Album Of The Week: March 24th-31st, 2014

My Album Of The Week for the week of March 24th-March 31st, 2014:

The Ashtray Hearts - Old Numbers

01. Amusement Park
02. Disaster
03. The One You're Closest To
04. Still Shaking
05. Queen South
06. Anyone's Guess
07. Bryn Mawr
08. Trestle
09. Country Bar
10. Spain
11. Southern Wedding
12. Watching Me Try

As I do from time to time here on my Album Of The Week, I like to take a break from the exhausting task of trying to stay up to date with all the new releases and dip back into Minnesota's vast catalog of great records.  If you follow this regularly you may remember that I took a trip back to the early 2000's about a month ago with The Rakes Pass The Lies album.  Even though I'd had the album for years, finally committing a week to it was very rewarding.



Old Numbers, the debut album from five-piece The Ashtray Hearts, is from that same period and comes with the same set of circumstances.  The album came out in 2002 and I'm fairly certain I picked it up on a whim from Cheapo back in '03 or '04 (I have a real weakness for just heading to the "Local" section and seeing what catches my eye).  Despite the fact that I know I've put the song "Spain" on a bunch of mixes for various people, I can't say that I've spent a considerable amount of time with the album since.

The Ashtray Hearts mine the same strain of alt-country/pop that made The Mats Don't Tell A Soul a compelling, if curious, listen.  Rather than aim for a sparse, cold-winter sound, the band uses keyboards, horns, & accordions to wrap up singer Dan Richomond's songs like a blanket, giving the album a warmth that separates it from a typical alt-country sound.  Throw in Richmond's Craig Finn-esque attention to detail (just listen to "Spain" up above for a great example), and it's easy to see why listening to this record every day this week has been a well rewarding undertaking.

Songs Of The Week #84: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Liv Warfield, Big Data, Yellow Ostrich, Quilt, & The Person & The People...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #84!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Liv Warfield - Why Do You Lie? (from the album The Unexpected)

 
TCDroogsma:

     "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," and let me tell ya, Liv Warfield's been scorned.  Unfortunately, she's decided to voice her fury over a backdrop of by-the-numbers bro rock and poorly EQ'd horns.

     "Why Do You Lie?" is built around the strength of Warfield's powerful voice, which she wields here with convincing ferocity.  Both lyrically & musically, however, the song is poorly crafted.  Many R&B singers over the years (from Aretha to Beyonce) have tried to go bit with electric guitars and all have failed.  Warfield's effort does nothing to dissuade me from believing that the best R&B coming out of Portland right now is being played by white guys with keyboards and beards.

MinneSarah:

     My first listen to this song, the guitars sounded extra grungy - think Soundgarden with horns and a soul singer.  Then I found out that Prince produced Liv's new album and every questionable note fell into place. The lyrics are serious - dude stole twenty bucks out of her purse - he also tripped when she bought him Jordans (however that is possible).

     On the whole, the song is way over the top, though it could sound halfway subdued to a diehard Prince fan.   While I've never felt compelled enough to call someone out with full horns and intense guitar solos, the main takeaway is that the words "lie" and "why" really do rhyme.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1/5
                               MinneSarah: 2.5/5

02. Big Data - Dangerous (from the EP 1.0)

 
TCDroogsma:

     Speaking of white guys with beards, here we have Big Data.  Big Data have two concerns.  First, they're concerned that the internet & the government are conspiring to pacify the public, essentially removing people from the human experience.  Second, they want you do dance.  I suppose the two go hand in hand.

     "Dangerous" focuses on that first concern lyrically, but they're obscured by a dominating bass guitar that implores that we stop listening to the lyrics & dance.  The end result is the song that would play over the trailer for Baz Luhrmann's hypothetical take on 1984.  Bouncy and catchy, Big Data makes their case with their hips.

MinneSarah:

     Bass can make or break a song - so lay it on thick.  Add some keyboards, and I'm in heaven.  While this song is going to make it on my spring mix, no question, it also has some self righteous political undertones.

     While it's not a long shot, Big Data writes songs about humans vs. Internet and NSA surveillance.  While I was hoping these guys would me my modern day DFA 1979, I just don't find Edward Snowden the least bit sexy.  Oh well, I hope the NSA are listening to these guys, they'd be shaking their butts.  It's got to be better than listening to my mom and I discuss her neighbors' dogs.

