Flyer: Gospel Gossip, Baby Guts @ 7th Street Entry

Saturday: Big Quarters, Kristoff Krane @ 7th Street Entry

Ticket Giveaway: O'Death and Lucy Michelle and the Velvet LaPelles

Download: O'Death - "Lowtide"

7th street entry.
o'death
drakkar sauna
lucy michelle & the velvet lapelles
Monday Nov. 10th

MFR is giving away a pair of tickets to this Monday's O'Death/Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles show at the 7th Street. All you have to do is be the first person to write in for the tickets @ jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com. Simple yes? For sure.

Tonight: Nomo at the 7th Street Entry

Download: Nomo - "Better Than That

Nomo, a nonet from Ann Arbor, Michigan (strange that they share a hometown with Borders) who are self-described as "post-afrobeat dance explosion", which the horns, mellow grooves, and adept jazz-like improvisation skills all but confirm that as being an apt description, play tonight at the 7th Street Entry. Their newest album, Ghost Rock, was released this year on Ubiquity Records.

Show information here. Solid Gold and Beatrix Jars open. Maps of Norway were to open, but, according to their MySpace, their drummer sustained an injury. So no MoN for a while. Sad.

Nomo MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tonight: Wye Oak at the 7th Street Entry

Download: Wye Oak - "Warning"
Download:
Download: Wye Oak - "Family Glue"

Formerly known as Monarch, the Baltimore-based duo Wye Oak perform a 90s-indebted form of jangle-pop, but with big explosions of distorted, expansionist choruses and dual male-female vocal harmonies that at times recall the time period when indie listeners could hear hearts beating as one. Conversely, the group is also capable of gentle folk lilt, reminiscent of an underground version of Simon and Garfunkel. There's plenty of both to be heard on If Children..., their debut album which was released last year, but then picked up by Merge records for a re-release this past Spring. The duo are currently on a tour behind the album, one which takes them to the 7th Street Entry tonight for an 18+ show.

Tickets are $6 and you can buy them here.

Local soundscapers Red Pens open.

Listen to more Wye Oak here. Buy their music here.

Wye Oak MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tonight: Cotton Jones Basket Ride at the 7th Street Entry

Download: Cotton Jones Basket Ride - "Midnight Monday and the Telescope"

Page France may have gone the way of the Dodo Bird (but not The Dodos), but former member Michael Nau is still going strong with his side-project-turned-main-gig The Cotton Jones Basket Ride. Picking up after Page France, Basket Ride finds Nau experimenting further with psychedelia-influenced songwriting. Listen to "Midnight and the Telescope", from the second of three art-book series (titled The Archery), at the top of the post.

Show details here.

Cotton Jones Basket Ride MySpace Page

Tonight in Minneapolis: Foals at the 7th Street Entry

UK electro-pop/dance-punk quartet Foals play an 18+ show at the Entry tonight. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the venue. Go to the show, as the group has a reputation for absolutely being smokin' hot live. Dance the rain away (assuming that it's raining in MPLS like it's raining in Chicago right now). Their latest, Antidotes is out now.

Foals MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tonight: Beach House at the Entry (Plus "Sound Opinions" Tears Devotion a New Asshole)

Download: Beach House - "Master of None"
Download: Beach House - "Gila"

The ethereal, mid-tempo sound of dream-poppers Beach House is one that both detractors and admirers agree takes a goodly amount of time to properly digest. On their second album, Devotion, the band smoothed over the rough production edges of their 2006 self-titled debut album. That doesn't mean they've gone all Hannah Montana on us; indeed, the core sound remains. What has changed, though, is that on songs like "Gila", is that the dirge-like tempos in which Beach House specialize become a little brighter, with the church-organ elegance shining through the solemnity in a much more clear fashion. The result is a listening experience that may be initially underwhelming at first, but, like a seedling, grows exponentially greater if you keep returning to it.

Or, you know, it just might be boring as hell.

That's the take that both Greg Kot and Jim D-Rog had when they reviewed the sophomore effort from the Baltimore duo on their radio program "Sound Opinions". Essentially, the segment went something like this:

This is the part where I, Greg Kot, very carefully, patiently, and throughly, set up my argument by properly putting the music we're discussing in a clear, thoughtful context and then, as I get closer and closer to finishing my point...I...start...to...slow...down...and...admit...that...I...don't...really...

AND THIS IS WHERE I, JIM DEROGATIS, JUST SAY, "BAH! THIS SUCKS ASS, GREG! I KNOW YOU AGREE WITH ME! JUST SAY IT SUCKS ASS!

And scene. Obviously, those aren't exact quotes, but you get the general idea. "Gila", as well as Beach House in general, has grown on me over time, but, nonetheless, I found the review to be pretty humorous. Listen to the rest of the segment here.

Minneapolis music fans will be able to judge for themselves whether or not Beach House's austere nature is compelling in a live context when the band plays the 7th Street Entry tonight at 8 p.m. The show is 21+ and tickets will set you back $10.

Devotion is available now.

Beach House MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

CD Release Party: Love In October Saturday At 7th Street Entry

Download: Love In October - "A Day in the Life Of"

Love In October are having a CD release party for their just-released record Pontus, The Devil And Me at the 7th Street Entry on Saturday night. Whether you dream of Marie Antoinette or of Petrula The Destroyer, it's much better than an average idea if you go see the band live and buy their record. Opening are Ready Goes and Attention.

Furthermore, Love In October will be playing a show in Chicago at Reggie's Rock Club on the South Side on February 2nd. Needless to say, there's going to be a "Minneapolis In Chicago" entry about it.

In the meantime, Saturday's show at the Entry is 18+ and doors are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 dollars and can be bought at the venue.

Love In October MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tonight: Octopus Project At The 7th Street Entry

Download: The Octopus Project - "I Saw The Brigght Shinies"
Download: The Octopus Project - "Snow Tip Cap Mountain"
Download: The Octopus Project - "Vanishing Lessons"

Tonight at the 7th Street Entry blog buzz band
The Octopus Project will be playing a 21+ show. The band is touring behind its just-released third album, Hello, Avalanche. Look for an MFR review tomorrow. Tickets are 8 dollars, both in advance and at the door. Opening will be Beatrix Jar and Unicorn Basement.

MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

*600th post!