Andy Juhl : A Simple Life on Land

By Greg Swan, on August 31st, 2007%

Andy Juhl (guitarist for Minneapolis group The Trimmed Hedges), is releasing A Simple Life on Land, his solo debut,Â tomorrow at Acadia Cafe. It’s the kind of late summer album we like to hear – laid back, acoustic licks with an enduring quality.

We sat down with his Juhl-ness to chat about the new disc, some tidbits about the tracks and where to pick it up.

How did the solo album come about?
I’ve been working on this album off and on for about a year and a half.Â My original intent was to make a completely acoustic album.Â In the . . . → Read More: Andy Juhl : A Simple Life on Land

Small White, After the Tragedy, Black Chrom, Bon Iver, Mouthful of Bees, We All Have Hooks For Hands

By Greg Swan, on August 31st, 2007%

We’ve been to L.A. and NYC in the past week. There’s simply not time to bless you with all of the great new music out there. Here’s a quick look at the items we meant to give more attention this week:

Local Minneapolis group Small White host their CD Release show tonight at Big V’s with Somatic Fuzz, Galaxy Drive and High Fashion Wigs. The new disc, Product Placement is an electic mix of post-punk and raw rock and roll passion…the kind of stuff your crazy Uncle Eddie would play for you in his basement bedroom when you go . . . → Read More: Small White, After the Tragedy, Black Chrom, Bon Iver, Mouthful of Bees, We All Have Hooks For Hands

Interview: Aaron Schroeder : Black & Gold

By Greg Swan, on August 29th, 2007%

Who is Aaron Schroeder?
Well, usually when people talk about their background they tend to do it geographically, so I’ll start there. I was born in Los Angeles CA, moved to Portland OR, split to Greece for 2 days, moved to Boston MA, then moved to Eastern Washington. I’ve been here two years. I also read too many books.

How do you classify your sound?
A quarter to a classic sound, a quarter to something new, one half to keeping myself entertained. I find that most artists are terribly inaccurate when describing their own sound, and I’m not going to say . . . → Read More: Interview: Aaron Schroeder : Black & Gold

Review: Dan Sartain : Join Dan Sartain

By Greg Swan, on August 28th, 2007%

Dan Sartain
Join Dan Sartain
Label: Swami Records

Alabama’s Dan Sartain is a hit in London. It seems whimsical rockabilly is in high demand across the pond, and come to think of it, us Yankees enjoy a taste now and then, too.

On his latest album, Join Dan Sartain, fans of Murder By Death will immediately pick up Sartain’s foreboding, down and dirty acoustic songwriting. Lyrically, fans of Black Heart Process and the man in black will appreciate Sartain’s knack at telling a story. Although, we’ll say Sartain isn’t afraid to “go ape” and break from character. Across the 15-track disc comes . . . → Read More: Review: Dan Sartain : Join Dan Sartain

Review: City Sleeps : Not An Angel

By Greg Swan, on August 28th, 2007%

City Sleeps
Not An Angel
Release Date: August 28, 2007
Label: Trustkill Records

Atlanta rock quintet City Sleeps was “discovered” by multi-platinum producer John Feldman (The Used, Story of the Year, Good Charlotte, Atreyu) and have themselves a hell of a pop rock record here, Not An Angel.

Overproduced and a tad heavy on emoted nu-Georgian angst? Yep. But it’s still a record that will take the band places. While the city was sleeping, these guys were cranking out 12 tracks of formulaic alterna-rock, and the label’s banking on Feldman’s name to launch them to the top.

We will admit, the virtuosic guitar . . . → Read More: Review: City Sleeps : Not An Angel

Review: New Young Pony Club : Fantastic Playroom

By Greg Swan, on August 27th, 2007%

New Young Pony Club
Fantastic Playroom
Release Date: August 28, 2007
Label: Modular/Interscope

January wasn’t too cold for “Ice Cream” seven months ago when New Young Pony Club’s 3-minute UK dance single graced our pages. An electro-punk-funk driving beat and new-wave bass line overlaid with vocalist Tahita Bulmerâ€™s sassy vocals, the track insinuated great things to come.

Fast forward to August – ice cream weather – and the London quintet have themselves a 10-track LP hitting American shores, Fantastic Playroom.

Marrying New Order’s 80s synth pop (“The Get Go”), Courtney Love’s nonchalance (“Hiding on a Staircase”), Bowie’s penchant for the naughty . . . → Read More: Review: New Young Pony Club : Fantastic Playroom

Review and Interview: The Pet Ghost Project : The Great Satisfactory

By Greg Swan, on August 24th, 2007%

The Pet Ghost Project
The Great Satisfactory

A lot of people grow up in a smallish community and feel isolated from all the happenings of the big city – including the music that goes along with it. We know in Minneapolis — even with a vibrant music scene and quality bands touring through — it’s sometimes hard not to feel like our little piece of flyover country is ignored by the so and so’s who decide what’s worth paying attention to and whatnot. Sometimes it just takes a change of venue to spark that flurry of creativity needed by us artistic types.

Justin Stivers’ . . . → Read More: Review and Interview: The Pet Ghost Project : The Great Satisfactory

Review: Rilo Kiley : Under the Blacklight

By Greg Swan, on August 20th, 2007%

Rilo Kiley
Under the Blacklight
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Label: Warner Brothers

Jenny Lewis’ Rabbit Fur Coat was NOT the end of Rilo Kiley’s indie pop melodies. In fact, they have a new disc out next week, Under the Blacklight.

Stream a few tracks below:

Rilo Kiley : “Silver Lining” (WIN)

Rilo Kiley : “The Moneymaker” (WIN)

Rilo Kiley play Minneapolis’ First Avenue on September 14 with Johnathan Rice and Grand . . . → Read More: Review: Rilo Kiley : Under the Blacklight

Review: Sixx A.M. : The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack

By Greg Swan, on August 16th, 2007%

Sixx: A.M.
The Heroin Diaries [SOUNDTRACK]
Release Date: August 20, 2007
Label: Eleven Seven Music

Formerly Motley Crue bassist and principal songwriter Nikki Sixx wasn’t so high in the late 80s that he couldn’t maintain a diary-entry regimen. However, whether his intention was to mass product and market his heroin introspections 20 years later is not known.

Called a “crippling heroin addiction” by his publicist, Sixx hasn’t had much time to mope around and scrawl musings on paper since getting clean six years ago, embarking on the Crue’s 2006 reunion tour and his work on Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell III: The Monster . . . → Read More: Review: Sixx A.M. : The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack

Review: Illuminea : Out of Our Mouths

By Greg Swan, on August 16th, 2007%

Illuminea
Out of Our Mouths
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Label: High Two / Aum Fi.

Illuminea, a Philly-based chamber pop group, releases their second album next week, Out of Our Mouths.

Boasting not one, not two but three (sold!) singers/songwriters in the group, there’s no question to the album’s musical diversity.

Regardless, it’s too feminine and soft for our tastes, so here’s one to try out for yourself:

Illuminea : . . . → Read More: Review: Illuminea : Out of Our Mouths