying to professorially address both local and major-label album reviews. It was indeed, as I described in the piece, a "sustained lack of consistency and objective approach" in the Second Supper's local record reviews that compelled me to write the piece. Although what I really meant by "objective approach" (do your homework on the local scene) wasn't objectively obvious in the following paragraph:

"In short, a good music review is written in an objective style. Generally speaking, it is focused purely on the music or artist itself and is written for a defined audience. In other words, there is usually no reason for the writer to explicitly state his / her own personal tastes, expectations, or projections. It is of course possible for one to make a valid point using such statements, but in most cases doing so is unnecessary and simply lazy or sloppy writing. In fact, the writer should never have to use the first person and rarely the word "I"."

Geez, reading that again just now makes me feel like flag-sucking snob. Thankfully the editor of the Second Supper himself, the honorable Mr. Adam Bissen, politely pointed out the hoity-toity element of my reasoning in an portion of an e-mail exchange that I've pasted below--in good faith and without proper journalistic permission:

"In my opinion, you can't be objective about art, and it's foolish to even try. I respect those reviewers who focus exclusively on how an album sounds, but I prefer reviews when an author talks about how a record makes him feel. Lester Bangs was the king of this sort of record reviewing, and I don't think anyone else has ever done it better. I also find it interesting that you extol Pitchfork Media and Brooklyn Vegan as the high-water mark of "objective" CD reviews, because when I read those sites I was mostly struck by how personal their writing was....In my mind, as long as you state your biases, that's the only kind of fair music writing you can do."

Touche, good sir! So yes, what I failed to accurately articulate in my last blog post is the variable that makes a writer like Antiquiet's Johnny Firecloud more insightful than your average review on All Music Guide, despite his personalized subjective snark: doing your homework and getting the real story. (Johnny's scathing review of Limp Bizkit's new CD and the resulting polite rebuttal / conversation with Wes Borland could be considered "Exhibit A" here.)

Stating your biases while also expressing your personal opinions is entirely fair and indeed unavoidable. I gag at foolishly implying otherwise. However, it is also fair to do some research and provide proper context--whether your reviewing releases from experienced local acts like Porcupine, T.U.G.G., and Michelle Lynn, or up-and-comers like Elliot Arms.

As an interesting diversion, I'd also like to mention that getting the story, or--more accurately--getting the story first hand, may also prove to be the defining difference between the legendary Dr. Hunter S. Thompson and his apparent modern-day successor, Mr. Matt Taibbi. Despite his obvious writing talents (who can forget the "vampire squid" metaphor?), Taibbi is currently in a bit of hot water resulting from using a fair amount of un-sourced material in his profile piece on Michele Bachmann in the new Rolling Stone. Check out THIS LINK for the full story, but G.R. Anderson--the former City Pages reporter and current U of M journalism professor, whom Taibbi did not credit in his piece--told the following to City Pages about the two Rolling Stone writers:

"The differences between Taibbi and Dr. Thompson is that Thompson went to get a story--he went places--he didn't write it from fucking Jann Wenner's fucking couch. You couldn't find Thompson for months, because he was working on a story. Clearly, this Bachmann piece shows the difference quite clearly, between Taibbi and Hunter S. Thompson--which is vast. The longer Taibbi chases it with rhetoric and no reporting, he's going to lose."

So there it is. I believe this brief foray into being a media critic (or meta-critic, so to say) needs to end. Much thanks to Mr. Bissen for indulging me in this tangent and to Mr. Crider for being classy and not publicly rebutting my words. Both men are certainly assets to the local music community. Kudos as well to Second Supper, who continues to provide an outstanding community digest, despite the current state of print media in modern America--its writers get paid too little to take crap from a snooty blogger like me.

Furthermore, the fact that most of the other feedback I got on my music criticism piece was from people praising my "Greendale" review, tells me that I should take some of my own advice and devote more energy in general to writing and / or producing content about what's going on here right now....Or at least posting some content on here a little more regularly than I have been as of late. And big thanks as well to Kate in Michigan for the kick-in-the-butt email I received earlier today: "I did notice it's been a while since [your last] post was published. Will you still be updating in the future? I'm not in your area, but I always love learning about new, independent artists and I'm looking forward to reading more!"

Yes much is in the works! Stay tuned for more, fellow drifters!

LOCAL MUSIC CRITICISM 101 (ELLIOT ARMS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE)

2011-04-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Reviewing albums is not as simple as one may think. All art is ultimately relative to the individual. And of course everyone has their own opinions--especially about music. Communicating your unique insights while tactfully addressing the prior musical knowledge or tastes you perceive your readers to have can be a delicate balancing act.

