This holiday season, Karen O is lending her voice to a new Target commercial featuring an updated take on the 1949 song “Marshmallow World,” written by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose. Made famous by Dean Martin, the song is well-known to rock fans for Darlene Love’s version on Phil Spector’s 1963 Christmas album. Karen O’s version,…

No, he didn’t do any Chris Gaines songs, but thanks for asking. When I found out I’d be attending the Garth Brooks concert at Target Center in Minneapolis, I was pretty stoked. Not only do I have fond memories of listening to Garth Brooks in my sister’s car and in my dad’s garage, but I really…

As the Twin Cities prepared for the first snowstorm of the season, St. Paul hip-hop collective thestand4rd played a sold-out show in New York on Sunday night. Though it was only the quartet’s third performance, national press paid attention — due in part to the Internet notoriety of group member Spooky Black, who is making…

Another day, another revelation of something surpassingly strange that Bob Dylan almost did once. Yesterday it was the album he tried to make with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in 1969, and today it’s the surrealist slapstick comedy series he pitched to HBO in the 90s. Larry Charles, a writer and director best known for his work…

The U.K.’s 1975 are on their way to bigger shows, and they’re bringing their infectious pop, delivered with laid-back cool, along. Currently on a North American headlining tour, the band stopped at Myth on Saturday, Nov. 8. By the time 8 p.m. rolled around, the crowd was getting antsy. Young Rising Sons opened the show with…

Glyn Johns, a producer and sound engineer who’s worked with everyone from the Who to the Clash to the Eagles, is about to release a memoir titled Sound Man. Among the stories he recounts is an episode from 1969 when Bob Dylan asked Johns if the Beatles and the Rolling Stones might be interested in making album with him. Johns excitedly approached the two…

The Current’s Bill DeVille celebrated five years of United States of Americana with a sold out crowd last night at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minn. On the bill were rising acts in the genre including Minneapolis’ Frankie Lee and Jack Klatt and Texas-based Israel Nash, who stopped by The Current with his full…

Happy Friday! Is #pointergate getting you down? Might I recommend stepping away from social media for a moment and letting a little music cure what ails you. I have a lot of goodies on deck for you today, including a powerhouse performance from Caroline Smith, an irresistible new power-pop tune, and an immersive new video from rapper MaLLy.…

Bob Dylan and his band were at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis this week for a three-night stand that began on Tuesday. I attended all three shows; reviews and set list(s) from each night are below. Tuesday, Nov. 4 The last time Bob Dylan played an election-night show in Minneapolis, the mood was jubilant. It was Nov.…

Yesterday, hard rock fans around the world turned to each other and asked, “Does ‘procure a murder’ mean what I think it means?” Yes, it does: Phil Rudd, drummer for AC/DC, was charged with trying to hire someone to commit two murders. For that charge, as well as charges of threatening murder and possessing illegal drugs, Rudd…