Whiskey For the Holy Ghost

Don't be this guy this weekend

2011-06-10T07:58:00.000-05:00

Sun X-Plosion

2011-06-08T22:41:00.003-05:00

Did you have any idea the Sun has random explosions? Me either. The video is amazing and the nerd describing it is very informative. What a crazy world/planet we live in.

God of Carnage

2011-06-01T22:34:00.002-05:00

Made my first trip to the new (to me) Guthrie Theater last night for the preview performance of their new play God of Carnage. The show, set in one solid 90 minute block, was a drama featuring two couples coming together to talk about a fight their sons had engaged in during school. During the course of the conversation, demons are revealed and couples were split as a playground fight seemed to unearth problems that may not have been expected when the discussion began. There was the usual man vs women, tough vs weak, passive vs aggressive, but one of the downsides of the play was their avoidance of issues that I thought they would dive into. Their were racially charged words and homophobic statements, but from the preview I was suspecting these deeper subjects would be examined with closer attention. Instead the arguments centered more around the emotionless husband who killed the hamster and the workaholic, emotionless husband whose cell phone was more important than his sick wife. The arguemtns were real and visceral (and, to their credit quite funny), but they seemed, at least to me, very surface level.

While I wished they would have touched, or at least reached for, that third rail in a somewhat more direct fashion, the dialogue as presented was brisk and entertaining. The 90 minutes flew by and the four characters were equally funny, provoking, emotional and versatile. With such a small cast you had a chance to watch the performers idiosyncrasies and see how their performance, both when they were in the spotlight and when they were off on the side using more non verbal cues, really involved them pushing themselves to explore these broken, fragile and complex characters.

The best part about the play, to me, was that it felt slightly like a exaggeration on a real life situation....but not too much. The flesh left from broken relationships and failed dreams was laid out heavy and was presented in a blunt and affecting way, especially their lifelike, "colorful" language. (Fair warning...don't bring Grandma if she can't handle the F Bomb) God of Carnage does well in presenting four people, suffering in different ways, who fight and tussle in their quest to find both individual, and group, salvation. Like real life, they found it isn't so easy when you get down to the nitty gritty of things. While there was a chance to explore more controversial issues, I can safely safe that the material presented was entertaining and thought provoking, providing both laughs and cringes, and an overall success for my first play at the Guthrie.

Its news to me (Wed June 1st)

2011-05-31T23:01:00.004-05:00

I figure June 1st is as good of time as any to dust this bad boy off, so I will be seeing if I can squeeze in time to do one daily post that hopes to hit all of the stuff that I would want to talk about. It will feature blurbs and links, mostly, but hopefully it will be informative and entertaining. Any comments or suggestions are definitely welcomed.

Music
Listen to the new Poison Control Center song “Dracula’s Casket”
Read reviews of the two new tapes from Minneapolis space synth trio Lighted
Read a review of the great new tape III from local group Food Pyramid

Sports
Twins lose, again.
Things might be rough again next year.

Other
Today is National Punch a Hipster Day.
Literally Unbelievable, which goes to show that not only is the Onion geared towards those who are a little more, how do we say it nicely….connected to the happenings in the world and therefore able to comprehend Satire, but I didn’t realize how it could be mishandled in the wrongs hands. Funny/scary.

Great Shows this weekend

2011-04-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

Capping off a packed to the gills week for shows, this weekend has some great concerts for local music fans. Saturday night you can do the double header of Cut Copy/Holy Ghost! in the Mainroom early and a free show featuring Birthday Suits/Bombay Sweets/Teenage Strangler at the Entry. Sunday night is a similar double header, with Wire and Arcwelder in the Mainroom and Skoal Kodiak and Leisure Birds in the Entry. Should be fun!

Explosions in the Sky

2011-04-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Check out four takes on the new Explosions in the Sky album Take Care Take Care Take Care HERE. The Texas post-rock group are one of the very best at what they do, and it is great that they are finally back with another LP after many years.

Deep Earth CS

2011-04-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

I have never been shy about my appreciation for local label Moon Glyph, and they in turn continue to release awesome music, both from local and national bands. Their latest is the space funk of Deep Earth on the CS House of Mighty, which is four tracks that pack a intergalactic punch that mixes grooves and warped out beeps and hisses. Read a full review HERE and hopefully we will be seeing the group coming towards MPLS from their home base in Chicago sometime very soon.

