ZULUZULUU have changed their name to Astralblak as a way to be more true to themselves. “The main reason for the name change,” said the band in a statement, “was a matter of authenticity and accountability. Being that none of us is directly related to the actual Zulu tribe of South Africa, we collectively decided that…

Normally musicians want to take you higher, but Thursday night on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, Jimmy Jam set a different goal. “I just looked at my phone,” he said from the stage around 6:45, “and it’s three degrees! Goin’ to two…let’s see if we can get to zero before the night is over!” Even the…

Video premiere: Hot Date, “Manic” Hot Date — the indie pop duo of Nora O’Brien and Eric Carranza — just released an EP called Spaces, and Cobey Rouse shot and edited a video to the first track. “Will you get better?” the chorus asks. Hot Date play the Kitty Cat Klub with Tabah and Jillian Rae on Feb. 24. PHO,…

On 'Marble Skies', Django Django are trying to do the impossible: meld arty indie rock with dance music in a cohesive and poppy way.

On his new album, Justin Timberlake is a Man of the Woods. Thursday night at Paisley Park, he also proved he is a man of the people. Although the main platform in the soundstage at Prince’s complex was outfitted with gear all night, Timberlake never set foot on it, even when addressing the crowd; instead, he…

The Philadelphia Eagles are headed this way for Super Bowl LII and we want to take today's 9:30 Coffee Break to celebrate bands from Philly. (Bet you can guess what tomorrow's Coffee Break topic will be!)

Minnesota is gearing up to host its second Super Bowl this Sunday, and music is a huge part of the festivities — from Justin Timberlake’s halftime show to concerts happening all over the Twin Cities. As the festivities for the big game begin, here’s a look back at the much lower-key music scene the last…

Low: Ones and Sixes You can’t have a winter albums list without slowcore favorites Low. While almost any of their 16 albums to date could have fit here, it’s Ones and Sixes that stands out — for more than just the simple barren tree on the cover art. The heartbeat of “Gentle” picks up in…

This week, Mary Lucia has a special invitation for Justin Timberlake: as long as you're in town for the Big Game, Justin, why don't you visit The Current? Mary, along with friends Matt Perkins and Anna Reed, explains why you'll enjoy your visit.

The Decemberists' next album, 'I'll Be Your Girl,' releases March 16, 2018. For this new release, Decemberists front man Colin Meloy explains how he and the band strove to break out of old habits. 'We made an effort to really inspect the choices that we were making each time, and make sure it felt exciting,' Meloy says. See David Safar's interview with Meloy, and listen to the Decemberists' lead single, 'Severed.'