     Back to "Dangerous," - this song could be considered perfection of my newest guilty pleasure genre.  I'm just going to go ahead and pretend that they aren't dangerous because of trying to stay off the data grid, but rather the old fashioned way - they'll break your heart girls, but at least it's not going to show up on Facebook the next day. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 4/5

03. Yellow Ostrich - Shades (from the album Cosmos)

TCDroogsma:

     I like the ideas being explored in "Shades."  The electric guitar loops are an intriguing move.  The backwards drums are, um, something...  Ah, who am I kidding?

    I spent a week with this song and I forget it the second it ends.  As much as I want to find something interesting to say about "Shades," it is the living definition of "average."  It sort of builds, it sort of lulls, it's lyrics shift between self-centered & non-sensical... it basically just exists for 3:46 and then disappears forever.  The Current has given me too many songs like this over the years to pretend that something interesting is going on here.

MinneSarah:

     "Shades" features a guitar loop that could hypnotize any listener.  It's good to see indie bands taking a cue from hip hop, and layering over a loop. Yellow Ostrich is out of New York, but they fully embrace the West Coast sixties psychedelic with "Shades."   However, it's clear that they are adding their own sober ennui to this revival genre - making it one of the most interesting takes you've heard this year.  The song loosens up in the final thirty seconds, giving a slightly freer sense of hope.

     It sounds a little jam bandy, but whether it is despite of or because of the driving but somber majority,the last part puts the song into perspective.  It is encouraging to see bands putting their own mark on their influences, and between mid-2000's indie and 60's psych rock - Yellow Ostrich makes it to the other side. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1/5
                               MinneSarah: 3.5/5

04. Quilt - Tie Up The Tides (from the album Held In Splendor)

TCDroogsma:

     "Tie Up The Tides" is another song that comes off as brutally average.  It's a monotonous, steady-paced song that's given just enough studio tricks to sound "indie."  Fortunately, those tricks (the separated guitars, the echoing vocals) give the song a warm, welcoming feel.  Lyrically.... I don't know... some new age type shit... who cares?  "I point my way back home until my fingertips turn blue, there is no me and there is no you..." Sure, why not?  Like I said, "Tie Up The Tides" sounds warm.  Maybe the winter has warped my perspective, but this week that's all I'm asking out of a song.

MinneSarah:

     "Tie Up the Tides," sounds like a sunny morning.  While usually not a fan of cloying vocals - this singer's sweet approach misses all the right notes - the end result is that the song will keep your interest.  Another band out of New York embracing the sixties psychedelic genre, but adding their own spin, Quilt produces something mellow yet encouraging.

     I have a theory that this generation's parents came of age in the seventies, making the sixties an acceptable genre to embrace without agreeing with mom and dad.  Although with a boomer parent and fifty years since the Beatles invasion this year, I can't remember if the sixties were ever not "in."  Whatever the attraction, Quilt brings it to the present day and somehow makes it work.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 3.5/5

05. The Person & The People - I Was Wrong (from the album Big Whoop)

(Ed. Note: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah reviewed "I Was Wrong" ins SOTW #72.  We're reprinting what they wrote for that review below.)

TCDroogsma:

      I don't know what they're putting in the water over in St. Paul, but it's leading to tremendous power pop.  Somewhere between The Persian Leaps and Panther Ray lies The Person & The People.

     Now, a large chunk of the appeal of "I Was Wrong" is that absolutely no aspect of it sounds new.  In fact, I could pretty much hum along with the melody as it unfolded the very first time I heard it.  Whether that means the songs appeal is in "timeless pop craftsmanship" or "listener nostalgia" is an interesting question, though it's rendered absolutely moot for the three minutes I spent bobbing my head while the song played. 

MinneSarah:

     You know what the world needs?  A good pop song.  "I Was Wrong," is a straightforward example of an unapologetic (okay, the song is about an apology) rock pop song.  It's a formula that is beyond refreshing.  While I'd give my left nut to have a new Superdrag albums, I'm lucky (mostly because I lack nuts) that there is a local band capable of carrying on the torch of straight forward, catchy, pop music.   