Peaking Lights

2011-03-27T08:05:00.000-05:00

Can we count Madison as local? Probably not, but I will anyways. The latest "local" (or at least Midwest) group to get some attention is the electronic duo Peaking Lights, and it is for good reason. Their latest LP, 936, is out now on Not Not Fun and it is a great LP that searches for the middle ground between ambient noise and pop music. And guess what, it almost comes close to finding it! The album is hot with music nerds/blogger types right now, but I hope it reaches a bigger audience, as it really is a compelling record. Read a full review and listen to a track HERE.

Faraway Friends

2011-02-24T11:41:00.000-06:00

Listen to the new song "Faraway Friends" from the group/collective Zodiacs, which features bands from the Captured Tracks crew, over at Reviler. This song features members of Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, Woods and Blank Dogs. Even more bands will be featured on the LP, which should be awesome.

Flaming Lips

2011-02-24T08:38:00.000-06:00

Grab a link to the new Flaming Lips "song" "Two Blobs Fucking" over at Reviler. You need multiple computers/smart phones to play 12 seperate youtube videos at the same exact time to get the full song. More crazy/weirdness from the Lips.

Dead Luke

2011-02-24T07:34:00.000-06:00

You can listen to the song "God of Nothing" from Dead Luke over at Reviler, and keep an eye out for an LP from him coming this spring on Moon Glyph. Don't know much about him, but I'm pretty excited to hear more.

Fancy Mike

2011-02-23T10:32:00.000-06:00

I am trying to get better about listening to every band I get who is "local" (or at least not being promoted by a national PR agency), and one of the fruits of my discovery was the new album Madison Square Gardner by Fancy Mike. Read my review of the electronic/instrumental hip hop album over at Reviler.

Dirtbombs

2011-02-23T08:29:00.000-06:00

Read my review, along with three others, as part of the 4 takes series on the new album Party Store from Detroit garage enthusiasts Dirtbombs. The album is their take on classic house/techno songs that came from their cities legendary scene in the 80's. Read it HERE.

Standing with Wisconsin

2011-02-22T09:05:00.000-06:00

I'm only doing one post today because I feel like it is a pretty important one. There is lots of crazy stuff happening around the world that make our problems seem kind of trivial, but don't let that downgrade what is happening to workers in Wisconsin, which is just the first step if the Republicans win this battle and could easily affect working families here in Minnesota. No matter what they say, this argument is at its heart a battle between working/middle class people and business and their power brokers in office (i.e The Republicans). Only Republicans would have the chutzpa to break private sector unions for the last 30 years, causing wages, job security and benefits to plummet while they (the top 10%) are getting richer, and then blame it on the last big group who have been able to stick together and have a collective voice against corporate greed (i.e Public Sector Unions). Yeah, most of the teachers I know have more money than they know what to do with, those greedy bastards. We can't raise taxes on the richest amongst us or enforce rules making businesses actually, you know, pay the taxes they are supposed to, but we can balance the budget, which was thrown into flux by the greed of Wall Street and investors, mind you, on the backs of working people. Even if you aren't from a union family (I am not), try to frame this argument in the sense of how much fiscal belts have tightened for so many people, while a small portion are living in opulence that seems to have no end. That isn't fair, nor should it be promoted and allowed to go on without protest. This bill, at its core, is a striking blow to damage, maybe for good, the rights of working people. Instead of allowing for the Right/Republicans to split the working and middle class between union and non-union, people should be fighting for better pay and benefits for everyone. Livable wages and health insurance that actually protect people from financial ruin isn't something that should be used as a wedge between people, but a tie that holds people together against a small group that, frankly, wants to totally and completely cement their ability to put profit over people for good. I put the videos of the firefighters below because it helps me to illuminate how this battle can be won if the large majority of middle/working class people stick together. This crisis can not only be adverted, but could help the process of bringing people together if they only can realize that this a ploy to plot people with like minded interest against each other. The Firefigthers and the Police were exempt from this bill (in a big surprise, they also endorsed Walker...hmmm, strange that they don't get hit with this too, huh?), but they refused to take the bait and along with the police unions joined together with the protesters to show their solidarity. Like the chief of the fire union said, this should not be a race to the bottom. If Walker wins and deals this blow to the unions, things won't get better for anyone other than the businesses that can pay people less and strip away their insurance/safety net that helped create the middle class and make our country as great as it is. While it hasn't directly influenced us yet, if this is allowed to happen it very well could. If you want to show your support to the workers in Wisconsin facing this battle, head to the Capital today at 4PM for a rally to show solidarity with the working people in Wisconsin.

