We've Moved!

Dear readers,

We are now full-time at www.minneapolisfuckingrocks.com.

- Ian

MFR Is Now On Twitter

MFR has discovered the internets. I know we're new to class, however, we know who to roll with. Click HERE to subscribe to our hot ass Twitter or click the cute little "t" button in the right column.

We'll tweet when we post a new story on MFR or hear some particularly hot piece of gossip.

And now, a mix of songs that make us think of birdies:

*MP3: Andrew Bird - "Fitz and the Dizzy Spells"
*MP3: The Ruby Suns - "There Are Birds"
*MP3: The Frames - "A Caution to the Birds"
*MP3: Animal Collective - "Water Curses"
*MP3: Britney Spears Vs. Department Of Eagles - "No One Womanizes Like You" (The Hood Internet Mash Up)
*MP3: The Bird and the Bee - "Love Letter To Japan"
*MP3: The Cramps - "Surfin' Bird"
*MP3: Telefon Tel Aviv - "The Birds"
*MP3: Department of Eagles - "Around the Bay"

We're Transferring Servers

So, over the next 48 hours or so, we're transferring our server from Microsoft-based to Linux-based. Yeah, tell me about it, it's going to be completely boss. We will still be posting as if nothing is up because we're sly like that, however, until the transfer is complete, things may run a bit wonky, so thankyou in advance for your patience.

And here are some kitties falling asleep.

Sincerely,
MFR

MFR's Top Ten Best Local Records of 2008

2008 was a boundless year for creativity in the MPLS local music scene, with hip-hop and electronic-leaning groups being responsible for most of the sonic highlights throughout the year. However, there was plenty of room leftover for folk-gypsy wanderings, epic nouveau-psychedelia, and a gloriously righteous exercise in lo-fi punk. But number one belongs to a veteran who set forth another variation of a consistent sound--with thrilling results. Here's MFR's list of the top ten local records of 2008:

1) Dosh - Wolves and Wishes

Download: Dosh - "If You Want To, You Have To"
Download: Dosh - "Capture the Flag"

2) Jeremy Messersmith - The Silver City

Download: Jeremy Messersmith - "Miracles"
Download: Jeremy Messersmith - "Virginia"

3) Dark Dark Dark - The Snow Magic

Download: Dark Dark Dark - "Ashes"

4) Muja Messiah - Thee Adventures of a B-Boy D-Boy

Download: Muja Messiah - "Patriot Act" (feat. I Self Devine)
Download: Muja Messiah - "At All Cost (My Economics)"


5) Kitten Forever - Born Ready

Download: Kitten Forever - "Warpath"
Download: Kitten Forever - "Fat Crush"

6) Vampire Hands - Me and You Cherry Red

Download: Vampire Hands - "Statuette"


7) Kristoff Krane – This Will Work For Now

Download: Kristoff Krane - "Little Willy"***
Download: Kristoff Krane - "Easy Way Out"

8) Unicorn Basement – We Are The Mages of Beauty*

Download: Unicorn Basement - "Oh God!"


9) First Communion Afterparty - Sorry For All The Mondays...

Download: First Communion Afterparty - "Green Turns To Gold"


10) Solid Gold – Bodies of Water**

Download: Solid Gold - "Bible Thumper"

Honorable Mentions:
Atmosphere – Strictly Leakage (released Dec. 2007)
Dallas Orbiter - Motorcycle Diagrams

*Max and Deanna are friends of the writer
**One of the writers on this blog has a business interest in this band
***Incidentally, this is the best song about the ignorance of gender roles--and homophobia--since The Replacements' "Androgynous"

MFR's Top 10 Lists for 2007

Hello dear readers! The MFR Staffers have voted, tallied, and posted! It looks like we agree with most of our readers, however, as usual, we have a few curveballs in there too. Enjoy, and be sure to let us know how right or wrong we are!
- MFR

The Ten Best Records Of 2007, Songwriting/Listenability:

1. The National – Boxer (26)
Download: The National - "Start A War"

2. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (13)
Download: Arcade Fire - "No Cars Go"

3+4. (tie)
Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala (10)
Download: Jens Lekman - "Night Falls Over Kortedala"

Interpol - Interpol (10)
Download: Interpol - "No I In Threesome"

5. Pharoahe Monch – Desire (9)
Download: Pharoahe Monch - "Free"

6+7. (tie)
Okkervil River – The Stage Names (8)
Download: Okkervil River - "Hand To Take Hold Of"

Tegan and Sara - The Con (8)
Download: Tegan and Sara - "Back In Your Head"


8+9. (tie)
The 1900s – Cold & Kind (7)
Download: The 1900s - "Cold & Kind"

Belaire - Exploding Impacting (7)
Download: Belaire - "Don't Delay, Participate!