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 4/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  In addition to  filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column she occasionally joins TCDroogsma as co-host of the Flatbasset Radio podcast.


For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.



 

Newest Industry Presents - Flatbasset Radio: Episode #34

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Your beauty is beyond compare, with flaming locks of auburn hair...

Hello again, free music fans! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #34!
 
For those of you who are unaware of the Flatbasset Radio format, here's what you're looking at: TCDroogsma is our resident MP3 junkie. As you've probably noticed in his Songs Of The Week column, he's not always the most positive music fan. In an effort to prove that he is, in fact, a fan of music, we give him an hour each week to play the songs he's digging and talk a little bit about them. Once he's recorded his podcast we put it right here on the website for free to stream and/or download!

This week's episode finds TCDroogsma flying solo from Planet New Basset yet again.  Over the course of this episode Droogsy apologizes for the break between podcasts. plays a "math rock sex jam," celebrates an albums ten year anniversary & a major organ transplant in one fell swoop, finds the connection between Bob Dylan, Outkast, & Dolly Parton, discusses why he enjoys arena shows, finally understands selfies while at the Miley Cyrus concert, admires a rapper's self-contained business model, mercilessly pushes his new favorite Minneapolis band, and wishes Murs a happy birthday by naming "Everything" his Flatbasset Flatclassic Of The Week!

You can download the podcast for free by clicking the episode's title or stream the episode by clicking on the Mixcloud player below.

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #34

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #34 by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

01. Mrs. -Yawn
02. P.O.S. - Kidney Thief
03. Takuya Kuroda - Rising Song
04. SBTRKT - Blue Cassette (Live On BBC1)
05. Bob Dylan - It Ain't Me, Babe
06. Outkast - Hey Ya!
07. Dolly Parton - Jolene
08. Human Kindness - Prescription Drugs
09. Frank Ocean + Mick Jones + Paul Simonon + Diplo - Hero
10. Ka - No Downtime
11. Great Good Fine OK - Not Going Home
12. Murs - Everything

There you have it, music fans!  Enjoy!

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.  

Album Of The Week: March 17th-23rd, 2014

My Album Of The Week for the week of March 17th-23rd, 2014:

The Miami Dolphins - Capri Sun

01. Pink Bird
02. Minted Slime
03. Hissing Priss
04. Doodler
05. Dominion
06. Venice Beach Widowed
07. Chaste

The Miami Dolphins are one of those bands that have been living around the periphery of my awareness for a while now.  For reasons I'm not totally sure of I haven't checked them out until now.

On its first few spins, Capri Sun seems to be a charmingly ramshackle punk album.  If you're going to put out a record that jams 7 songs into a mere 9 minutes, there's really only two ways to go: be super tight or super energetic (or, I suppose, both).  Unlike last week's AOTW, Cave (which built its sound on a lock-step rhythm), The Miami Dolphins build their sound on pure energy.  Yes, it's sloppy, but that's kind of the point.  I'd be shocked to learn that any of these songs was given a second take in the studio.

Capri Sun (which my Minnesotan accent pronounces as "Caaapri Sun") should be an entertaining listen over the course of the week.  It's been my experience over the years that albums like this tend to reveal their borders & base ideas with repeated listens.  Right now, it sounds like a 9 minute song with several tempo changes and not much else.  Come Sunday I'm sure the hooks will be rattling around in my head.

This record came out back in the summer of 2012.  The band is set to release a new album this summer, so swing by their Bandcamp page to get caught up on the story so far.

Songs Of The Week #83: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Bombay Bicycle Club, Vertical Scratchers, Black Lips, Lake Street Dive, & Web Of Sunsets....

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #83!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Bombay Bicycle Club - Luna (from the album So Long, See You Tomorrow)

TCDroogsma:

     "Bombay Bicycle Club" is one of those names I've been hearing buzzing around music blogs/actual humans for a while now.  Up until this week, however, I'd never taken the time to find out what the buzz was about.  For one, "Bombay Bicycle Club" is not a very good band name.  Two, I'm a very lazy man.

