Southside Desire: Southside Desire

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Neo-soul stars Southside Desire are dropping their self-titled LP this week. The CD release show is Wednesday at the 7th Street Entry. Marvel Devitt’s lush-solid lead vocals are supported by beautiful harmonies from Gloria Iacono and Joy Spika. The band blends funky bass lines with upbeat guitar riffs on tracks like “The Heat”: driven by drums and catchy call-and-response vocals while keys, bass, and guitar all take turns fading in and out.

Narco States: Wicked Sun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HjD4TcqCp0

Piñata Records keeps producing winners, and today Narco States release Wicked Sun. With an abundance of garage rock in Minneapolis lately, Narco States set themselves apart with a heavy psychedelic influence, distinctive vocals, and the use of an organ. “Lost in Time” bleeds psychedelia with its playful take on time and relationships, but the chorus brings that garage-rock sound right back. The two genres seem to take turns coming to the forefront throughout the song.

The Great Depression: In a Starry State

The Great Depression release their new record, In a Starry State, this week. They are dropping it on local label Princess Records. The record invokes a feeling of a space odyssey with its wide-open sound and direct space references. All four members play multiple instruments, and bring a large variety of sounds to each track. Drum machines, synths, and eerie samples will put you in orbit.

Basement Apartment: Basement Apartment

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In keeping with this week's psychedelia theme, Basement Apartment—absent since 2007—are back with a new, self-titled, record. Beautiful harmonies thrive with all five members sharing vocal duties. “Beach Ball” is a standout, with surf-rock influences seeping in. Most notable are the amazing harmonies that seem to glide right over the band's building sound. Basement Apartment don’t have a scheduled show until Dec. 6 at the Kitty Cat Klub.

Hotelecaster: Father Fewer

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Hotelecaster are dropping their debut EP this week, the Father Fewer EP. The band features one member—Stephen Lindquist—from We Are The Willows, but I can’t hear any Willows influence in Lindquist’s drumming here. The single “Walk Away” offers heavy bass grooves, guitar twang and funk, and rocking drums. Look out for Hotelecaster: you will surely be hearing more from them.

The Person and The People: What a Drag

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Power-pop quartet The Person and The People have come back to release their third album, What A Drag. The band are following up their Big Whoop release with more smooth pop-rock tunes. Crisp vocals and catchy guitars are this band's bread and butter. “Vitamin C” brings that same vocal and guitar sound you love, but also takes a heavier approach on some guitar parts. The Person and The People will release What A Drag on Sunday at the Triple Rock.

Jeremy Warden: & Loneliness

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Tomorrow night at the Kitty Cat Klub, Jeremy Warden of Bear the Sound releases an EP—wait for it, an EP on cassette—called & Loneliness. Recorded with Holly Hansen (Zoo Animal) and Luke Rohde (Bear the Sound), the release has a loose, almost unhinged feel. Some days you're the windshield, some days you're...that bird on the cover of this tape.

Aaron Bolton is a senior at the University of Minnesota. Currently he writes for growyourflow.com and is the music reporter at Radio K. He hopes to continue a career in music journalism.