Daughters of the Sun

2011-02-21T11:19:00.000-06:00

Daughters of the Sun have been, and continue to be, one of the very best bands in the Twin Cities over the last few years. They are back with a new album (that actually was recorded a few years back) called Ghost With Chains that I reviewed it over at Reviler. It is a little darker and more introspective, but it is still a great record. Read the review HERE.

Awesome Soccer Goal

2011-02-21T10:29:00.000-06:00

SHH
Uploaded by bubbaprog. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.

It's snowing and it seems like chaos is popping up everywhere...but man, check out this awesome goal by Wayne Rooney. It is a snow day here in MPLS, so back to more serious business tomorrow.

Dum Dum Girls

2011-02-21T08:01:00.001-06:00

Head over to Reviler to hear the title track from the new Dum Dum Girls EP He Got Me High.

Daniel Higgs

2011-02-18T11:27:00.000-06:00

Head over to Reviler to check out two songs from the new tape Ultraterrestrial Harvest Hymns by Daniel Higgs. It didn't totally resonate with me, but in talking with Steve from Moon Glyph (who released the tape), it is a cool project from a highly respected artist. Check out a few songs and if you are feeling adventurous it seems like a great project.

New Radiohead!

2011-02-18T09:18:00.000-06:00

Grab the new Radiohead album HERE and head to Reviler to see a video from the album. New Radiohead!

Keep up the fight

2011-02-18T08:49:00.001-06:00

It makes me filled with hope that the people of Wisconsin are standing up to the Draconian legislation that Gov. Walker has laid before the feet of the Republican legislature. After cutting taxes for rich/businesses, Walker not only is cutting pay and benefits for Union workers, but unnecessarily trying to take away collective bargaining agreement. This would save no money for the state, only hurt working people by taking away their power to negotiate for anything. I truly believe they have overplayed their hand, and even if this awful bill passes, the true colors of each side have become evident. I think the American public will realize that the Tea Party is just a front for rich people to cut taxes for themselves while slashing pay/benefits for the large majority of working class people who make this country how great itis. Following this makes me think of the Teddy Kennedy quote when he asked "what is it about working people that disgusts you so much?" Keep up the fight Wisconsin. There are lots of people around the country who are standing with you.

Dirty Beaches

2011-02-17T11:55:00.000-06:00

Read my review of the new, spooky album Badlands by Dirty Beaches over at Reviler.

Free Mixtape

2011-02-17T09:41:00.000-06:00

Grab the mixtape Flowers in the Dustbin from the Zoo Music label over at Reviler. Featured bands include Woven Bones, Dirty Beachs, Crocodiles, Reading Rainbow, Dum Dum Girls and more.

Gocta Falls

2011-02-17T08:35:00.001-06:00

Check out some great photos from a "lost" waterfall in Peru.

United States of (Good) Beer

2011-02-16T11:34:00.000-06:00

I would have a few suggestions outside of Summit, but I understand their choice. Looking at the map I have a few beers I think I will need to try.

Yeti Records Show

2011-02-16T09:46:00.002-06:00

Check out some videos from the really great Yeti Records show at the Turf last week over at Reviler. Videos are from Food Pyramid, Leisure Birds, Rank Strangers and Is/Is.

Keep my gov't out of Nascar!

2011-02-16T09:40:00.002-06:00

Minnesota Rep Betty McCollum is in hot water. Republicans, who are in a tizzy to cut anything and everything, especially things like PBS and Public Radio, are very upset that McCollum suggested that we cut our funding that we use to sponsor a Nascar team. We want to cut money, but not for our Nascar team! I mean, c'mon, Nascar is the most American thing in the whole world....if Betty McCollum hates Nascar, she must hate America, right?

Iron and Wine

2011-02-11T11:53:00.000-06:00

Read my take (along with three others) on the latest album Kiss Each Other Clean from indie folky Iron and Wine.