     Now that I've spent a week with "Luna," I'm don't think I've been missing much.  It's a charming song, sure, with a nice, upswinging melody and the type of boy/girl harmonies that are usually my Achille's heel.  Unfortunately there's just nothing new going on here.  Girl isn't necessarily interested in boy, boy is sad, boy writes bad poetry, boy sings bad poetry over unnecessary keyboards.  Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before.  At least the rhythm section shows up in the latter third of the song to jar some life into this one.

MinneSarah:

     It's hard to tell if Bombay Bicycle club is responsible for making 2010's indie music more mainstream, or if they are in the middle of the bandwagon.  "Luna" is an easily palatable indie song with a bit of a Caribbean groove.  While I think of Paul Simon, in fact the song is fairly generic.  The chorus is impassioned and the female backup vocals carry the song forward and are a contrast to the male vocals which are annoyingly trembley, but I suppose anything goes now a days.  It sounds like a jam session with a sense of urgency on a commercial during prime time.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 2.5/5

02. Vertical Scratchers - These Plains (from the album Daughters Of Everything)

TCDroogsma:

     Vertical Scratchers is made up of John Schmersal & Christian Beaulieu, two guys known well for being in bands that were not known well.  I don't know what these guys were up to in their previous incarnations, but with "These Plains" they've certainly made an impression on me.

     In just 1:37, "These Plains" comes ricocheting from the speakers like a lost Bob Pollard classic (y'know, if Bob Pollard ever left something on the cutting room floor).  Over a rattling bass & guitar strum they rattle off some sort of garble about a spaceman that requires singing in falsetto.  Admittedly, that last sentence sounds like a recipe for disaster, but the boys pull it off by keeping the hooks sharp and the accelerator down.

MinneSarah:

     Vertical Scratchers features John Schmersal, formerly a member of Braniac and Enon -  incredible 90's bands.  I've been itching to hear what his new project would sound like, and based on "These Plains," I think it's safe to say it is fantastic.  Lighthearted and sounding retro yet familiar, "These Plains" features fuzzed guitars and keeps a fast upbeat tempo.  The silliness of a song about a spaceman, adds to the carefree nature of the song.  Pop music doesn't get a lot better than this.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4/5
                               MinneSarah: 4.5/5

03. Black Lips - Boys In The Wood (from the album Underneath The Rainbow)

TCDroogsma:

     Black Lips have long been one of my favorite SOTD bands.  Over the years we've been treated to "Not A Problem," "Cold Hands," & "Short Fuse."  Each of those songs stands on its own as punky/psychedelic rave up that's simultaneously tight, yet always in danger of going off the rails.  They're all fantastic.

     It should be noted, however, that "Short Fuse" (the last time they appeared on the podcast), was in March of 2009.  Five years is an awfully long time for a band that relies on energy and sneering to sell their songs.  "Boys In The Wood," then, is the dreaded "grown up" single.  The short, punchy hooks have given way to a bluesy dirge and, sadly, the young & feisty lyrics have given way to a sort of faux-Southern gentleman storytelling.   This is a genuinely sad turn of events.  When the horns turn up at the end of the song, it's less "Paul Westerberg maturing into 'Can't Hardly Wait'" and more, "Hey, this will really hammer home the point that we're mature now."  Hopefully this is just them puffing out their chests rather than a permanent development.

MinneSarah:

     Though of course they are different, I can't always keep straight the Southern Rock stylings of the Black Keys vs. the Black Lips.  Obviously, they are quite distinguishable from one another, but the world must need more sultry southern rock with the word "black" in the title.  Personally, I'd be excited to hear what a potential future side project, The Key Lips would sound like.

     "Boys in the Wood," couldn't sound more like it was from the South - a whiny drawl references whiskey drinking and car stealing.  The back up singer croons away as they make reference to their Southern roots every chance imaginable. The horns are an unexpected twist, and I wouldn't be surprised if this song was written and performed under the influence.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 3/5

04. Lake Street Dive - Bad Self Portraits (from the album Bad Self Portraits)

TCDroogsma:

     Try as I might, I just couldn't resist "Bad Self Portraits."  Maybe it's Rachael Price's voice, maybe it's the hooks, maybe it's the universal appeal of the song's lyrics (who isn't haunted by some stupid inanimate object from a past relationship?), but I couldn't help but be charmed by this one.

