New Live Zoo Animal - "Kitchen" (Radio K Session)

Download: Zoo Animal - "Kitchen" (via)

Minimalist mumblers Zoo Animal, who in July of this year released their debut LP, Young Blood, recently did a Radio K Session where they played a few tracks from the record. Radio K was kind enough to release "Kitchen" as a free download. Listen to the neo-proto-grunge (wrap your head around that one!) at the top of the post.

MySpace Page

First Avenue Announces "Best New Bands of 2008"

On Wednesday, January 14th, First Ave. will host another of its "Best New Bands of (previous year" series, and the line-up for next (this?) year's show does a solid job of showcasing the cream of the Minneapolis crop. Here's the line-up:

Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles
Lookbook
Bouncer Fighter
Kristoff Krane
The Dynamiters
Yer Cronies
Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps

And the details:

Wednesday, January 14
Mainroom
Radio K Presents…
FIRST AVENUE’S BEST NEW BANDS OF 2008
$7.00/7:00PM/18+

What do you think, readers? Do you feel that anyone got wrongly snubbed?

School of Seven Bells - Live on "Radio K"

School of Seven Bells - My Cabal (Live on Radio K) from Radio K on Vimeo.

Radio K has posted a session with dream-pop trio School of Seven Bells, who stopped by for a session and interview around the time they opened for M83. School of Seven Bells's new album is called Alpinisms, and its out now. Read MFR's take on it here.

First Avenue Announces 2nd Annual "Too Much Turkey" Free Thanksgiving inner

2nd Annual Too Much Turkey free Thanksgiving dinner at First Avenue
All Ages-Open To The Public
Thursday, November 27, 2008 5-8pm
First Avenue, 701 First Avenue North, Minneapolis

First Avenue and Radio K are teaming up to bring you the second annual "Too Much Turkey" free Thanksgiving dinner. The idea is to provide a whole meal of food to those who have nowhere else to go on Thanksgiving day. In order to go, you have to do one of two things: either reply to rsvp@first-avenue.com or, on the day of the shindig, just show up! Too Much Love DJ Sovietpanda will be spinning tunes while you gnosh on some Thanksgiving goodness. Deets are above.

Radio K Posts Videos of Marnie Stern, Of Montreal, Performing in the Studio

Marnie Stern live on Radio K from Radio K on Vimeo.

Radio K has had some high profile video sessions as of late, including two of indie rock's most notable talents. Glam-pop merchants Of Montreal stopped by to perform two tracks from their narrative concept record Skeletal Lamping. Another session comes from frentic guitar genius/nicest person on earth also played a session where she demonstrated her talents on two songs from her latest record, This is it...and That is That, and one from her debut, In Advance of the Broken Arm.

Watch the Stern video at the top of the post, and the Of Montreal session here.

Reminder: Radio K's 15th Anniversary Show

Download: Low - "Murderer"
Download: Dosh - "If You Want To, You Have To"
Download: Vampire Hands - "No Fun"

The University of Minnesota's radio station Radio K is a veritable underground institution, one deserving of all the celebration it can get, not only for introducing the world to many great, left-of-the-dial bands, but for the fact that, after 15 years, the station is still going strong. So, in order to celebrate, the station has put together some of Minnesota's best acts to play a show at First Avenue. Slow, steady hush-rockers Low, electronic collage-maker/god of multi-tasking Dosh, Doomtree member Sims, and house-of-mirrors psych-rockers Vampire Hands are all coming together tonight for an 18+ show to celebrate the station and, presumably, play some awesome music.

Here are the deets:

Low + Dosh + Sims + Vampire Hands
Wednesday, October 8
First Avenue
Minneapolis, MN
8 pm | $12 | 18+.

Check out Radio K sessions featuring the artists playing tonight here:

Doomtree
Dosh
Vampire Hands

(Jonathan Graef)
jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com

Note: This post contains previously published content

New Brother Ali - "Good Lord" and "Baby Don't Go"

Download: Brother Ali - "Original King"
Download: Brother Ali - "Truth Is"

Brother Ali stopped by the Radio K studios as part of an effort to promote their 15th anniversary. In doing so, the Minneapolis rapper premiered two new songs, "Good Lord" and "Baby Don't Go". "Good Lord" consists of a irresistibly soulful piano line and a steady, hi-hat heavy beat. Similar in vibe, "Baby Don't Go" instead focuses on a horn samples of funk, rather than a gospel-tinged piano track.

You can hear those songs, which will appear on Ali's forthcoming Truth Is Here EP, as well a track from The Undisputed Truth and a soundtrack cut, go here.

Brother Ali MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)
jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com

Today: Daughters of the Sun on "Off The Record"

Download: Daughters Of The Sun - "Light As A Feather"

Friday, the Third
770 AM
Radio K
4 0'Clock P.M.

Tune in to Radio K today at 4 p.m. to hear Minneapolis-based, drum-heavy psych-rockers Daughters of the Sun perform new songs from their upcoming full-length Rings, as well as unreleased material. Their last album, Visions Of The Ocean Head was one of my favorites of last year. Needless to say, this appearance is highly anticipated, on my end at least.

Listen to songs here.

(Jonathan Graef)
jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com

Radio K Sessions: Hand Over Fist, Cecil Otter, Private Dancer, Ra Ra Riot, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Broken West

Download: Ra Ra Riot - "Dying Is Fine"
Download: The Broken West - "Auctioneer"
Download: A Place To Bury Strangers - "To Fix The Gash In Your Head"

Before Radio K celebrates their 15th Anniversary, they have to remind us of why they're so special in the first place. And, boy, have they ever.

