The Current

Great Music Lives Here ®
Listener-Supported Music
Donate Now

The Chart Show: Love Songs, Secrets, and Sold Out Shows!

J.S. Ondara performs in The Current studio.
J.S. Ondara performs in The Current studio.Nate Ryan | MPR

by Mark Wheat

March 07, 2019

From the music filled streets of Nairobi, Kenya to his new home in the winter wonderland of Minnesota, J.S. Ondara has come along way in a very short space of time to sit atop our chart. Learn more about his amazing life story and how he recruited his all star backing band in a recent Local Show in-studio session.

"Cuz I Love You" appropriately came out for Valentine's Day and is the highest new entry this week. It's also the title of the forthcoming album from Lizzo, which will be out April 19th right after her first appearance at Coachella. Her May 5th show at the Palace is already sold out and the video for this song is close to one million views.

Another sold out show at The Palace happens March 23rd when St. Paul and the Broken Bones return to the city that... well no actually the band's name has nothing to do with our Silver City, but refers to the charismatic lead singer Paul Janeway who started the band in 2012 with bassist Jesse Philips in Birmingham AL. They're new at #5 with the first single from Young Sick Camellia which is available now.

Back after a ten year hiatus in at number ten, is the second single released so far by the reinvigorated Raconteurs. They haven't announced any American gigs yet but they start an interesting string of dates on April 16th in New Zealand, where they apparently play at a power station, then in a circus tent, at a blues festival, a castle and at The Best Kept Secret festival in the Netherlands?!

Another well kept secret was the collaboration between Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst, who surprised us with Better Oblivion Community Center dropping an entire album without warning in January. They're playing a sold out show at First Avenue's Mainroom March 22nd and are back after a weeks hiatus at sixteen.

Another new single dropped especially for Valentine's Day is in at #17 from jeremy messersmith. The video features another local hero Har Mar Superstar romancing his self.

Amanda Palmer's amazing new There Will Be No Intermission will be our Album of the Week next week. She's set to start her tour at SXSW, doing a show and a speaking engagement, then off around the world including April 13th at the O'Shaughnessy.

Submit your Chart Show ballot this week for a chance to win The Current's Massive Attack giveaway at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul, MN on March 24, 2019!