     The titular portraits are being taken by Rachael Price as she tries to find uses for the camera she bought to "take pictures of (her) love."  Obviously he's gone, but she presses on with the camera.  Over a Broadway-esque jaunt, Price struggles to find peace of mind.  Yes, I know, this sounds like a rom-com waiting to be written.  It's corny and over the top, but so what?  Sometimes life is corny and over the top.

MinneSarah:

     Lake Street Dive has a lot going for them.  The lead singer has an amazingly powerful voice and the guitars sound earnest.  However, rarely have I heard such extraordinarily bad lyrics.  They made me feel bad about myself and bad for the woman narrator.  Now that her sweetie left her, she's using her camera (that she bought to take pictures of him) to take bad self portraits. While I'm all for get-up-and-face-the-world spunk in the face of a breakup, the lyrics take a detour into wallowing in solitude and trying to find yourself.  Somehow, I feel that taking a pottery class to get over a guy isn't the answer.  The rest of the song is pleasant enough, but I was so turned off by the lyrics I wasn't willing to research them further. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 1.5/5

05. Web Of Sunsets - Wildflowers (from the album Room Of Monsters)

TCDroogsma:

     I've been following The Current long enough to know that the reason they're pushing Web Of Sunsets (three SOTD's in just under a year) is because they've deemed them "the next big thing" and are hellbent on making that point.  Which is really a shame, because with each track released Web Of Sunsets makes the case that they deserve the attention they're garnering (whether MPR has their backs or not).

     "Wildflowers" follows "Fool's Melodies" and "Foreign Bodies" on the SOTD list and, while not straying far from the acoustic-strums-and-breathy-vocals model set forth by those songs, manages to deliver with their most succinct punch yet.  The vocals are more confident, the guitars are richer, and the song just has an atmosphere to it that makes it stand out.  It also has a guitar solo in the middle that recalls the coda of "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want." So it has that going for it, which is nice.

     Up until now I thought this was just The Current pumping a band that fit nicely into their defined style of "local & palatable."  With "Wildflowers" I'm finally coming around to Web Of Sunsets on their own terms.

MinneSarah:

     Somebody get these gals a bass!  Acoustic guitar is not my favorite musical element, and in the interest of keeping the vibe simple and their voices the main focus, that's almost all you get in "Wildflowers," and indeed is the signature sound of Web of Sunsets.  The singer(s) have ethereal voices, and I may have made this comparison last time I reviewed one of their songs, but they remind me of Mazzy Star meets Tegan and Sara.  There's no denying their musical talent, but as far as listenablility, it leaves me wanting more.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4/5
                               MinneSarah: 2.5/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  In addition to  filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column she occasionally joins TCDroogsma as co-host of the Flatbasset Radio podcast.


For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Album Of The Week: March 10th-16th, 2014

My Album Of The Week for the week of March 10th-16th, 2014:

Mrs. - Cave

01. Cave
02. Yawn
03. Jillions
04. Supple
05. Tissues
06. Throb
07. Wad

First off, let me apologize for not writing this post earlier.  Typically I like to get these posted at the start of the week, but I've been tied up with real life jobs for the last week.  This album, however, has soundtracked the week, so let's get to it.

I know almost nothing about Mrs.  I found out about this record when somebody (I think it was one of the guys in Human Kindness) tweeted about it last week.  Having spent the previous week with Medium Zach's excellent Valued Input EP, I was ready to spend the week with some guitars.

Fortunately, Mrs. have guitars to spare.  Cave is part math rock, part boogie, and a thoroughly enjoyable listen.  Imagine if Antelope decided they were going to write sex jams.  That's Cave.  Each song catches a groove, plows forward, and delivers sneaky good hooks and solid performance.  While there's no genuine standout track (though "Yawn" is probably going to make an appearance on the podcast soon), there's no let down either.  Just 28 minutes of deconstructed, over-sexed math rock.

Cave is a available as a "Name Your Price" download over on Mrs. Bandcamp page. I suggest giving it a spin.

Songs Of The Week #82: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

St. Paul & The Broken Bones, William Fitzsimmons, Parker Millsap, I Break Horses, & Frankie Teardrop...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #82!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Call Me (from the album Half The City)

 
TCDroogsma:

     As I mentioned a month or so ago when we were reviewing Nick Waterhouse, this white boy soul/R&B revival sound doesn't really do anything for me.

