Cloud Cult have earned a devoted fanbase on the premise of making vulnerable, sincere music and approaching the highs and lows of life from the rawest of places—so it was no surprise that their three shows at the Southern Theater were intimate and revealing. But with the band seated in a row of chairs in…

Har-Di-Har, Hard Parent/Thick Child Har-di-Har, an ethereal, experimental husband-and-wife duo originally hailing from Iowa, have danced their way into the Twin Cities music scene with dreamy singles like “Once Branches” and “Move Over Forward.” They now present their ambitious new EP Hard Parent/Thick Child. Out now, the six-song EP showcases Andrew and Julie Thoreen’s enticing…

The New Standards may have moved their annual Holiday Show from the Fitzgerald Theater across the river to downtown Minneapolis for a two-night stand at the State Theatre (December 7 and 8, the latter of which I attended), but there was still plenty of St. Paul charm mixed into the variety show. St. Paul Mayor…

Will Oldham—more frequently known by the stage name Bonnie “Prince” Billy—is a singer-songwriter from Kentucky. Oldham will be playing with the Bitchin Bajas on Monday, December 16 at the Cedar Cultural Center, promoting the new self-titled Bonnie “Prince” Billy album (above); the album is available for sale at Oldham’s shows, but won’t be widely available…

Happy Friday! For this week’s Five, I have a handful of fresh videos from some of the more exciting emerging artists here in the Twin Cities—including two brand-new collaborations, Weird Visions and VAYNS, that are getting ready to release more new music in 2014. Weird Visions Holly Hansen and Grant Cutler’s new collaboration Weird Visions…

This year, we’ll be spotlighting a prominent Minnesota musician or band each month with our new Artist of the Month feature. You’ll be able to hear a variety of songs from throughout the artists’ career on both the Local Current stream and the Local Show, and you can read more about the artists’ history and their role in…

Since making his public debut in 1978, at the age of 15, singing Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” at the First Congregational Church spring party in his home town of Austin, Minnesota, Martin Zellar has forged a reputation as a regional journeyman with a deep songbook and a classic sound. Best known as frontman for local legends…

Five years ago, producers at Vega Studios had the idea to collect several Twin Cities artists and ask them to cover Beatles songs, then donate proceeds to music and arts education. In the ears of many listeners, it was a very good idea. This year, Minnesotans have the pleasure of hearing 13 of the state’s…

Since heavy metal haven Station 4 abruptly closed for renovation earlier this year, Twin Cities metalheads have faced a major loss. After months of restless rumoring, in August management finally announced plans to turn the venue into a bar and grill that will likely cater more to fans of mainstream music. Steve Bergquist, drummer for…

Hibbing native Bob Dylan has lived a long, strange life, and it’s not getting any less strange. Just a few weeks after receiving the French Legion of Honor, Dylan, 72, is the subject of preliminary charges filed against him in France for “public insult and inciting hate.” The charges were confirmed in a statement to…