Boy Friend

2011-02-11T09:42:00.000-06:00

Head over to Reviler to hear the excellent, fuzzy pop from the new group Boy Friend, which is a side project from the ladies in Sleep Over.

Life

2011-02-11T08:32:00.002-06:00

After a long wait, I just got the new Keith Richards autobiography Life from the library. Of course it came when I have no time to read it, but such is life. I was randomly opening pages last night and reading sections and it was as lively and entertaining as I had heard. I definitely will be getting back on the list to get it and hopefully it will come again this summer when I have more time to dive in.

Liar, liar pants on fire...

2011-02-10T14:34:00.000-06:00

Polifact, a non-partisan fact checking website, found that (surprise!) Republicans tell fibs more than Democrats....and it isn't even really close.

Reviler 1 Year Anniversary

2011-02-10T12:32:00.003-06:00

Had a great time last night at the Reviler 1 Year Anniversary show, so thank you to all of the bands and local music supporters who came out. You can see some of Jon's pics (including the one above of Mother of Fire) HERE and some of my videos HERE.

Fleet Foxes

2011-02-09T13:29:00.000-06:00

Brace yourself for the oncoming hysteria for the new album from Fleet Foxes. While I really loved the bands debut EP and LP, I am already tired of the hype that is going to engulf this album. Any-who, here the first single, Helplessness Blues, over at Reviler.

Graham O'Brien Remix

2011-02-09T11:28:00.000-06:00

Listen to the Graham O'Brien remix of the song "I Walk Alone" from former Anitcon rapper Sole over at Reviler.

Shea Stadium

2011-02-09T09:23:00.000-06:00

Just because we don't live in Brooklyn doesn't mean we can't reap the rewards of the great music scene the city offers. Shea Stadium, one of the current hot spots for young indie bands, has decided to release high quality sets from shows that have happened at the venue over the last few years. Head over to Reviler to hear Velvet Davenport's set and grab the link to hear the others.

Happy Wednesday!

2011-02-09T08:04:00.004-06:00

Wednesday is a perfect chance to highlight a great post from the Demotivational Posters site. Happy Hump Day!

Albert

2011-02-08T11:29:00.000-06:00

Head over to Reviler to check out a few songs from new Totally Gross National Product artist Albert, who will be part of a group releasing new albums on the label in the coming months.

Mally x The Sundance Kid

2011-02-08T10:24:00.000-06:00

Listen to the new jam "Once We're Kings" from local hip hop team Mally and the Sundance Kid over at Reviler.

Bummer

2011-02-08T08:19:00.002-06:00

Rumor has it W canceled a trip to Switzerland because he was afraid of getting arrested by human rights courts. I have been lucky enough to go to Switzerland, and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Moral of the story? Don't authorize torture as part of your illegal and immoral war, or you may miss out on a great vacation opportunity.

Samurai Buck EP

2011-02-07T11:27:00.000-06:00

Samurai Buck, the stage name for Brian Marcus from psyched out space rockers Titjuana, has released a free EP of wild eyed hip hop instrumentals. Check it out over at Reviler.

Cut Copy

2011-02-07T09:56:00.000-06:00

After waiting since 2008 for their follow up to the amazing In Ghost Colours, Cut Copy are finally back. While it would have been easy to have been let down, Zonoscope is really, really great and one of my favorite releases of the year. Read my review over at Reviler.

Woodsman

2011-02-07T08:24:00.002-06:00

Woodsman followed up their excellent sophomore album Rare Forms with a 7" for the lead album track "Insects." You can hear the B-Side "Time Lapse" over at Reviler. Another win for this great band.

Big KRIT

2011-02-04T11:09:00.000-06:00

Yourstru.ly Presents: BIG K.R.I.T. & Grillade "Hometown Hero" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Big KRIT put out one of my favorite rap records of last year, and now he is teaming with the dudes from Yourstru.ly to release a live EP with the R&B band Grillade re-working some of the songs from KRIT WUZ HERE. If you like the video above head to Reviler for more info on where to grab the EP.