In short, a good music review is written in an objective style. Generally speaking, it is focused purely on the music or artist itself and is written for a defined audience. In other words, there is usually no reason for the writer to explicitly state his / her own personal tastes, expectations, or projections. It is of course possible for one to make a valid point using such statements, but in most cases doing so is unnecessary and simply lazy or sloppy writing. In fact, the writer should never have to use the first person and rarely the word "I".

As far as writing for an audience goes, one should always do their homework and consider how a given piece of music is perceived / likely to be perceived by their audience. A few general examples of what NOT to do would include:

Writing about a release from a veteran, yet very obscure band without any background information, as if most people already know who they are.
Writing about the new Radiohead album like it's their debut release; providing a detailed overview of their career, as if your readers aren't already familiar with their work.
Writing an intensely negative review about the new Radiohead album with no mercy or balance, as if most people will uniformly share your opinion.
Writing an intensely positive review about a critical flop (or over-hyping a promising, but unproven up-and-coming act) without providing reasonable justification.

I can say from experience that this process is also not made easier by a weekly deadline (or a maximum word count). Some albums simply take longer to absorb and fully appreciate. Deadlines can sometimes conflict with thoughtful criticism. Additionally, the pressure and eventual monotony of the weekly grind can eventually wear a music journalist down. The joy of creatively sharing one's passion & knowledge can sometimes be reduced to the jaded exercise of completing a predictable formulaic template (exhibit one: the satirical Radiohead review MAD LIB on Antiquiet). How many "comeback" album reviews must one write? How many times must one confront another "sophomore slump" album from last summer's indie darlings? How often should one attempt to put a positive spin on music that's popular, yet seemingly uninspired or blatantly commercialized? Continually seeking out inspiration that keeps the fire burning is crucial to any endeavor.

Most importantly, the task of writing a solid album review is much more difficult when the music you're writing about is made not by major label artists in far away cities, but rather by local musicians in your own community. In this case, praise must be warranted or earned. Tell a story that's relatable and enlightening. My rule of thumb is to stay positive without kissing anyone's ass. On the other hand, criticism should be constructive. Negative reviews can and do sting. Furthermore, it's quite possible that one day the band you decide to rip on (or members of that band) might become very good. And if you are seeking press access (and/or a free copy of their album) and they've heard what you've said, they might just tell you to go fuck yourself.

So with the difficulties of being a published music critic in mind (and at the risk of being told to fuck off), I must publicly comment that the local music reviews that have appeared in the Second Supper this year are just one example of the sort first person, non-contextual stuff I've mentioned here. Again, I don't want to put down anyone's creative efforts, but I think the column could be more consistent or self-aware, particularly since we're talking about local music.

The March 3rd issue of Second Supper included a glowing review of La Crosse folk act Elliot Arms' self-titled EP; complete with hyperbolic statements like "When I want to listen to the pop equivalent of the Fleet Foxes, I just put in their [Elliot Arms'] new release" and "What Bon Iver became for Eau Claire and winter-inspired folk music, I think Elliot Arms could become for La Crosse and spring."

Now don't get me wrong, Elliot Arms is certainly a talented and engaging local group. They really don't deserve to be caught in any crossfire here--check them out yourself in the video below from their performance at my Driftless Music Showcase in Minneapolis on March 18th. Talking with them at the show, both Ben and Ryan reiterated to me the idea that art is relative and encouraged me to simply "write what I want."

So, the point is that this unmeasured review was proceeded and followed by reluctantly positive reviews of music by much more experienced local acts like Michelle Lynn (2/3/11), Porcupine (3/10/11), and T.U.G.G. (1/27/11). All of those reviews were prefaced with some variant of "I really expected / wanted to hate this, but hey..." That sloppy, gonzo-style of writing can be amusing, and is more or less fine, in-and-of-itself (from the T.U.G.G. review: "I don’t particularly care for reggae. I mean I like it; I’m just not in love with it...It’s probably because I don’t smoke pot"). Again, the moral here is that a sustained lack of consistency and objective approach caused this column to drift from its self-created "center". And after all: credibility, integrity and context are a few of the major things that compel people to read music reviews and visit websites like Pitchfork or Brooklyn Vegan in the first place.

