R.E.M. were a quintessential Unplugged band: compact, sincere, writerly, they got loud enough for the unplugging to matter but never ventured far enough from the beaten path for it to matter that much. Like their friends 10,000 Maniacs, they double-dipped in MTV’s 90s bonanza, recording sets in 1991 and 2001—but unlike 10,000 Maniacs, they’ve never released an Unplugged album.…

Tune-Yards' new album Nikki Nack consistently blurs the line between silliness and seriousness. These serious nursery rhymes address weighty issues. And even though Merrill Garbus's music sounds simple, even a cursory listen immediately reveals new patterns en route to a world that's distinctly her own.

Last night at Myth, Cage the Elephant headlined a show that also featured performances by Foals and J. Roddy Walston and the Business. J. Roddy Walston and the Business The Foals Cage the Elephant

In honor of our five years as a Morning Show we're looking for your suggestions for song with five or 5 in the title. What should we play for the 9:30 Coffee Break?

For the past four years, we’ve aligned Minnesota Music Day, (where we play nothing but local musicians on The Current) with the Saturday of Art-a-Whirl weekend. So what better way to synch things up than to pick some unseen videos of folks headlining (or just playing) the various stages around town. It’s called synergy, people.…

Jackson Browne taught us about “Lawyers in Love,” Belle and Sebastian know a good “Legal Man,” and George Harrison played the “Sue Me, Sue You Blues,” but now it’s time for some local lawyers to sing their own songs. On Friday, May 16, the Crooked Pint Ale House will play host to the 2014 Attractive…

The Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association’s annual art festival—Art-a-Whirl—is back for its 19th year this May 16-18. While you’re out browsing the famed neighborhood’s galleries, you also have plenty of opportunities to catch your favorite local acts live throughout the day. Plan your weekend with these music schedules from five Northeast venues. 331 club Friday, May…

What musicians with unique voices should we play for the 9:30 Coffee Break?

Valerie June visited The Current's studio on August 10, 2013, to play a few songs and to chat with Mac Wilson. After the session, the Memphis singer-songwriter took some time to talk about her then-new acoustic guitar and the mystical connection she felt with it. Valerie June plays Rock the Garden on Sunday, June 22, 2014.

Maintaining a healthy all-ages scene can be a challenge for any community, but over the past few years the Twin Cities’ ratio of talented high school bands to respectable all-ages performance spaces seems especially skewed. In just the last two years, some of our most celebrated young acts—Bomba de Luz, John Mark Nelson, Observer Drift,…