Update 6/25/14: Due to flooding on Harriet Island, A Taste of Minnesota is moving to the Carver County Fairgrounds in Waconia. After a four-year hiatus, A Taste of Minnesota—St. Paul’s popular 4th of July family festival—is back. The event, which brought good food and music to thousands every year for over 26 years, abruptly ended in 2010…

How about a Coffee Break with songs about trash or being trashy in the title or main theme?

Whether he’s playing a sold-out rap show or setting up his beloved red Nord keyboard in the back of a supper club to perform a set of improvised music, there is something distinctive and incomparable about the ubiquitous pianist deVon Gray. Chances are you’ve seen Gray (who also goes by dVRG) on stage with Heiruspecs,…

From the Ink Spots’ “Java Jive” to Otis Redding’s “Cigarettes and Coffee” to Bob Marley’s “One Cup of Coffee” to Bob Dylan’s “One More Cup of Coffee,” coffee has probably inspired more songs than any other non-alcoholic beverage. Now St. Vincent, riding high on the success of her new eponymous album, is getting even higher with…

With their new album, 'Turn Blue', the Black Keys stretch out -- pulling their music like funhouse taffy into new and interesting shapes.

The Replacements returned to the stage this past weekend to perform at Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival, a three-day gathering that also included performances by Minnesota’s Trampled by Turtles and Mason Jennings and headlining sets by the Alabama Shakes, the National, and Modest Mouse. As with their recent Coachella appearance, the band was joined for the…

Two Harbors, already a successful and acclaimed local rock outfit, are taking their sound to the next level with their new album The Natural Order of Things, just released on Record Store Day.

Ten years ago, Apple’s famous silhouette iPod ads defined what was cool in the popular music scene. Now, Beats by Dre‘s animated “pill” speakers follow 2014’s most charismatic superstar, Pharrell Williams, around in an ad soundtracked by his smash hit “Happy.” According to a news report in the Financial Times, Apple is in negotiations to purchase Dr. Dre’s über-hip speaker…

Happy Friday! Give yourself a break, slip on the ol’ headphones, and catch up on the latest music videos to emerge from the Minnesota scene: Votel The electro-pop band Votel (which features Maggie Morrison on lead vocals with support from Adam Marx, Ben Clark, Drew Christopherson, and Mark McGee) very casually released their new album…

What songs would you like to hear for Mother's Day?