Furthermore, claiming the Elliot Arms' EP (and its relationship-oriented tracks) "...[are] never crippled by the overdramatic tendencies many [sic] guitar-driven music suffers from" isn't doing the band any favors either. It probably actually hurts them by giving potential listeners false expectations. Likewise, wasting space and allowing preconceived projections to cloud a review of an established local act simply makes the writer seem out of touch, the band seem more ordinary, and distracts the reader from the story or music at hand.

Once more, I'm willing to give any creative person the benefit of the doubt. People can/will get better (its been a joy to see the Second Supper evolve over the years). There is also no substitute for effort, thoughtfulness, and passion. I experienced that first hand writing a weekly album review column for the "Teen Beat" section of the Rochester Post-Bulletin when I was 18. Click the following links to check out my contextual, positive-yet-grounded reviews of:

Very interested to hear any responses to this blog post. I realize I'm probably over analyzing all of this...and a month or so too late to boot. Doing what feels right, despite whatever criticism is encountered along the way, takes courage. And I respect that. One last thought: during my stint writing for the Post-Bulletin, I was once recognized in public by a total stranger who immediately (and very pointedly) told me that she thought my negative review of Fuel's 2003 disc "Natural Selection" was way off the mark. Of course the album still stinks, but her comments stung nonetheless.

BEASTLY NEIGHBOR

2011-02-11T10:18:00.000-08:00

The Brilliant Beast (the caterwauling of Italy's favorite prancing folksters) are scheduled to play a pair of rockin' gigs this month.

The first will take place Thursday, February 17th at the Palace Stage at Wild Tymes in downtown Saint Paul. Co-conspirators Keith Bohnen and Kasey McKee will each perform their own sets that night. The second show is with the Pine Box Preachers on Friday, February 25 at the Saint Paul Eagles Club. Both shows are 18+.

It has been fun to hear the band gel and grow with bassist Mark Kartarik (third from right in the photo). Mark took over low-end duties when I moved to Iowa nearly a year ago. He is phenomenally talented and also plays with Eric in Imaginary Jack, so he was a natural replacement. The band performed one of their newest songs, "I Wanna be Your Next Door Neighbor", at the Driftless Music showcase back in October. Its one of the first tracks that was written with Mark in the band and hints at a slightly harder direction for the band. Listen for yourself in the video below.

THE IMAGINARY MUSIC SHOWCASE

2011-01-31T14:49:00.000-08:00

Twin Cities based DIY semi-acoustic folk-punk band Imaginary Jack begins their new Imaginary Music Showcase at Acadia Cafe February 4th. The showcase will take place on the first Friday of every month and feature the best undiscovered local artists from the Twin Cities and surrounding ares. Imaginary Jack claims to be "working hard to bring you music you don't have to just Tolerate." February 4th's line-up consists of Bitterroot Fires, Imaginary Jack, Nice Purse, and Ruben.

I was able to capture a couple videos of the band's performance at the October 15th Driftless Music Showcase at Acadia Cafe. As mentioned in the video of "Means for the Day," it was Joe's 25th birthday. The band was in prime form, despite the unusual organ / electric piano Dana played. Check out the videos below.

Lastly, I recently featured Imaginary Jack in an episode the Driftless Music Radio Podcast; playing recordings from their new EP. Check out improved recordings of tracks like Sober Susan below.

DM SHOWCASE @ ACADIA FEB 18

2011-01-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

DAMSEL FLY

2010-12-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

Damsel Fly is an amazingly talented, all-female, teenage folk quartet from Decorah, IA. Their heart-swelling, four-part harmonies induce chills, warm feelings, and collective healing in all who are fortunate enough to experience them. The group's lethal combo of youth & sheer talent is less perplexing when one considers that they are the daughters of a few of Decorah's more progressive and musically-oriented families. The band consists of Kasi Misseldine on mandolin, Rose Reed-Maxfield on cello and bass, Ingrid Rotto on guitar, and Ida Rotto on banjo.

While Damsel Fly largely performs music written by others, their selections are always in good taste and their arrangements are incredibly unique. Many of their covers are of traditional folk songs or familiar classics from acts like the Beatles or Simon & Garfunkle. I had the pleasure of doing sound for the young women at last month's KDEC Open Stage Night at T-Bock's in Decorah and was able to record a video of their last song, which I have posted below. Best wishes to Damsel Fly and their bright musical future. Word on the street is that they are looking for performance opportunities within the greater Driftless Region. Booking inquiries can be sent to: decorahevents@gmail.com.

DM SHOWCASE @ ACADIA DEC 17

2010-11-29T21:57:00.000-08:00

IDA JO GOES DRIFTLESS!