     Poor St. Paul's heart seems to have gone the way of the his bones.  Now, I'm fine with a good heartbreak song, but this isn't it.  "Call Me" swings in all the right places, so much so that I think it would have made a great instrumental.  Unfortunately, that's not the case.  St. Paul comes off like a Stage 5 Clinger, begging for a phone call (and, sadly, the validation that comes with a phone call).  It's time to move on, bro bro, from this woman and from the 60's.

MinneSarah:

     As far as funky soul revival, "Call Me" is as listenable as anything I've heard.  While deceptively titled "Saint Paul and the Broken Bones," this band is out of Alabama.  While the lyrics don't lament what has happened to cause the break up - the man's needs are clearly articulated - he needs a call!  The lady's side of this story is left out - and there isn't any detail about what happened.  Horns add to the melee, rather than detract from it.  As far as persuasiveness - I wouldn't call this guy unless I was feeling the same premature ending and unopened doors.  He sure can sing, so probably the less I know about potential relationship drama, the better. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2/5
                               MinneSarah: 3/5

02. William Fitzsimmons - From You (from the album Lions)

TCDroogsma:

     In "From You," William Fitzsimmons is actually in the same frame of mind as St. Paul.  Instead of begging for validation, Fitzsimmons has turned down the volume & turned inward.

     Musically, the skittering drums do a lovely job of mirroring the racing mind that comes with taking stock of a breakup.  The rest of the song is filled with understated guitar strums, keyboard plinks and border-defining lead lines.  Fitzsimmons pledges his love ("I will look for you until they put us both back in the ground"), but, in the songs most crushing line, wonders "When should I concede that the best of my years were apart from you?"  It may be personal experience coloring my impression of the song, but I'm intimately familiar with that feeling, and with the feeling that, no matter how good the good times seem, they're still missing something (or someone) that should have been there to share them.

MinneSarah:

     Sometimes these songs of the day can sound like they were meant to be on another radio station - Cities 97?  "From You" sounds incredibly manicured and easy listening.  The ennui of this song makes it sound like it was recorded for the Garden State soundtrack.   The 3/4 time pulls the song forward, but gives it a sense of impermanence.

     While I've been lamenting the lack of a Duncan Sheik successor (seriously - you try and live my life), William Fitzsimmons is not fitting the bill.  "From You" is beautiful, but without the substance that would get me excited about such a potentially guilty pleasure. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 2/5

03. Parker Millsap - Disappear (from the album Parker Millsap)

TCDroogsma:

     Parker Millsap is coming out of Oklahoma playing music that sounds like it could only come from Oklahoma (Sorry, Flaming Lips. Sorry, um, Hanson).

     "Disappear" is the same sort of cliche country/blues hybrid that annoyed the hell out of me two weeks ago when Erik Koskinen was indulging in beer & cigarettes.  While it's easy to appreciate Millsap's desire to skip out of his small town (it IS Oklahoma), his desire to travel back to the Dust Bowl is a little more difficult to explain (though, in his defense, "Parker Millsap" sounds like a name straight out of Steinbeck).  The rustic guitar-and-violin sound that makes up the canvas for Millsap's proposal is straight out of the Woody Guthrie playbook (not a compliment in my world), while the straggled, dueting vocals come off as the Carter Family on moonshine.  I'm sorry, but I think we've reached the point where this sort of whispy nostalgia just can't be taken seriously coming from somebody under 30.

MinneSarah:

     My goodness.  While more than a few times this winter, I've felt that packing up for a vacation and leaving everything behind (temporarily - I'd never just up and leave...again).  In this Parker Millsap song, he outlines things that so many of us would be thankful for - coffee, a house, friends - and says he wants to abruptly leave it all behind.