10-13. (tie)
Gospel Gossip – Sing Into My Mouth (6)
Download: Gospel Gossip - "Shadows Are Bent"

Iron and Wine – The Shepard’s Dog (6)
Download: Iron and Wine - "Boy With A Coin"

St. Vincent – Marry Me (6)
Download: St. Vincent - "All My Stars Aligned"

Voxtrot - Voxtrot (6)
Download: Voxtrot - "Firecracker"


The Ten Best Records Of 2007, Innovation:

1. M.I.A. – Kala (19)
Download: M.I.A. - "Bamboo Banga"

2. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (15)
Download: Animal Collective - "Choices"

3. Battles – Mirrored (14)
Download: Battles - "Atlas"

4. LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver (12)
Download: LCD Soundsystem - "North American Scum"

5+6. (tie)
EL-P – I’ll Sleep When Your Dead (10)
Download: El-P - "Run The Numbers"

Gogol Bordello – Super Taranta! (10)
Download: Golgol Bordello - "Wonderlust King"

7. To Kill A Petty Bourgeiosie – The Patron (9)
Download: To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie - "The Patron"

8. Dan Deacon – Spiderman Of The Rings (8)
Download: Dan Deacon - "The Crystal Cat"

9. Zelienople – His/Hers (7)
Download: Zelienople - "Parts Are Lost"

10+11. (tie)
Gospel Gossip – Sing Into My Mouth (6)
Download: Gospel Gossip - "Shadows Are Bent"

Radiohead - In_Rainbows (6)
Download: Radiohead - "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi"

----

Staff Lists:

Ian Anderson

Songwriting:
1. Interpol - Interpol (10)
2. The National - Boxer (9)
3. Tegan and Sara - The Con (8)
4. Belaire - Exploding Impacting (7)
5. Voxtrot - Voxtrot (6)
6. Menomena - Friends and Foes (5)
7. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour (4)
8. Feist - The Reminder (3)
9. David Vandervelde - Moonstation Band (2)
10. Andrew Bird - Aprocrapha (1)

Innovation:
1. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (10)
2. Battles - Mirrored (9)
3. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (8)
4. Minus the Bear - Planet of Ice (7)
5. Radiohead - In_Rainbows (6)
6. Beirut - Flying Cup Club (5)
7. Menomena - Friends and Foes (4)
8. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (3)
9. M.I.A. – Kala (2)
10. Mother Goose - S/T (1)

Overlooked:
1. Belaire - Exploding Impacting
2. Voxtrot - Voxtrot
3. David Vandervelde - The Moonstation House Band
4. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
5. Menomena - Friends and Foes

Overpraised:
1. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
2. Feist - The Reminder
3. Black Kids - Wizard Of Ahhhsss
4. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
5. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

----

Jon Graef

Songwriting:

1. The National – Boxer (10)
2. Pharoahe Monch – Desire (9)
3. The 1900s - Cold and Kind (8)
4. Gospel Gossip - Sing Into My Mouth (7)
5. St. Vincent - Marry Me (6)
6. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna (5)
7. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (4)
8. Feist - The Reminder (3)
9. Office - A Night At The Ritz (2)
10. Mouthful Of Bees - The End (1)

runner-up: Apples In Stereo, New Magnetic Wonder

Innovation:
1. El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead (10)
2. Battles – Mirrored (9)
3. MIA – Kala (8)
4. Zelienople - His/Hers (7)
5. To Kill A Petty Bourgeiosie - The Patron (6)
6. Burial – Untrue (5)
7. Parts And Labor – MapMaker (4)
8. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (3)
9. Bird Names - Wooden Lake/Sexual Diner (2)
10. Deerhunter - Cryptograms/Flourescent Grey EP (1)

runner-up: Jennifer Gentle - The Midnight Room

Overlooked:
1. Old Time Relijun - Catharsis In Crisis (5)
2. The Eternals - Heavy International (4)
3. David Vandervelde - The Moonstation House Band (3)
4. The Show Is The Rainbow – Gymnasia (2)
5. The Race - Ice Station (1)

Runner-up: Bobby Conn, King For A Day

Overpraised:
1. Iron And Wine - The Shepard's Dog (5)
2. Menomena - Friend And Foe (4)
3. Black Kids - Wizard Of Ahhhsss (3)
4. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (2)
5. Stars Of The Lid - And The Refinement Of The Decline (1)

runner-up: The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters

----

April Wright

Songwriting
1) Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala (10
2) Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (9)
3) Okkervil River – The Stage Names (8)
4) The National – Boxer (7)
5) Iron & Wine – The Shepherd's Dog (6)
6) Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (5)
7) Wilco – Sky Blue Sky (4)
8) We All Have Hooks For Hands – The Pretender (3)
9) White Williams – Smoke (2)
10) Devendra Banhart – Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (1)

Innovative:
1) Gogol Bordello – Super Taranta! (10)
2) M.I.A. – Kala (9
3) Dan Deacon – Spiderman of the Rings (8)
4) LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver (7)
5) Gospel Gossip – Sing Into My Mouth (6)
6) Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (5)
7) Beirut – Flying Club Cup (4)
8) To Kill A Pretty Bourgousie – The Patron (3)
9) Liars – Liars (2)
10) Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (1)

Over-rated:
1) Feist – The Reminder (5)
2) The Black Kids - Wizard Of Ahhs(4)
3) Rilo Kiley – Under the Blacklight (3)
4) Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (2)
5) Amy Winehouse – Back to Black (1)

(MFR)

Star Tribune Features Reveille Magazine, MFR

Call me crazy, but this came out today. I was curious as to how the Star Tribune was going to get around saying "fucking," so I applaud their efforts. Oh, oh, also turns out that the Pioneer Press quoted me last week calling Wizard Rock a "novelty act." Pretty cool.

Star Tribune article HERE.

(Ian Anderson)