On her debut album, songwriter Bebe Rexha rises to the challenge in a catchy skillfully assembled Pop Music release. Album Grade: B+ Professional songwriters who found success writing for other artists have a dubious track record when it comes to recording their own albums. Largely unknown to the public, these skilled artisans are the backbone…Read More
If you’re looking to hit up an outdoor concert this summer, you’re in luck. Whether you live in northern, southern or central Minnesota, the state has you covered when it comes to live music in outdoor venues. Check out our list of some options below, which has every type of music from country and rock…Read More
On this surprising release, both artists bring out the best of each other as a result of their differences. Album Grade: B- On the surface, the idea of a collaboration album between a Jamaican dancehall singer and the brooding, former leader of The Police seems to be a fundamentally questionable notion at best. Best known…Read More
“Often faced with prejudice, hostility, physical abuse and even occasional death threats, Venus [de Mars] came back from the brink of suicide to front artistic dark glam band All The Pretty Horses.” –Power Play Magazine U.K. After hearing about Venus de Mars only just recently, I was shocked to find I’d never heard about her…Read More
Cimarron Corpé quickly caught the attention of coffee-enthusiasts and Houston County residents during his weeklong visit to the southeastern Minnesota community in September. He generally sat at a table with giant fuzzy headphones on, often sparking interest. “It’s always exciting to travel to a new region and see everything as exotic, but when you travel…Read More
If there’s one thing Bob Knutson knows for sure, it’s that a higher power has had a hand in his work. I’ve got so many God stories, it’s unbelievable,” he said. There was the time when one of the two dozen or so albums he brought to a senior center from his 21,000-piece collection had…Read More
Despite a record setting blizzard this April, when most shops closed and the city of Mankato gave up on plowing, My Friend Stu were determined to play. And the 150 fans who would be catching the band for the first time in 25 years were determined to show up. The group was part of the…Read More
If you don’t “festival,” are you even Minnesotan? It’s a question that has plagued mankind for centuries. Festivals bring all things great: great grub, great music, great people/people watching, great beer, and likely, great memories. So even if you did have one too many soft pretzels or the rain threatened to wash you out of…Read More
On her third album, singer Janelle Monáe delivers an innovatively inspired release that is honest and funky. Album Grade: A Released shortly after the second anniversary of Prince’s death, Janelle Monáe takes up the purple one’s mantle to deliver a daring, tuneful collection of songs that is both commercial and challenging. Lyrically direct, Monáe drops…Read More
College students do not generally shy away from societal norms. Whether it’s food, fashion or their radio, they recognize the acceptable and try to flip it on its head. It only makes sense that college radio stations would reflect a similar attitude as they defy the norms of commercial radio stations and craft content that…Read More