Joe Jackson's third album wasn't quite as successful as his first two - for some reason the record wasn't promoted in the United States like the previous pair and no singles were released here - but it was received extremely well by critics and fans. "Beat Crazy" shows Jackson embracing reggae even more fully and explicitly than on his first two albums. We played the title track.

You know it’s going to be a good session when an email goes out warning the MPR staff that the band “is bringing the big amps” and it’s going to get loud. Such was the case with today’s UBS Forum session by Soul Asylum, which invited about 100 Current fans into the studios for a…

Here's a taste of the new music we've added to our mix of songs this week on 89.3 The Current, featuring new music from Bloc Party, Stars, Band of Horses and more.

Local bands that deserve must-hear status this week

It’s not unusual for bands to request special drinks, food, or other accommodations be made available to them backstage while they are playing a show. But last night at First Avenue, Liars co-founder Aaron Hemphill made one big request: That a tattoo artist be sent backstage to tattoo Prince’s glyph on his finger before the…

A solo project from the fretless bassist, saxophonist and composer from the band Japan, we played the song "Buoy," featuring Karn's Japan bandmate David Sylvian on vocals.

The Queen of Country Music passed away Monday, July 16th at the age of 92. Kitty Wells recorded about 50 albums, had 25 Top 10 country hits and toured from the late 1930s until she quit the road in 2000. She was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1976.

News came in overnight via Bob Dylan’s newsletter that his 35th studio album has a title and a release date: Tempest is coming September 11. As noted in the album’s announcement, the release of Tempest on Columbia Records will coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dylan’s first studio album, Bob Dylan, which was issued by the…

Owl City’s Adam Young is the rare Minnesota-born musician whose star has risen so quickly and whose music frolics so unapologetically into the mainstream that his relationship with his home state is all but nonexistent.  That detachment from any particular geographic location may be part of his widespread appeal. His MySpace popularity propelled him out…

With the Pizza Lucé and Pride Block Parties on hiatus for 2012, the Bastille Day celebration outside of Barbette was one of the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis’s only chances to take in some free live music outdoors this summer. The block party’s organizers seemed to recognize this fact and consequently booked one of their strongest…