2010-11-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

Madison, WI based fiddle-front folk trio Ida Jo & The Show made the trek over to Minneapolis on September 17th to perform at the Driftless Music Showcase at Acadia. In addition to Ida's warm singing voice, I was impressed by the group's versatility and improvisational skills.

Feeling inspired and wanting to capture some of the good vibes, I happened to turn on my camera just as Ida started playing the regional classic "Driftless" by Greg Brown (Red House Records). It was a pleasant surprise to say the least! And while Acadia doesn't allow cover songs (because they choose not to pay ASCAP / BMI public performance fees), there's nothing wrong with covering an ode to the Driftless by a fellow independent musician that not everyone in the room would necessarily recognize. I'm sure Mr. Brown would approve at least. At any rate, be sure to check out Ida's lovely violin solo in the video of this serendipitous cover song below.

MOUSE POCKET

2010-10-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

Mouse Pocket is a jazzy pop rock quintet from La Crosse, WI. The band is led by dueling front-men Alex Toast (on guitar & vocals) and Dan Collins (keyboard & vocals). Their music sounds like a jazzy blend of Dave Matthews and Ben Folds. I shot the video below during the band's RecessionFest performance at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds on September 24th. They will be performing again at Acadia Cafe for a Driftless Music Showcase on December 17th.

I should also mention that Toast is a tightly wound ball of positive energy; balancing a ladder on one hand and running amongst the crowd during RecessionFest. Click here to listen to my lively chat with him on the Driftless Music Radio Podcast about the band's roots and his own personal Medical Marijuana Advocacy.

RYAN FLANNERY & THE NIGHTOWLS TO PLAY (IN) LACROSSE

2010-10-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

On September 17th, Ryan Flannery & The Nightowls played the Driftless Music Showcase for the 2nd time this year at Acadia Cafe. After their June performance, I wrote in a post that the trio's "jazzy sound is led by vocalist/pianist Ryan Flannery's soulful falsetto; fused within jangly surf-blues guitar, creative aquatic-like arrangements, and energetic piano-rock freak-outs, their music evokes the lounge version of Incubus, the earnestness of Ben Folds' more serious material, and the chaotic instrumental interludes of The Bad Plus."

Well don't miss your chance to hear the band's unique sound here in the Driftless when they'll be performing at the Root Note in La Crosse, WI on Friday November 19th. Preview their improvisational splendor by viewing the video below from their last Acadia show.

DM SHOWCASE @ ACADIA NOV 19

2010-10-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

THOSE BAD, BAD PASSENGERS

2010-10-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Michelle and her backing band, The Bad Passengers, have developed excellent chemistry over the past 6 months or so. They performed a pair of full band shows with Rearview Mirror in September. Below are videos of the trio performing compelling renditions of Feedback and Old Soul Syndrome.

Due to the blessing of fatherhood, Drummer Matt Olson is now only performing with with Michelle at select La Crosse-area gigs. Although Ptacek still regularly shares the stage with Michelle; trading in his electric bass for an acoustic one. Michelle just dropped her fourth album, Sundial Tree, and has been playing CD release shows all over the area. I'll be chatting with Michelle about her new album on an upcoming episode of the Driftless Music Radio Podcast, in advance of her performance at the Irish Shanti in Gunder, IA on November 27th.

RVM 2010

2010-09-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

"Nostalgia: it's delicate, yet potent," is a phrase Don Draper once uttered in an episode of Mad Men. September's Rearview Mirror reunion shows balanced this dynamic elegantly--serving up the songs old-school fans pine for, while also allowing the band to have some fun as well. The crowd at JB's in La Crosse on September 3rd was very enthusiastic and it made for some good chemistry. Check out the beginning of the Dead Air video below for some of the reminiscent banter lead singer Adam Ptacek provided throughout the night. The band played with an impressive amount of passion and abandon--visually losing themselves within the music at times.

The show on September 25th at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds in Decorah, IA for Per Capita Entertainment's "Recession Fest 2010" was a little bit different environment--but a success nonetheless. The event was plagued by poor weather and a lack of coalition-building, grassroots-style promotion, but sure enough--come 9:30pm on Saturday night--Rearview Mirror had the most respectable and enthusiastic crowd of the weekend packed close to the stage. They gave one hell of a performance despite the frosty nighttime temperatures. I'm sure they felt less than stellar the next morning, but they certainly could rest easy knowing they left it all on the stage. Check out a partial video (sorry) of Blown Out's Hold Your Eyes below.

