Music

​North Dakota’s own folkster gleams on ‘Perfect Abandon’

March 4th, 2015

In reference to the carefree manner in which J.L. “Joe” Frank, an early Nashville country music promoter, wore his hat, the title of Tom Brosseau’s latest effort aptly shades the freewheeling music within.

In his ninth long-player, the Grand Forks, N.D.-bred singer-songwriter moseys through the album with a low-key lope, spinning aching story-song yarns all along the way.

Inspired by the spontaneous live sound of Elvis Presley’s early cuts for fabled country and western label…

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Basement’s Best: ​THEESatisfaction seeks transcendence on “EarthEE”

March 2nd, 2015

Hip-hop has been, since its origin, an art form written in the present tense, the spray-painted writing on the wall still waiting to dry. Even before the genre was coined, primogenitors like Nina Simone and Gil Scott-Heron called ‘em as they saw ‘em, laying bare the ugly truths of a still-divided nation, leaving any sugarcoating for the nightly news. The genre’s “hear ye, hear ye” spirit is as strong as ever, as taut racial tensions fuel the hot spit of Run the Jewels and…

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​Fargo celebrates the music of Bob Dylan

February 25th, 2015

Merrill Piepkorn

Fargo is celebrating Minnesota icon Bob Dylan with an afternoon of covers by local musicians. The event, DylanFest, is on Feb. 28 at the Fargo Theater and features 15 artists performing some of Dylan’s most beloved songs.

Musical acts include Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome, Tim Sparks, Jessie Veeder, Merrill Piepkorn and the Radio Stars Band, Poitin, Moody River Band, Heavy is the Head, D Mills & The Thrills, Tucker’d Out, Amanda Standalone, Darrin Wentz, Merry Helm & Roger Gress, Mike…

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​Basement’s Best: Father John Misty head over heels on “Honeybear”

February 20th, 2015

J. Tillman is in love.

Ordinarily, such an opening statement would be irrelevant, but considering the larger-than-life, Don Juan-esque persona that the ex-Fleet Fox hatched for his debut as Father John Misty, such a change in narrative is worth noting.

Whereas “Fear Fun” was a gonzo telling of an ayahuasca-fueled dive headfirst into that which lies further beneath the City of Angels’ underbelly, “I Love You, Honeybear” captures the confounding complexities of love and…

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​The Return of Davis? Yes.

February 18th, 2015

Ike Morsch, Matt Cook, Nick Peterson and Travis Atwood

Popular Fargo band releases new record after a nearly 10 year hiatus

Before there were popular locals bands like 32 Below, Johnson Family Band, Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome and Tripwire, among others, there was an awesome band by the name of Davis? (That sentence is not a strangely formed question. It’s just how Davis? formats its name.)

Actually, there still is an awesome band by the name of Davis?

The group formed in the late ‘90s and released two albums, “Radio Ashes” and…

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​Three days of punk rockin’

February 18th, 2015

Baltic To Boardwalk :: Photo by Kaytlin Dargen

New Direction Festival celebrates four years

The annual punk and hardcore music festival New Direction Fest is celebrating its fourth year in a variety of ways.

The fest kicks off on Feb. 20 with a punk rock garage sale. Tables will be set up with records, merchandise and other items for purchase. Music starts that night at 7 p.m. with local pop punk bands and artists from Minneapolis.

“I try to make it so diverse so that people who don’t come to shows will come to that show and then…

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​Q&A with KumNCyde

February 11th, 2015

Photo by J Earl Miller

Final performance this Friday by Fargo-Moorhead boy band

By Jay Rice

If you haven't heard the most amazing group to spring from the loins of Fargo-Moorhead's music scene, then you haven't heard the boy band KumNcyde.

What you need to know is they are having their last performance ever at The Aquarium this Valentine's Day. Doors open at 10 p.m., and KumNcyde are set to begin at 10:30 p.m. Tickets are already on sale at Orange Records and online at ticketweb.com. Get yours and do not miss…

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​Basement’s Best: Natalie Prass’ stunningly strong debut is no fluke

January 29th, 2015

With what sounds like the last tiptoe across the floorboards of a once-shared home, Natalie Prass presents herself to the world.

With a voice as soft as down, Prass bares her vulnerability just enough for empathy, though the astounding confidence of her tried-and-true songwriting chops, augmented by enveloping string and horn arrangements, defy any question of meekness.

In the case of all exceptional debut albums (and make no mistake, this is one), there comes an exceptional backstory.…

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ND Music Award Buzz

January 21st, 2015

Tigirlily

North Dakota is celebrating its diverse music scene with its first music award show on Thursday, Feb. 19 hosted by URL Radio. The event will take place at the Belle Mehus Auditorium in Bismarck with live performances by North Dakota artists and presenters.

Performers include Lifetime Achievement nominees Clyde Bauman (A.K.A Mylo Hatzenbuhler) and Richard Torrance, Breakout Nominees Tigirlily, Big Reeno and Zwarte. Presenters include North Dakota celebrities Brad Hackworth, AnnMaria De…

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Basement’s Best: Hanni El Khatib asks “What if?” on “Moonlight”

January 21st, 2015

“What would it sound like if RZA got in the studio with Iggy Pop and Tom Waits?”

While this pipedream of a supergroup is a technically viable affair, outside of some sort of one-off, “We are the World”-ish charity sing-along that may or may never come, we’ll have to take what we can get. Allegedly acting with this “what if, man” collaboration in mind, garage toughie Hanni El Khatib’s “Moonlight” is going to have to fill that never-was void until the next major natural…

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