First, Strange Names booked a hometown show at First Avenue. Then they announced that their debut album would be released in 2015. Now, to complete a rock ‘n’ roll hat trick, they’ve signed with Frenchkiss Records—home of bands including the Antlers, the Dodos, and the Hold Steady. The funky electropop duo have been steadily gaining steam…

Stillwater Log Jam may be a new name for the festival hitherto known as “Lumberjack Days,” but this weekend’s event promises to be otherwise old school. After poor community response led to the festival’s cancellation in 2011, a grassroots nonprofit known as the Locals successfully petitioned the local government to resume the tradition this year,…

With the summer music festival season in full swing, Minnesota is fortunate to be a regular tour stop after big festivals in Chicago—notably Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza. This year’s Pitchfork festival is this weekend in Union Park; Lollapalooza runs August 1-3 in Grant Park. Last summer, large venues around the Twin Cities were graced by the likes of…

Tuesday’s always a big release day, and yesterday saw eye-catching new videos from Jenny Lewis—who premiered a video for her new solo track “One of the Guys,” featuring Kristen Stewart, Anne Hathaway, and Brie Larson—and from “Weird Al” Yankovic, who continued his week of video premieres by remaking Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” as “Word Crimes.”…

James Brooks, formerly of Minneapolis duo Elite Gymnastics, now under the moniker Default Genders, released a new record Monday—his first proper album since 2011’s Elite Gymnastics release Ruin. The new album, titled Magical Pessimism 2014, includes eight new tracks as well as remastered versions of the four tracks from 2013’s Stop Pretending EP. The album…

Frankie Teardrop: Raiders Frankie Teardrop has built some buzz since the release of Tough Guy nine months ago. The garage rocker and his band continue to justify the hype with the release of their Raiders EP today. Frankie made some odd claims during Dave Campbell’s interview during their recent in-studio, saying he “crawled out of a sewer pipe” and…

The Austin City Limits Music Festival (October 3-12) is holding a contest with a unique and highly coveted prize: access to a golden porta potty featuring AC, a live feed, phone charging, beverages, toiletries, and more. (aclfestival.com) 31 years after the release of his debut album, “Weird Al” Yankovic is still a national treasure: spoofing Pharrell’s…

Garth Brooks has announced plans to come out of his 13-year quasi-retirement with his first new studio album since 2001. “Are there going to be cowboy songs?” asked the blockbuster country star in a video announcing the news, then answered his own rhetorical question. “You bet there’s going to be cowboy songs on it.” Not…

There was no official count of the number of people who turned out to hear eight-year-old Dylan Spoering play a piano recital on his front porch at 25th and Bryant in Uptown Minneapolis today, but according to music insiders who gathered across the street in Mueller Park, he’s already too big to play the Entry.…

Burgeoning local indie label Totally Gross National Product (TGNP) have officially announced their fifth annual Totally Gross National Party, which is slated for August 23 at Icehouse. This year’s edition of the label’s annual concert will feature performances by some of the label’s flagship acts, along with some new faces. The annual party has grown…