Dan Israel: Dan

Back for his 13th studio album, Dan Israel is releasing Dan this Friday at the 331 Club. This introspective man of folk sometimes flies beneath the radar, but you can find him in Northeast Minneapolis on Friday. Dan’s influence seems to sit between Bob Dylan and another Minnesota favorite, Craig Finn. His single “Be With Me” is a direct as any love-tangled folk song gets. “If you don’t want to be with me, you don’t gotta be with me,” he says on the chorus. He’s giving you the choice, but it might be a good idea to check the 331 out on Friday.

Fury Things: VHS

Coming off their Saskatchewan release back in May, Fury Things are making the leap to 12” vinyl with VHS. The self-described “three quiet dudes playing loud music” are releasing the most music they ever have at one time this Saturday at the Triple Rock. If you’re unfamiliar, Fury Things are a fuzzy lo-fi surf-rock trio that has one of the best stage presences in our burgeoning garage-rock scene. Their easy-to-follow tunes capitalize on high energy and classic power chords for a classic esthetic done right with a fresh voice. Listen to the single "Honest" to get ready for Saturday.

BdotCroc: Show and Tell

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BdotCroc is a North Minneapolis rapper who doesn’t fit any hip-hop archetype. Her newest release, Show and Tell, showcases her confident delivery and hard-hitting lyrics. The release may have been last Saturday, but check her out at the Amsterdam next Tuesday and see her skills for yourself.

Paul Fonfara and the Ipsifendus Orchestra: Seven Secrets of Snow

Paul Fonfara was commissioned to make music for a BBC documentary on the Russian clown Slava making his way through Siberia. When the film stalled, he was awarded a grant to adapt seven movements intended for the documentary to Minnesota. After completing the songs, he commissioned seven films from different filmmakers to accompany each song. Fonfara also worked with a variety of musicians to create Seven Secrets of Snow, and now it’s time unveil the seven movements at the Cedar on Saturday. Go check out the “dreamy lo-fi” orchestral tunes and films — and listen to Garrett Tiedemann's interview with Fonfara, below.

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Deleter: Oblique Seasons

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Not to continue with the Hold Steady references, but listening to the debut Deleter full-length is like hearing a spaced-out version of the Hold Steady, mixed in with garage-rock and post-punk rhythms. The noisy four-piece are releasing Oblique Seasons next Monday via Land Ski Records. The two singles from the debut aren’t enough to define this record alone, and this might be more of a subjective judgment that you have to make for yourself. I think we call all agree, the chaotic psychedelic swirls with the post-punk mayhem is worth a listen and a re-listen.

Flavor Crystals: The Shiver of the Flavor Crystals

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Easily the best of our psych scene here in the Twin Cities is Flavor Crystals. The low-key drone of this band is enough to make you crave more after they walk off stage: put the CD on repeat and flip that vinyl one more time. Their latest release, The Shiver of the Flavor Crystals, is nothing short of what you would expect from these veterans. Most of the songs on the 13-track LP clock in at around five minutes, so go on a long drive with limited turns because you will miss them as you're sucked into their sonic oblivion of psychedelic bliss. Most of all, go beg them for an encore at the Kitty Cat Klub this Saturday at their release show.

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