Now, Now's new name is the result of a band who wanted to push themselves in a different direction, specifically after a self-imposed hiatus and the addition of Jess Abbott a few years back.

When I think of Nada Surf, I can't help but think of the word "earnest." not only in terms of their heartfelt lyrics, but their striving. This is a band that will always try. If this band were a student, they'd be that moderately-bright kid who consistently delivers B-grade essays, but just isn't cut out for AP.

It's hard to believe it's already been 13 years since Dr. Dog first started making music. Once considered an extremely underground act playing shows to support their "Easy Beat" album, their first for a record label in the early aughts, they've since gone on to tour alongside The Spinto Band, My Morning Jacket and The Raconteurs.

Often known as "The Screaming Eagle of Soul," soul and R&B singer Charles Bradley has been playing music all his life, but it wasn't until he moved back to his hometown of Brooklyn, New York at the age of 51 after years working as a cook that he began aggressively pursuing his career in music and eventually landing on Daptone Records alongside Sharon Jones and the Budos Band.

Heartless Bastards encapsulates that all too classic story of the small Midwest band who quickly found an audience and rose to prominence. In their case, it was a hard-hitting approach to blues rock and frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom's lyricism which got them their accolades. The niche in music they helped to fill in the early aughts hasn't lost its importance - Heartless Bastards is still on the forefront of a scene which seems to be exploding in popularity.

What a way to ring in a 21st birthday. It’s not every day that the opening act on a three-band bill (and the only local band in the lineup, to boot) gets such a reaction from the crowd that they’re asked to play a mini-encore. But that’s just what happened last night, as Wiping Out…

Local music notes from the week of February 13-17

Read about and download their new track "Thread"

Iconic Twin Cities band will perform at First Avenue Sunday night

Neal and Leandra perform material from "A Hundred Years From Now" on Radio Heartland