"This will be our response to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, and more devotedly than ever before."

That's a quote from Leonard Bernstein, and it's about the only thing that I've read that's made any sense to me this week. With that in mind, here are a handful of young Minnesotan artists doing their best to put a little beauty out into the world...

Strange Names

Strange Names have a new 7" out via White Iris Records, and the label helped them to create their first official music video for the single "Once an Ocean." Liam Benzvi's dance moves really sell it.

Crunchy Kids

I caught these guys live last year and was drawn in by their charisma and energy. They remind me a bit of Heiruspecs, if only for the use of organ. If you like what you see here, then pencil May 17 on your calendar—that's the day they release their next full-length, Mint, and play a show at Cause.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ji8XIH4pTHo

Ashley Gold

MN Original debuted some jazzy, soulful new material from Ashley Gold this week, including this song "One and Only." You can grab this track and seven others at Ashley's Bandcamp page, where she just uploaded a free EP, This Sinking Ship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B6OG7x3SFxM#!

MC Longshot

You may remember Longshot as the MC who was one of the runners up in Vita.mn's Are You Local? competition back in 2011 (the other finalists were Pictures of Then and the 4onthefloor, who ultimately won the battle of the bands). He's back in action this year with a new full-length, Instant 4 Eternity, which is due out June 15, and he sent over this video as a little preview.

The Chord and the Fawn

Indie theater is mashed together with the quirkiest of indie folk-rock in this new video from experimental quintet the Chord and the Fawn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAl3elImrYY