Reviler 1st Anniversary Show

2011-02-04T09:07:00.000-06:00

I'll be mentioning more next week, but since it is all coming together at the last minute, I want to give a heads up about the Reviler 1st Anniversary Show that is happening at the Triple Rock Social Club next Wed, Feb 9th. We are excited to have Mother of Fire, Buffalo Moon, Camden and possibly more, so it should be really fun. Doors at 8, $6. Keep an eye out for more info.

Gay Rights

2011-02-04T08:01:00.002-06:00

If this video doesn't hit you, I don't know what will. Like Will Wilkerson at the Economist said:

"Like it or not, Mr Wahls and his two moms are the future. I like it."

Me too.

Wire 4 Takes

2011-02-03T11:50:00.001-06:00

Check out the Reviler 4 Takes on the new album Red Barked Tree from post punk legends Wire over at Reviler.

Dom

2011-02-03T08:42:00.001-06:00

Want to read me writing about a album I hated? Of course you do. Check out my review of the new album from DOM over at Reviler.

Protests

2011-02-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

National Journal has a really interesting and interactive chart showing where there is currently turmoil in the Middle East. You can click on the country and see who is in charge, how long they have been there and what might come next. It is really a fascinating time and, while it is too early to say for certain, feels like a tectonic shift in a very crucial region of the world.

Insurance

2011-02-02T11:21:00.000-06:00

With the Affordable Care Act making news again as a Republican judge has tried to strike it down, I couldn't help but think back to this article I saw a few weeks back about the fact that nearly half (129 million) people in the US have a "pre existing condition." There may be legitimate ideological differences within the ACA, but making sure private companies can't screw over people because of something they were born with doesn't seem like an especially radical view.

Adventure

2011-02-02T08:59:00.000-06:00

I generally just ignore music I don't like (and trust me, I get sent a lot of stuff I HATE), but sometimes I put it up on Reviler if I think others might like it or if they are band who might make a splash. Adventure is one of the bands. Read more about them and hear a song over at Reviler and see if you agree with me.

Chicago Politics

2011-02-02T07:48:00.001-06:00

In another example of why Chicago politics is in a league of its own, one mayoral candidate dropped this bomb on another. Basically she said that the reason she is better than the other candidate is because she wasn't "strung out on crack." Ouch. She, of course, pulled back from the statements.

Akron/Family

2011-02-01T12:02:00.000-06:00

Listen to the new song "Silly Bears" from the just out Akron/Family over at Reviler. If you dig it, check them out on Feb. 25th at the Cedar.

Griftopia

2011-02-01T09:56:00.000-06:00

While I didn't get a chance to finish it before I had to return in to the library, the first 1/3 of Griftopia, the newish book from political reporter Matt Taibbi, was as excellent and engaging as I have come to expect from him. This book is about the people who created the financial crisis, so if you aren't mad about what happened, this is a good place to show how the greed and hubris of a small group of assholes cause this current financial crash.

Soothsayer

2011-02-01T07:53:00.002-06:00

Head over to Reviler to hear a synth jam "V" from Moon Glyph head honcho Steve Rosborough and his project Soothsayer. The whole tape is a spaced out trip and is really great.

Yuck

2011-01-31T13:28:00.000-06:00

Check out the really great song "Rubber" from new band Yuck over at Reviler. The record (so far) hasn't lived up to this great first single, but that might be a unfair as it is a pretty epic track.

Monotonix

2011-01-31T10:48:00.000-06:00

Listen to two new songs from Israeli rock wild men Monotonix over at Reviler, who apparently are on their last world tour. If that is the case, it is a bummer since they canceled their show this month at the Turf Club. Hopefully a date gets rescheduled so the Twin Cities can experience their antics one last time.

Unlearn

2011-01-31T09:16:00.000-06:00

Read a review for the really good debut LP Unlearn from Brooklyn via Texas duo Fergus and Geronimo. I would try to sum up succinctly what they sound like, but that really isn't possible. Everything from indie/soul to warped acoustic ditties. Good stuff.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest

2011-01-31T07:37:00.004-06:00

After many failed attempts, we finally saw the last of the three Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movies. Like the other two, it was good, but deviated so far from the book it was hard not to get frustrated. They are different enough that you could actually read the books after seeing the movies and find new things. My only thought was that the Swedish movies were only OK, but I can't imagine what happens when Hollywood gets their sensationalistic hands on it.

What happened to the Wire cast?

