THURSDAY: MARK MCGUIRE and JENNY HVAL
Gardens & Villa and Mark McGuire are responsible for two of the year’s more impressive albums (Dunes and Along The Way, respectively), and now they’ve teamed up: McGuire has remixed Dunes single “Colony Glen,” transforming the synth-pop track into something sparkly, ethereal, and weightless, like a school of minnows just beneath the surface of a sun-dappled pond. I like the original very much, and I like what McGuire has done with it even more. [Stereogum]
Sawtooth synthesizers, moody atmospherics, effected vocals, hypnotic drum patterns – these are not the elements that you normally associate with folk music or singer-songwriters. But there is nothing normal about the times that we’re living in. […] Enter Jenny Hval, a Norwegian artist, musician, and poet, who brings along those synths and effected vocals and everything else to create sounds that are extraordinary. […] Be advised: Hval doesn’t pull punches – she goes right for the gut with her words. Her songs have a penchant for shocking imagery, provocative language, and raw music to match. [Folkadelphia Sessions]
Recommended If You Like:
James Blake, Glasser, Kate Bush, Daughn Gibson, Emeralds, Brian Eno
FRIDAY: DULUTH HOMEGROWN Twin Cities Invasion
Duluth’s Homegrown Music Festival is celebrating its 16th Anniversary by going on the road and taking over the Turf Club for the official Duluth Homegrown Music Festival Pre-Party featuring performances from LOW FORMS, Portage, Black-eyed Snakes, and Southwire. The Duluth Homegrown Music Festival starts the following weekend and lasts for 8 whole days (April 27 – May 4). Homegrown Music Festival is Duluth’s annual showcase of local music. It began as a simple birthday party with a handful of bands and a bunch of beer. The festival now features 200 musical acts, along with a few filmmakers and other artists…and a bunch of beer. [FACEBOOK EVENT]
Recommended If You Like:
Southwire, The Black-Eyed Snakes, Portage, Low Forms
SATURDAY: TYTE JEFF Album Release Show
Ahead of the release of his debut EP, [The Plastic Constellations’ co-leader, songwriter, and guitarist Jeff] Allen shipped over a track from his new TYTE JEFF project, which also features contributions from Matt Johnson (drums), Josh Syx (guitar), Tecon Johnson (piano) and Aaron Ripplinger (bass). And you know what? It’s really good. Titled ”Exurb Kids Don’t Know What They Don’t Know,” the lead single from TYTE JEFF shares some similarities with TPC’s quirky earlier work, but with more of a modern feel; think the all-in choruses of the Hold Steady smashed together with John Roderick’s songwriting in the Long Winters. [The Current Blog]
Recommended If You Like:
The Plastic Constellations, The Hold Steady, Pavement, Weezer
SUNDAY: BAD BAD HATS
Bad Bad Hats is a songwriting duo consisting of Chris Hoge and Kerry Alexander from Minneapolis. Together, they are known to write songs that are short and sweet, upbeat and smart. They perform alongside their bassist, Noah Boswell, and Nate Hart-Andersen on guitar. They were discovered by played at Macalester College’s Battle of the Bands, and though they did not win the music faceoff, they are back to seek revenge and take the music industry by storm. [Empty Lighthouse]
Recommended If You Like:
Regina Spektor, Lucius, Little Green Cars, Feist, Mirah
MONDAY: BLEEDING RAINBOW
Garage-rockers, Bleeding Rainbow, know how to inject an intense and raw energy into their music. This spark of youth and talent was in full force at Four Foot Studios in Brooklyn, where the quartet kicked two live performances of “Images” and “Out Of Line” (off their latest record Interrupt) out of the park. Different from the psychedelic filters of their “Images” video, the Philly band kept these sessions strictly monochromatic. The lack of hue takes nothing away from Bleeding Rainbow’s sound and talent; the music speaks for itself. [Filter]
Recommended If You Like:
Wavves, DIIV, Deerhunter, Cheatahs, Wild Nothing, No Joy