So, good job guys. You still got it. Here's to the next RVM reunion show--in 2011?!?!

LONG LIVE THE UKULELE!

2010-09-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

Bethany DeLine graced the stage with her ukulele and new backing band (which now includes Birds of Virginia bassist Sam Gelfand) at Acadia Cafe on August 20th for the Driftless Music Showcase. Bethany's music is a lot of fun and it is always a pleasure watch her win over room after room. Below is a video from her stellar Acadia performance.

Click HERE to see Bethany cast as a back-up dancer in an awesome new The Chord and The Fawn music video. The picture at right is a still from the shoot.

DM SHOWCASE @ ACADIA OCT 15

2010-09-18T15:01:00.000-07:00

CLARE LOCKMAN

2010-08-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

Clare Lockman is another hard-working, dedicated musician I came to know through my work with DEMO. Clare's music has a bluesy / folk sound, while her intense singing voice reminds one of Bessie Smith or even Jefferson Airplane.

Additionally, Clare is currently in the early stages of forming a live backing band. A relentless self-promoter, she is a particularly good person to talk to about marketing strategy in the digital age. CLICK HERE to listen to my in-studio interview with Clare on an episode of KPVL's Driftless Music Radio Podcast below. Clare performs the song "Baby Baby I've Been So Bad" in the episode. CLICK HERE to view a video she recorded on her drive back from Iowa. Below is a video from her August 20th performance at my Driftless Music Showcase.

DM RADIO PODCAST

2010-08-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce the return of my podcast! The new and improved Driftless Music Radio Podcast--a co-production between KPVL & DriftlessMusic.com--is a half-hour program that airs at 5pm on Sunday evenings on 89.1 The Blend (as well as on random weekdays at 7:30am & 5:30pm). You can also stream / download the programs online via The Blend's bandcamp page or the Driftless Music Podcast feed.

Three episodes have been published online and are in rotation on KPVL.

The first is the remaining portion of the podcast series with Michelle Lynn, featuring a phone conversation we had in December 2009 about songs from her album Pre-Echoes for the Postmodern.
For the second episode, St. Paul singer-songwriter Clare Lockman joined me in the studio to play a song live and talk about her musical background, desire to form a band, and thoughts on independent promotion.
The third episode features Alex Toast of La Crosse band Mouse Pocket. Alex talks about his band and plays a song live in the studio, but the majority of the interview focuses on his journey and insights as a committed medical marijuana activist.

The next episode will focus on Recession Fest 2010 at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds; I'll be talking with the organizers Jordan and Dave, as well as Adam and Matt from the festival's headlining act Rearview Mirror.

Listen via the player below or subscribe to the podcast feed HERE.

<a href="http://891theblend.bandcamp.com/album/driftless-music-radio-podcast">Michelle Lynn - Final Four Songs from "Pre-Echoes" - Part 1 by 89.1 The Blend</a>

DM SHOWCASE @ ACADIA SEPT 17

2010-08-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

MWMF RECAP

2010-08-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

On Friday July 30th, I headed to Winona, MN for the inaugural Mid West Music Fest. What an inspiring day of music. Familiar and new faces abound, it was great to be back in Winona and surrounded by a palpable sense of excitement and enthusiasm. The MWMF Driftless Music Showcase w/ The Brilliant Beast, Brahman Shaman, and Michelle Lynn took place at the Acoustic Cafe was a smashing success. We ended up getting a lot of foot traffic--including lots of musicians performing that day like Dessa, Chris Koza, and Sean McPherson--for the Acoustic's wonderful sandwiches (hold the special sauce please).

Michelle was stellar as always and it was nice to hear her on a super powerful sound system again. Matt broke out his new "one man band" set, highlighting his musicality, technical skill, and commitment to continually challenging himself. Visual artist Maria Murray painted on stage during both Matt and Michelle's sets. Check out the videos below--Michelle crooning Old Soul Syndrome and Matt playing a new song, Reactions Inertia--and see the magic for yourself.

Then there was the Brilliant Beast, who graciously traveled down from Saint Paul. This was the first time I had seen them perform since I left the band and was replaced by Imaginary Jack bassist Mark Kartarik and I was definitely impressed. It was fulfilling to see them gelled as a group and to hear Mark expand upon my admittedly rudimentary fills. I like to take credit for turning singer-songwriter Jordan Porter onto the White Stripes and he frequently banters in between songs like Jack White (perhaps too frequently). This time Jordan joking called himself out and fictitiously proclaimed that "this next song is a White Stripes tune", with a wink in his eye.