     While everyone has fantasized about starting anew, these lyrics come across as ungrateful and irrational.   Maybe that's just the acoustic guitar and violin.  And it's a proposal song - nothing is more romantic than putting yourselves into poverty.  I can tell you one thing - if a guy I was living with tried to propose via this song - I'd truly consider moving abruptly, disguising myself, and cutting all ties. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1/5
                               MinneSarah: 1/5

04. I Break Horses - Faith (from the album Chiaroscuro)

TCDroogsma:

     I've spent five days with "Faith" so far and I still have no goddamn idea what it's about.  Like, none whatsoever.  No bother, though.  These lyrics could be about just about anything and it wouldn't make much of a difference since I Break Horses work up such a bright, shiny world of synths and drum machines around the vocals.  "Faith" is not a song meant to be dissected, it's meant to be injected straight into your frontal lobe.  It may be all blinking lights and plastic sexuality, but my goodness is it gorgeous.

MinneSarah:

     There's nothing wrong with a little electronic music.  While there is not a lot of unique that stands out about "Faith,' its droning beats sound hypnotic - and coupled with a long walk through the white tundra - sounds near perfect.  The vocals are a overshadowed by the distorted synthesizer, but vacillate between monotone and heavily emotional.  The overall effect is wistful yet upbeat.  I will be adding this to my running mix, though clearly I'm missing the message and just enjoying the ride (or rather walk).  Music like this makes me sound sophisticated and forward moving, which if any of you have seen me on a walk - basically sums me up ;-) <----(winky face).

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 4/5

05. Frankie Teardrop - Lines (from the album Tough Guy)

TCDroogsma:

     I spent a week with Tough Guy a while back.  It's a fine, basically enjoyable throwback sort of record.  However, I've yet to see Frankie Teardrop live, which is evidently necessary to totally buy into what Frankie Teardrop's selling.

    "Lines" is a perfectly serviceable, straight ahead rocker.  That, however, is pretty much it.  There's no great chorus to boost the song up, no crazy guitar solos, nothing particularly memorable.  It just trucks along for a minute & forty seconds and then leaves.  Even Frankie's lyrics about abusing substances and pushing things too far ring a little hollow when delivered in such a workmanlike manner.  I don't know if it was MPR or the band that decided to push "Lines," but I know Frankie Teardrop can do better. Try giving "New Beverage" or "Killed A Man" a listen for a more interesting take on just what Frankie Teardrop is capable of doing.

MinneSarah:

     While I hate to jump on a bandwagon - I've found myself aboard the Frankie Teardrop wagon.  As a live show, Frankie is the best I've seen in a while.  As a recording, I'll confess, some of the magic is lost.  You may think this band is any old sixties-ish coast rock revival band.  Not so, friends.  The lyrics are a sage warning about the dangers of fast living, "your heart is way too big to go to jail, kid."  This coming from the cutest little dudes in Minneapolis!   I love the energy, the street wisdom from likely straight A students, and a pure love of rock and roll.  The rapturous shrieks are a testament to how exuberant a song about the dangers of drugs can actually be.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                               MinneSarah: 4.5/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  In addition to  filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column she occasionally joins TCDroogsma as co-host of the Flatbasset Radio podcast.


For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Newest Industry Presents - Flatbasset Radio: Episode #33

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

When you're lonely, press play...

Hello again, free music fans! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #33!
 
For those of you who are unaware of the Flatbasset Radio format, here's what you're looking at: TCDroogsma is our resident MP3 junkie. As you've probably noticed in his Songs Of The Week column, he's not always the most positive music fan. In an effort to prove that he is, in fact, a fan of music, we give him an hour each week to play the songs he's digging and talk a little bit about them. Once he's recorded his podcast we put it right here on the website for free to stream and/or download!

In this week's episode TCDroogsma is flying solo from Planet New Basset.  Episode #33 finds Droogsy celebrating some great local hip-hop, playing this generation's iconic British band celebrating THE iconic British band in his Cover Of The Week, suggesting a re-pressing for all the "vinyl nerds," mispronouncing people's names, imploring everybody to go to the Turf Club tomorrow night, finding common ground with a legendary artist via disappointing girlfriends, thanking Miami for "staying flithy," finding a band that sounds like "Ian Curtis somehow coming back & singing for New Order," wondering if he should have stuck with James Mercer, forgetting his own age, and explaining that you should never try to charm women with Morrissey lyrics!

You can download the podcast for free by clicking the episode's title or stream the episode by clicking on the Mixcloud player below.

