The Only Place isn't just an improvement on Best Coast's debut; it's a harsh reminder that it's a steep fall from grace when you start out as a darling of the indie music blogs. Like Weezer's "Pinkerton," this album can't and won't be fully appreciated until fans and critics have their chance to deliver some initial hipster backlash.

If there's one artist in the Twin Cities who has steadily increased their recognition and popularity, it's probably MaLLy. Malik Watkins is only in his mid-20s, but his reputation has been bolstered by encouragement from the Rhymesayers crew and old friends from the high-school days that now collaborate with him side-by-side.

Local duo Bloodnstuff has been gathering accolades the past few months for their raucous live show. While many might think they're a new band on the circuit, Ed Holmberg and Dylan Gouert have actually been playing around for almost ten years, finessing a craft that has seen many incarnations.

Father John Misty may be a relatively new project, but the man behind it has been around for a few years now, playing in one of indie music's greatest break-out bands. J. Tillman used to drum for the mighty Pacific-Northwest act Fleet Foxes, but left the group this year to pursue his own endeavors, trading in the rootsy, experimental folk for more of a vintage rock sound.

The Walker Art Center is once again hosting three nights of Music & Movies in Loring Park and wrapping up the series with a unique event on its own grounds, this time around with Brute Heart composing and performing an original score during a screening of the silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Other bands…

Local music notes from the week of May 7-11

I recently traveled to Duluth for the second half of the city’s eight-day-long Homegrown Music Festival, which showcases talent exclusively from the Twin Ports area. In addition to my impressions of the festival and community and my roundup of highlights, photographer Ben Clark has also assembled a collection of photos of the nearly 30 acts…

Andy Richter: known for a decades-long career that has spanned television, film and the stage.

Jill Riley got a chance to sit down with Richter for a Theft Of The Dial where he spun favorite songs as diverse as Jesus Christ Superstar's "The Door."

Album comes out July 17, with a show at First Avenue on July 20