Of course this humor was lost on some, namely Julie Schneider, the Mid West Music Fest Volunteer live blogging their set on Winona 360:

"The setting for this one is pretty sweet here at the Acoustic Café. A four-man band with a lead singer who is playing an acoustic guitar, bassist, Fiddler and a drummer from St. Paul with a brother-sister duo as far as the fiddle and lead singer go. They have a nice beat to their first song and the lead singer has a nice voice. They are upbeat with a spruce of folk to them. It is really easy to hear the lead singer, which is huge for their genre. There are about 30 people here and the crowd is into them. Good stage presence and good sense of humor.

They are playing a White Stripes song right now but it is a little more poppy, but they sound good with the fiddle and keep a good beat with each other. A little bit more on the venue though, the stage is alright. The band seems to be kind of tightly squeezed together, but they are going with it. They have a cool, laid back vibe and they just want the audience to enjoy some good music and if they can provide that then sweet! The fiddle adds a really cool twist to their groove because they sound more folky with it, but it is a nice twist. They sound good! They have this bluegrass sound to them too, with the brother and sister singing together. A broken acoustic guitar string moves the lead singer to use his electric guitar at this point in the show."

All in all, I had a great time and really enjoyed seeing Rogue Valley and Dessa perform later in the evening. Or as lead organizer Sam Brown told Winona 360 reporter Jen Holt “Given all the variables that were put in place, I think we did a great job...we’ve already hit the ground running, planning next year’s festival.” Winona 360 had HD video cameras and bloggers at all of the venues. Check out the MWMF section of their site HERE. Check out the videos below of Matt and Michelle too!

MEET THE UNSEEN GHOST BRIGADE

2010-08-13T01:02:00.000-07:00

Meet the Unseen Ghost Brigade: a theater ensemble dedicated to the proliferation of communal joy through the arts that is currently in the midst of an ambitious 2,000 mile performance-journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. Utilizing street theatre to infiltrate everyday life, each member of the group has assumed the persona of a character based on various archetypal, vagabond-like characters. The result is a spontaneously delightful public fusion of acting, comedy, puppetry, music, acrobatics, and other art forms that manages to infiltrate everyday life, connect people, and reclaim the river culture of yore.

Beginning in Minneapolis, where the group originates, they've spent the last week or so in La Crosse, WI. Running into motor problems, their stay in La Crosse was longer than expected. But whatever went awry has been remedied and the Brigade just posted an update yesterday stating they've reached Lansing, IA. Talking with co-artistic directors Walken Schweigert and Chad Stender via phone earlier this week, they're planning to stop for sure in Prairie du Chein, WI in the next couple days; hoping to perform around St. Feriole Island and / or the Main Entrance.

Another aspect of their travels is a documentary they are filming. In addition to covering the ups and downs of their journey, they hope to capture dying art forms & trades and the essence of the river and its river-town inhabitants in the year 2010. Stender briefly mentioned to me two people they've met with and filmed: an 84-year old gentleman in Alma, WI that still produces rare steam-powered piano players and Dr. Bob in Winona, MN, a madcap puppet-master with a crazy club house and an amazing amount of talent and creativity.

So yes, rejoice and check out some of the performance videos below. You can follow the group's updates HERE, HERE, and HERE. Seeking justice for the injustices that have been done, and are continuing to be done, you can contribute to the group's mission and travel expenses HERE. A more in-depth piece on this story appeared in the Rochester Post Bulletin recently and can be read HERE. Much thanks to Root Note co-owner Alex Johnson for putting me in touch with these incredibly inspiring artist-activists.

"VETERAN MUSICIAN"

2010-08-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

Matthew Griswold is another dedicated, soulful musician I've had the pleasure of meeting / hearing through my previous work with DEMO. Matthew is also an Iraq War veteran. During a DEMO showcase at Acadia last June, he introduced a song by saying it had roots in an experience he had jamming with members of Iraqi Security Forces in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006.

Matthew went on to mention something similar to the effect that he thought collaborative cultural encounters, like the one documented in the video below, may be a more powerful force in bridging differences, building trust, or resolving this conflict than pure warfare. That is a sentiment that certainly resonates with me and is an idea worth spreading. Matthew's music and service are incredibly inspiring. I strongly invite you to watch the clip below, check out his album Screaming From the Witch's Tower HERE, and support the local nonprofit Guitars for Vets HERE.

DM SHOWCASE @ ACADIA AUG 20

2010-07-17T01:20:00.000-07:00