2011-01-28T13:46:00.000-06:00

Were you sitting around wondering what happened to the cast of the Wire? Of course you were, it was the greatest TV show of all time. Well, the good people at Slate give you a rundown. I have season 1 of David Simon's new project Treme on hold at the library, so I am hoping it is 1/10 as good as The Wire and therefore will be awesome. I will let you know.

ToneKrusher Smith

2011-01-28T11:54:00.000-06:00

Grab a free album from local rapper ToneKrusher Smith over at Reviler.

Panda Bear

2011-01-28T08:50:00.000-06:00

Excitement for the new Panda Bear LP Tomboy is reaching a fever pitch, and the latest song that might be on the album is "Atiba Song," which you can find over at Reviler. While I wish I wasn't swept up in the hype...I totally am. Can't wait for this record.

Best Heart Health!

2011-01-28T07:45:00.002-06:00

In contrast to yesterdays negative map, Ezra Klein has a map of what each state does best. While ours isn't the most exciting, in the grand scheme of things it is a pretty good one to have.

Ducktails + Panda Bear

2011-01-27T11:49:00.000-06:00

Ducktails already put out one of the best records of this year so far, and that was even before he released a song featuring Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) of Animal Collective. If you missed it, head over to Reviler to check out the awesome, breezy track "Killin the Vibe" from the two artists.

Abby Go Go

2011-01-27T09:46:00.000-06:00

Read my review of the new, self titled album from Atlanta rockers Abby Go Go over at Reviler. I had a hard time with the review as I didn't really like the record, but I didn't really hate it either. Make for a less decisive review and one that features a lot of me thinking in the meta sense about what the hell I am even supposed to be "judging" these albums on.

Bet you can't do that again....

2011-01-27T07:43:00.002-06:00

Pretty awesome mini golf shot. The kind of thing that can't be explained (and probably wouldn't be believed) without video evidence.

Egypt

2011-01-26T11:47:00.000-06:00

After the (unfortunately) unsuccessful Green Revolution in Iran and the (looking like) successful Jasmine Revolution in Tunsinia, things are really starting to shake up in many countries that for centuries have been under the thumb of dictators. The latest to stir is Egypt (protests pictured above), which has lived under the rule of Hosni Mubarak for over 30 years. I can't imagine the bravery needed to march in a rally where you are pretty likely to get bashed over the head (or worse), but seeing tens of thousands of people doing just that for their freedom is pretty cool.

As with all things like this, head to the Daily Dish for exhaustive coverage.

Camden

2011-01-26T10:04:00.000-06:00

Camden, the side project of Cole from Daughters of the Sun, just released a really cool 7" with "Price of Leather" b/w "Despair and Confusion." Head over to Reviler to check out a video from the release show at Yeti Records.

What's your state worst at?

2011-01-26T07:44:00.003-06:00

The Economist wins again with this fascinating map that shows what each state is the worst at. I eat this stuff up...hope you all enjoy it.

Nice Purse

2011-01-25T13:11:00.000-06:00

Above are local group Nice Purse getting down with an acoustic session. Sound like something you like? Head over to Reviler for more videos.

Sargent Shriver

2011-01-25T10:39:00.001-06:00

I meant to mention Sargent Shriver last week, but never got around to it. If you aren't familiar with the Kennedy family in-law, you should be. He was a fascinating, humble warrior for poor and working class families and did the work without ever trying to bask in the limelight for the amazing things he did. His accomplishments include starting the Peace Corps, Job Corps, Head Start, VISTA, and much more. A really fascinating guy who will be missed. Read more about him from his biographer HERE.

Plants and Animals Daytrotter

2011-01-25T08:53:00.000-06:00

Plants and Animals are a band I have been advocating for to anyone who will listen since the first time I heard their amazing Parc Avenue LP. Well, the group is back with a Daytrotter session, and you should check it out.

Sheriden Fox

2011-01-25T07:50:00.001-06:00

Check out the great song song "Ocean of Love" from local singer/songwriter Sheriden Fox, best known for his work fronting the indie blues/rock band His Mischief.

Crystal Stilts

2011-01-24T09:31:00.000-06:00

Head over to Reviler to hear some new tracks from the upcoming sophomore album In Love with Oblivion from the underrated band Crystal Stilts. Very excited for this one.

