Jeannette Madden’s Music Blog

It’s been awhile since my last blog, six weeks to be somewhat exact.  Isn’t it amazing how silly little things like holidays, love, moving, and family get in the way?  But never fear, I’m back!  There are a ton of awesome things going on but let’s focus on two in particular, a show I saw and a show I’m going to see.  We’ll wrap it up with information on Music For Hope, a two day event benefiting The Fargo Rape and Abuse Crisis Center.

Last blog I told you about Black Box Revelation and their December 5 show in Minneapolis.  I was lucky enough to check them out and they were fabulous.  For two guys they make a huge sound and my favorite part had to be when Dries Van Dijck drummed with a mariachi. Like I said, their sound is huge, hard and melodic and they’re definitely worth the price of a ticket if they come your way.  I even bought the boys a round of whiskey after they played and I suggest if you see them you do the same.  They deserve it!  BBR will be back in Minneapolis March 19 while playing a month of dates with Jane’s Addiction.

Another band I’ve been super interested in is Minnesota’s Farewell Milwaukee.  They came to my attention when they were tapped to contribute a song to Minneapolis radio station Cities 97’s Sampler 23 after playing to a huge crowd with O.A.R. at a Cities 97’s Oake on the Water this past July.  Farewell Milwaukee’s sophomore release When It Sinks In came out in May and you can click here to go to their website and hear five new songs, including my favorite “Always Be Your Man”: http://bit.ly/aSzFMF.

I had a chance to talk to Farewell Milwaukee’s Ben Lubeck and once again, I realized just what a huge influence Minnesota has on its artists.  Lubeck has winters off and does most of his songwriting then.  Just like Mason Jennings, he talked about how the landscape he sees from his home on a small lake outside the twin cities energizes him and adds to his songwriting process.  It was this process that produced the songs for When It Sinks In.

Recorded in Nashville with producer/engineer Brad Bivens (Kings of Leon, Cold War Kids, Norah Jones), When It Sinks In finds Farewell Milwaukee moving from the heavier subjects of their first album Autumn Rest Easy to an exploration of love.  It’s full of rich acoustic work with songs like the title track as well as rough-and-tumble grooves such as “Ain’t No Rules”.  The opener “The Wallpaper’s Gonna Swallow You Whole” shows off the group’s strong use of four vocalists.  The heart of the album is reached on the closing track, “Lovable/Kind”, which showcases the hope you feel when you look out onto the Minnesota winter knowing that spring will soon be here.

Farewell Milwaukee is playing with Romantica to a sold out crowd this Friday, January 13 at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis.  They have Fargo on their “bucket list” for 2012 so remember, you heard them here first.
Also this Friday and Saturday you won’t want to miss Music For Hope, a two day benefit for The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center featuring great performances by amazing local Fargo artists’ Deb and Mike Jenkins, Brooks West, Mark Proulx, Amanda Standalone and The Pastry Shop Girls, Sarah Morrau with Tim Hoffelt, Morgan Ranstrom, Darrin Wentz, and Shape Then Shift.  Tickets are $10.00 each day at performances take place at Theatre B, 716 Main Avenue, Fargo.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m., music starts at 7:00 p.m., with all proceeds going to The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center.  For more information click either of these links: http://bit.ly/tHQtio or http://on.fb.me/xsNCuh .

That’s it for this week. I’ve included more information regarding shows below. Feel free to contact me with comments, concerns or questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or on twitter @HPRJeannette.  Next week, my new favorite music and show reviews.  Have a fabulous week!

WHO:  Farewell Milwaukee
WHEN:  Friday, January 13
WHERE:  Cedar Cultural Center 416 Cedar Avenue South Minneapolis
INFO:  Tickets $15 Doors 7:00 pm Seated Show – SOLD OUT
MORE INFO: Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis MN 55454 612-338-2674