Ra Ra Riot Live In The Current Studios

Ra Ra Riot performed in-studio at the Current yesterday. They did a great job and it sounds beautiful. Read the full piece here.

MySpace

(Ian Anderson)

Dave Campbell To Host 'Local Show' On The Current

*MP3: Phoenix - "1901"

Like a mother-freaking phoenix rising from the ashes of mid-90s alt-rock and modern-day hipsterisms, David Freaking Campbell is the new host of The Current's "Local Show." An excellent man, an excellent beard, an excellent choice.

For more, consult Gimme Noise.

(Ian Anderson)

Online Radio Listenership Up 36% in 2008

According to AccuStream iMedia Reseach via Hypebot, online music radio listening hours increased 37.6% to 6.67 billion total hours in 2008. This is great news for the likes of KEXP, WOXY and the Current who have been garnering national listenerships through their website and podcasts.

I, for one, listened to approximately 40% more online radio in 2008 than 2007, so it looks like they did their research.

Top 4 on WOXY right now:
*MP3: Peter, Bjorn and John - "Nothing To Worry About"
*MP3: Heartless Bastards - "Hold Your Head High"
*MP3: The Decemberists - "The Rake's Song"
*MP3: N.A.S.A. - "Gifted"

Well, Yes, Yesterday was P.O.S Day. But Today is Also A Good Day To Post About P.O.S

Namely, because the Minneapolis rapper stopped by the Current studios to perform and chat about his new record, which apparently was released yesterday? I haven't really heard anything about it.

Check it out here.

Of Montreal Perform on MPR's "The Current"

Download: Of Montreal - "Nonpareil of Favor"
Download: Of Montreal - "Id Engager"

Performing three songs from their most recent foray into psychosexuality, Skeletal Lamping, glam-revivalists Of Montreal stop by the studios of MPR's "The Current" to do stripped-down renditions of immensely complicated songs. In addition, Kevin Barnes and co. talk about influences, what makes a good cover, and his early days rooming with the Elephant 6 collective. Listen to the session here.

Check out two MP3s from Skeletal Lamping at the top of the post.

Tonight: Maps of Norway on "The Local Show With Chris Roberts"

Download: Maps of Norway - "The Run-out"
Download: Maps of Norway - "Strict Ritual"

As you may know, Maps Of Norway are having releasing a new record titled Die Off Songbird, which they will be celebrating the release of on October 10th. If you want to hear more from that record, then The Current is your place to be. First off, the band's first single from the album, "The Runout", was a Current Song of the Day. Furthermore, the band will be on the The Local Show With Chris Roberts, which airs on 89.3 from 5 pm to 6 pm.

Die Off Songbird is out October 10th.

Maps of Norway MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)
jon@minneapolisfuckingrocks.com

Aviette Performs in The Current Studios

Local trio Aviette, who, on June 28th, released their latest record The Way We Met, recently promoted said release by stopping by The Current for an interview and to play live. Listen to the performance here. The band, who are self-described as "The Cure Meets Sonic Youth", performed three tracks in total.

Listen to more music here.

Aviette MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Atmosphere Performs Live on The Current, Kicks Off Tour Tonight In Chicago (Plus "Paint It Gold": The Final Chapter)

Download: Atmosphere - "You"

It doesn't really matter that you can no longer stream Atmosphere's new record (out today) on their MySpace Page. After all, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. Of course, the gold painting in this scenario merely involves heading down to your local record store and purchasing...oh gosh, what's that record called again? Strictly Leakage? No, that was the online one. No, this one, their sixth is called...something...like...Life...Is Filled... With Cherry...Bowled...Goodness?

...

Damn, I just can't think of it. Oh well, it's not like it was some gloriously irreverent take on an old aphorism or anything like that.

Yes, you, yourselves can Paint It Gold by walking to your local record store today. Call it an "action painting". Zing!

I promise I will stop.

For those of you who can't quite get to the record store yet, you can stream Atmosphere's appearance on The Current (the one we told you about yesterday) by heading here. Songs performed include second single "Guarantees" and Sad Clown Bad Spring#12 track "Not Another Day".

In other Atmosphere news, the duo kick off their tour supporting the new album tonight in sweet home Chicago. They'll be playing two shows at the Metro. Tickets are still available. (Damn you unemployment! Damn you and your damn dirty ape-hands!)

Listen to Gold highlight "You" at the top of the post.

When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold is out now. Buy it here. And watch the final episode of the fan-based Q&A series "Paint It Gold" at the top of the post.

Atmosphere MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

*I almost ended this post with "Sincerely, Jonathan Graef". I've been spending way too much time writing cover letters.

Tapes 'N Tapes - Live at Virgin Records: NYC

(Tapes 'N Tapes - "Hang Them All" - Live at New York City Virgin Records)


(Tapes 'N Tapes - "Headshock" - Live at New York City Virgin Records)

Download: Tapes 'N Tapes - "Beach Girls"
Download: Tapes 'N Tapes - "Insistor"
Download: Tapes 'N Tapes - "Hang Them All"
Download: Tapes N Tapes - "Headshock"

What the hell, let's go for the hat trick. Tapes N Tapes, whose sophomore effort, Walk It Off, was released on Tuesday, to middling massacres. (It would seem that the blogosphere, much like Japanese Macaques, occasionally eat their young). But matters such as these are of no concern to Josh Grier and company, who are promoting the shit out of Walk It Off. Yesterday, they were on Conan, but one day before that, the band was playing an in-store at the Virgin Records in Union Square. Footage of that show has shown up on the YouTube, and you can watch the band run through well-executed versions of first single, the stuttering strut of "Hang Them All" and album track "Headshock", which is more of carefree, swinging and Pixes-esque.

In other Tapes news, they're playing First Ave, RIGHT NOW! OMG! The band also played in a more intimate setting when they stopped by the offices of The Current to take Walk for a stroll down MPR-lane. All of the songs played at the in-store were played at the Current, but if you want to listen to them anyway, click here.

Walk It Off is out now.

Tapes N Tapes MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Bob Mould Performs On "The Current"

Download: Bob Mould - "The Silence Between Us"

In order to promote his first record on the Anti- label, District Line (released this past Tuesday), former Husker Du and Sugar frontman Bob Mould stopped by the Current studios to perform two songs from his new album and to discuss the state of the world and a rumor about Cameron Crowe.

Listen to "The Silence Between Us", the first single from District Line, at the top of the post. Listen to the Bob Mould performance/interview here.

District Line is out now.

(Jonathan Graef)

*900th post!

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)

The New Pornographers Perform On "The Current"

Download: The New Pornographers - "My Rights Versus Yours"

The New Pornographers not only rocked First Avenue this past Tuesday, they also managed to stop by The Current to do a few tunes live in the studio as well. Click here to listen to the band perform three tracks from this year's Challengers.

(Jonathan Graef)