Despicable Me

2011-01-24T08:07:00.002-06:00

I am a sucker for good, smart animated films, and Despicable Me fell right into my wheelhouse. It wasn't as good as Wall-E, but still a pretty good movie that could be enjoyed by people across a wide age range.

Beach Fossils

2011-01-21T12:27:00.000-06:00

Beach Fossils released one of my favorite (and in my opinion vastly underrated) records of 2010 with their self titled debut. They are back to start 2011 with a EP called What a Pleasure, which contains the song "Calyer," which you can listen to over at Reviler. Can't wait to hear the whole EP.

James Blake

2011-01-21T10:25:00.000-06:00

Read Four Takes on the debut LP from British dubstep/soul/r&b artist James Blake over at Reviler.

MN= Thailand

2011-01-21T08:23:00.000-06:00

Comparing the Gross Domestic Product of states in the US to various countries around the world. We are closest to Thailand. Pretty interesting stuff.

The Go! Team

2011-01-20T12:58:00.000-06:00

Read my thoughts, along with three other reviews, of the new Go! Team album Rolling Blackouts over at Reviler.

Franken's BFF?

2011-01-20T11:01:00.001-06:00

Politico had a run of the mill story on how Rand Paul wants to destroy government and any semblance of safety nets for people and how he has become fast friends with Al Franken and .....wait, WHAT?!. Definitely wasn't expecting that. Read the whole story HERE.

Mally x The Sundance Kid

2011-01-20T09:24:00.001-06:00

Listen to the songs "Cloud Culture" and "The Renaissance" by rapper Mally and producer The Sundance Kid over at Reviler. The tracks are part of the Mally x The Sundance Kid monthly series where they have been releasing a free new song each month. They represent December and November, respectively.

Cloud Nothings

2011-01-20T07:52:00.002-06:00

Listen to the new song "Should Have" by dream pop band Cloud Nothing, who are currently on tour with dream pop kingpins Toro Y Moi, over at Reviler.

Ghostband

2011-01-19T11:42:00.000-06:00

Listen to the noisy pop track "No Nutzzzz" from local electronic veterans Ghostband over at Reviler. Another win for Moon Glyph. Release party at the Entry on Jan. 26th.

Cyrus

2011-01-19T09:36:00.000-06:00

Finally saw Cyrus this last week (I know...two movies in a week!), and it was pretty good. One of the more weirdly paced movies, it seemed to disregard formalities and really highlight some sections and breeze through others. It actually was kind of cool...not having a "they met, they fought, they got back together" plot that you saw from a mile away. While it wasn't the best thing I have seen, if you are looking for a decent, quirky comedy you could do worse.

Reviler

2011-01-19T08:03:00.004-06:00

Reviler turned 1 years old a few weeks back, which is pretty exciting. Jon just made a new banner (above) and we will have some other exciting news in the near future. In the meantime, if you don't check out the site, give it a gander. Thanks!

Strangelights/Magic Casltes/Flavor Crystals

2011-01-18T11:49:00.001-06:00

Check out the video above (MPLS band Strangelights) and a few more over at Reviler from a show last weekend at Cause.

Inception

2011-01-18T11:44:00.000-06:00

Finally saw this flick last week and was pleasantly surprised. I am someone with a minuscule attention span, so I was wondering if I would lose interest and then miss things, but the story was pretty straightforward (but still interesting) and the movie moved along briskly. I am not enough of a movie person to say whether it was one of the best of the year, but I can see why it got all the hype and can say it was pretty solid as far as this genre of movie goes.

Biggie Smalls

2011-01-18T07:36:00.002-06:00

It is sometimes strange when you think of the mega attention paid to the Biggie and Tupac murders and then realize that these two super famous people were gunned down by people who never have been apprehended. It feels like a movie, but they were two human beings with kids and families and they were shot to death, with so far no one being reprimanded for it. In slightly good news, Salon reports that there is some progress being made with new leads in the Biggie murder, but I don't think anyone is holding their breath.