In the past few days, the radio station has posted several in-studio sessions from both local and national acts. They include sessions from Doomtree members Hand Over Fist and Cecil Otter; Private Dancer, a garage-rock band featuring members of STNNNG; neo-shoegazers A Place To Bury Strangers; power-pop group The Broken West; and orch-pop septet Ra Ra Riot.

Listen to the sessions here.

(Jonathan Graef)
jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com

Show Announcement: Radio K 15th Anniversary Party

The University of Minnesota's radio station Radio K is a veritable underground institution, one deserving of all the celebration it can get, not only for introducing the world to many great, left-of-the-dial bands, but for the fact that, after 15 years, the station is still going strong. So, in order to celebrate, the station has put together some of Minnesota's best acts to play a show at First Avenue. Slow, steady hush-rockers Low, electronic collage-maker/god of multi-tasking Dosh, Doomtree member Sims, and house-of-mirrors psych-rockers Vampire Hands are all coming together on October 8th for an 18+ show to celebrate the station and, presumably, play some awesome music.

Here are the deets:

Low + Dosh + Sims + Vampire Hands
Wednesday, October 8
First Avenue
Minneapolis, MN
8 pm | $12 | 18+

In other Radio K news, the station will be holding its Fall Fund Drive from October 1st to October 10th. So, while you're celebrating the station, throw it some bones too.

Check out Radio K sessions featuring the artists playing on the 8th here:

Doomtree
Dosh
Vampire Hands

(Jonathan Graef)
jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com

Magic Castles Do Radio K Session

Magic Castles - "Emory's Memories" (via)

The Minneapolis-based quintet, who at times recall a psychedelic version of Belle & Sebastian, Magic Castles, who recently released The Lore of Mysticore (read Reveille's review here) recently stopped by the studios of Radio K to conduct a live session. The band recorded 5 songs, 4 of which you can stream over at the K's multimedia page. The fifth, "Emory Memories", has been made available for download. Either download it at the Multimedia page, or listen to it at the top of the post.

In other Castles news, the band will be playing an all-ages show at Eclipse Records. The band states that they'll play Mysticore live for those who weren't able to come to the release party in June.



Magic Castles MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Jay Reatard Releases New Single, Does Radio K In-Studio Session

Download:Jay Reatard - "See/Saw"

Prolific garage-rock songster Jay Reatard is set to release a compilation of all the series of singles that he's released with Matador Records. The set is due on October 8th. And, in order to celebrate/give you a taste of what's to come, Matablog released an MP3 of "See Saw", which is not only the first track on the comp, but the first song ever released in the single series. If you've heard Jay before, then you know that "See Saw" is Jay at his most melodic and most concise.

However, as impressive as Jay may be in the studio, he's even more visceral live (so long as he hits-it-and-quits-it). To get a sense of what he's capable of, head on over to the Radio K, where Jay recently stopped by to record a session. Reatard played seven songs, and you can hear his work here.

Matador Singles 08 is out on October 8th.

Jay Reatard MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Dosh Plays University of Minnesota's "Radio K"

Download: Dosh - "Capture The Flag" (Live on Radio K)

On the heels of some excellent Radio K sessions, including Gospel Gossip and M83, comes Minneapolis-based multi-instrumentalist Dosh's set at the college radio institution. The master of sonic collage performed 5 tracks in total, three of which are from his superb Wolves and Wishes album. Tracks from that effort include "Capture The Flag" and a medley of "First Impossible/If You Want To, You Have To". The songs from past records include Naoise EP's "Steve The Cat" and The Lost Take's "A Ghost's Business".

Listen to more here. In other Dosh studio performance news, the Anticon artist recently performed for Daytrotter. Check out that session here.

Dosh MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

New Gospel Gossip - "Pre-Med (Just In Case)", "Big Steer" and "Run, Run, Run" (Live on Minnesota Radio)

(photo via Radio K)

Download: Gospel Gossip - "Revolution In Physics" (Via Guilt Ridden Pop)
Download: Gospel Gossip - "Wind" (Live via Radio K)
Download: Ouija Radio - "Sunrise in California" (Via Crustacean)

One of MFR's favorite groups, Gospel Gossip, recently laid down some sweet jams at the Radio K studios. Of the 5 songs played, three were brand new songs. The tracks, which include "Pre-Med (Just In Case)", "Big Steer" and "Run, Run, Run", all impressively continuing the shoegaze-influenced winning streak that the band has been on. Those shoes they're staring at might be running shoes, because these tracks are propulsive, particularly "Pre-Med".

Bast yourself in the glory of feedback by heading over here.

If you want to get the chance to see these songs performed live, then head on over to Stasiu's tonight. GG, along with Ouija Radio, will be playing a 21+ show.

Details here.

Gospel Gossip MySpace Page
Ouija Radio MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Shearwater Performs Live On Radio K

Austin-based trio (but sometimes quintet in concert) Shearwater's week-old album Rook has been garnering all sorts of positive attention, and rightly so. Their fifth full-length is the best kind of slow-burn listen. Like a fine novel, individual components which seem insignificant or out-of-place patiently revel themselves to be musical revelations, with the result being that the baroque grandeur eventually takes your breath away. You can hear for yourselves as to whether or not that sense of orchestral dynamics holds up in a live setting by heading over to University of Minnesota's Radio K. The band recently stopped by to perform in the Radio K studios. Hear the output of those sessions here.

Rook is out now.

Thanks to Anonymous for the tip!

Shearwater MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Tegan And Sara Appearences On Radio K And The Current

Download: Tegan And Sara - "The Con"
Download: Tegan And Sara - "And Darling"

Tegan and Sara stopped by both the Radio K studios and the Current studios to lay down some tracks before their concert last Friday. You can stream four tracks and an interview over on the Radio K multimedia site and here for the Current session.

MySpace Page

(April Wright)