Coffee Break9:30 Coffee Break: 'Super' songsJade and Sean McPherson • Mar 1, 2016Today's Coffee Break theme is inspired by actual events: Because it's Super Tuesday, what songs do you want to hear that include the word 'super' in the lyrics? Send us your requests.
Local Current BlogPoliça, ‘Post-Post-Race,’ Circle of Heat, and more of this week’s Minnesota music releasesJay Gabler • Mar 1, 2016Poliça: United Crushers Poliça are pulling no punches on their third album, which sees the Minneapolis group — whose international profile continues to rise — struggling with the social turbulence that Minnesotans, and all Americans, were experiencing as the collection came together in recent months. “I drive around and I see that big, ominous ‘United Crushers’…
Local Current BlogReview and photos: Bruce Springsteen’s ‘River’ flows at Xcel Energy CenterJay Gabler • Mar 1, 2016Only for Bruce Springsteen does performing an entire double album front to back to front to back — with bonus tracks and spoken annotations — feel like just a warm-up. On Monday night at the Xcel Energy Center, Springsteen and his E Street Band played the entirety of their 1980 classic The River before launching into…
News and InterviewsOK Go's 'Upside Down and Inside Out' goes zero gravityJames Kim and John Horn • Feb 29, 2016The band OK Go are well-known for their music, but maybe even more so for their single-take, elaborately choreographed videos. For their most recent project, the band teamed up with Russia-based S7 Airlines to shoot a video in zero gravity -- adding flips, spins, aerialists and paint balloons to the mix.
The Current Music NewsMusic News: Paul Westerberg becomes ‘Dale Westerberg’ in new videoStaff • Feb 29, 2016In a new video for the I Don’t Cares‘ “Whole Lotta Nothin’,” Paul Westerberg takes on the persona of songwriting teacher “Dale Westerberg.” (Pitchfork) Prince is Bay (Area) On Sunday night, Prince wowed Oakland in the first American show (except for two shows earlier this month at Paisley Park) on his “Piano & a Microphone” tour. “Prince presented…
Coffee Break9:30 Coffee Break: 'Boss' songsJade and Sean McPherson • Feb 29, 2016Bruce Springsteen -- aka 'the Boss' -- makes a stop in St. Paul Monday night as part of his The River Tour. Our Coffee Break topic is inspired by Springsteen's nickname: What songs do you want to hear that mention a 'boss' figure or are set in the workplace? Send us your requests.
Local Current BlogAsk a Cool Person: Brenda Peters, entertainment manager at Amsterdam Bar and HallAndrea Swensson • Feb 29, 2016Each week on the Local Show, we’ll meet a new person from the Minnesota music community who has some fresh discoveries to share in a feature called “Ask a Cool Person.” These people will come from all corners of the scene, including record store clerks, recording studio engineers and producers, artists, writers, bookers, photographers, and…
ReviewsAlbum of the Week: Animal Collective, 'Painting With' Feb 29, 2016The hallmark of any Animal Collective record is a sea of instruments, awash in reverb, with vocals layered over top. 'Painting With' features these signature elements in a consistent fashion over 41 minutes
The Current Music NewsMusic News: Sam Smith wins Oscar for Best Original SongStaff • Feb 28, 2016At Sunday night’s Academy Awards, Sam Smith — along with cowriter Jimmy Napes — won the Oscar for Best Original Song, for “Writing’s On the Wall” from Spectre. Smith dedicated his award “to the LGBT community all around the world. I stand here tonight as a proud gay man, and I hope we can all…
Coffee BreakCoffee Break: Thank youAnna Reed • Feb 26, 2016Thanks so much to everyone that supported The Current during the winter member drive. For today's Coffee Break, let's listen to songs that express gratitude.