Mark McGuire Living with Myself

2011-01-14T13:14:00.000-06:00

I'll leave you for the week with a link to my Reviler review of the amazing album Living with Yourself by Mark Mcguire. McGuire is the guitarist for space-kraut mainstays Emeralds, but his first "real" full length (after countless self released) is as powerful of an album as I have heard in a while. The songs are instrumental monsters, sans some audio that he found that his Dad had recorded of him and his siblings as a child. As you can expect, the sweet and innocent audio recordings are matched by epic, swelling instrumentals to great results. Highest recommendation.

Smith Westerns

2011-01-14T10:09:00.000-06:00

I was a little surprised the Smith Westerns didn't get more attention based off their debut LP, but will be even more surprised if their sophomore effort Dye it Blonde doesn't find them increasing their audience (especially since it features the knockout between album single "Imagine pt. III"). The first single, "All Die Young," sums up the fun, well made record (hear it HERE). It sounds like the best of fuzz garage pop and glam mixed together by some sexed up kids, which by all accounts it is.

Keith Ellison Event

2011-01-14T08:03:00.000-06:00

In a cool move, Keith Ellison will be having a Congress on Your Corner event tonight from 5-7PM at the Midtown Global Market. The event is both a tribute to the Congresswomen Gifford and an example that people like Keith won't be afraid to continue doing what they are meant to do, which is to reach out and help people who live in their district. I don't have anything to ask him, but I am planning on stopping by to show my support. Hell, even if you don't say hi to the Congressman, there are worse places to be than the Midtown Global Market on a Friday night around dinner time.

Lower Dens

2011-01-13T13:14:00.000-06:00

Head over to Reviler to listen to the new jam "Dear Betty Baby" (Mayo Thompson Cover) by Jana Hunter and her band Lower Dens. Good stuff.

Reviler Video Vault

2011-01-13T10:13:00.000-06:00

Check out more videos like the one above over at Reviler as part of our Sunday video dump of live shows we have seen.

5 Reasons not to worry

2011-01-13T08:06:00.002-06:00

Michelle Bachmann says she may be running for President, which is enough to keep anyone awake at night, but the AV Club gives us 5 reasons not to worry. While some are actual, real reasons that would invoke an adult discussion, I still like #3 the best.

Sleeping in the Aviary

2011-01-12T11:58:00.000-06:00

Above is video from Sleeping in the Aviary at the Triple Rock Social Club last week. Follow this link to Reviler to see a few music videos from the band, along with other videos from the show last week from Buffalo Moon and Phantom Tails.

The Dirtbombs

2011-01-12T10:13:00.000-06:00

The Dirtbombs cut their teeth covering Detroit soul and R & B, and now they are returning to material created from their city, but this time it is the cities famous techno/house scene from the 80's. The video above is the first single and you can find out more over at Reviler.

Sims

2011-01-12T08:06:00.002-06:00

Above video is for the new Sims track "Burn it Down," which you can find out more about (and pre-order) over at Reviler.

Tom Delay (Felon-TX)

2011-01-11T13:03:00.000-06:00

Man, hopefully the 2000's were good for you Tom Delay (aka The Hammer), cause the 2010's are going to be pretty rough. Delay, the former Speaker of the House and W's tough guy on the Hill, was charged with laundering money from political donations, which apparently is a felony (who knew?!). While I am sure he will go to a country club prison and write a best selling book upon his release, at least there is a little bit of justice for maniacs like Delay.

Ducktails III

2011-01-11T10:11:00.000-06:00

Head over to Reviler to check out my review of the excellent new album Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics from Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondanile, who records his chilled out pysch pop under the nom de plume Ducktails. It is a great record and only has me more excited for the forthcoming Real Estate LP that is dropping later this year.

guns, guns, guns

2011-01-11T08:47:00.004-06:00

Since the tragic events of this last weekend, both side of the political spectrum have been guilty of saying some crazy stuff. While this article by Matt Yglesias isn't saying that we should ban all guns (I am closer to that position than he is), he points out how crazy it is to say that more guns (literally everyone being armed) would cause less violence. Because selling a semi automatic gun to a kid who acted so strangely that he was a recluse from society and was kicked out of his community college worked out so well.

Local Dubstep

2011-01-10T14:22:00.000-06:00

Check out a new local dubstep artist named Bogtrotter over at Reviler with his new track "Meltdown."

How the recession changed us

2011-01-10T11:30:00.000-06:00

Interesting charts from the Economist about how these last few years have changed us.