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #33

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #33 by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

01. Protomartyr - Come & See
02. Medium Zach - Achoo
03. Cars & Trains - History Of The Night
04. Arctic Monkeys - All My Loving (Live At MSG)
05. The Van Gobots - The Ghost
06. Boots - Dust
07. Damon Albarn - Lonely Press Play (Live On BBC2)
08. Atmosphere - Bitter
09. Twin Graves - Brothers
10. Broken Bells - After The Disco
11. The Underachivers - 6th Sense
12. The Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain

There you have it, music fans!  Enjoy!

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Album Of The Week: March 3rd-9th, 2014

My Album Of The Week for the week of March 3rd-March 9th, 2014:

Medium Zach - Valued Input

01. Live In Color (w/MaLLy)
02. Upward (w/Metasota)
03. More Than Superman (w/Slug)

I have a couple of rules when it comes to my Album Of The Week:

1. It should be a Minnesota artist (though exceptions can be made).
2. It should be at least 4 songs.

Until this week, I hadn't broken rule #2.  However, when I downloaded the three songs that make up Valued Input, that rule went right out the window.

As you hopefully all know, Medium Zach is one half of Minneapolis hip-hop mainstays Big Quarters (his brother Brandon Allday being the other half).  I've been a fan of those guys going back to the buzz of their debut album Cost Of Living in 2007.  In the seven years since they've, gone from talented upstarts to one of the most respected & consistent acts in the Twin Cities.  They've put out a staggering amount of music since then, but more importantly, everything they've put out rewards repeated listens.  Hell, just last week I was listening to the instrumental version of Cost Of Living and finding things I hadn't noticed before.

I saw BQ several times while they were promoting that album and they've always been genuinely nice guys and excellent performers.  Specifically, I remember my friend Phil & I attending the release show for Fall In Love, their collaborative EP with Mux Mool.  There couldn't have been more than 50 people at the Turf Club, but they put on a fine show, making a point to engage with all 50 of us in the room over the course of the night.

If I had to pick just one word to describe Medium Zach's musical style, it would be "thoughtful."  I realize that not every rapper would want "thoughtful" to be their defining adjective, but I'm willing to bet Medium Zach takes it as the compliment it's intended to be.  Whether he's rapping, constructing his own tracks, or remixing somebody else's work, his attention to detail always shines through.  His songs rarely "bang," but rather stake their claim by carving out their own sonic space via patience.  Every word & sound has a role to play in Zach's songs.  Nothing is superfluous, everything is necessary.

As you can see from the track list above, Medium Zach does almost no rapping on this album.  No matter. The three MC's above bring their own styles to Zach's beats and, in a testament to the quality of Zach's work, each rapper is able to stick to their own style instead of twisting their flow to fit the music.

Valued Input is available to download on Medium Zach's Soundcloud.  Give it a listen.

Most Played Albums: February '14

The 50 most played albums around Planet New Basset for the month of February, 2014:

(Larger picture indicates more plays)

01. Moonlight Grammar - Lies, Cages, & Sharks (92 plays)
02. Psymun - Heartsick (59 plays)
03. The Van Gobots - Guantanamo Beach Party (54 plays)
04. Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A. (37 plays)
05. Minor Kingdom - Singles (35 plays)
06. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (33 plays)
07. Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady (33 plays)
08. Marijuana Deathsquads - Oh My Sexy Lord (33 plays)
09. Bad Religion - Suffer (30 plays_
10. All - Percolater (30 plays)
11. Big Quarters - Cost Of Living (Instrumentals) (28 plays)
12. Thom Yorke - The Eraser (27 plays)
13. Blur - Think Tank (26 plays)
14. The Damned - Damned Damned Damned (25 plays)
15. Sebadoh - III (24 plays)
16. Alkaline Trio - Goddamnit (24 plays)
17. R.E.M. - Eponymous (24 plays)
18. Prince - Musicology (24 plays)
19. Human Kindness - You Are So Loud That I Want To Die (24 plays)
20. Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis (22 plays0
21. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away (22 plays)
22. Tiger Army - Music From Regions Beyond (22 plays)
23. Imperial Railway - A Young Cliff Diver (22 plays)
24. Nallo - Mechano & The Trees (22 plays)
25. Tree - The @MCTree EP (22 plays)
26. Steely Dan - Aja (21 plays)
27. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (20 plays)
28. Kanye West - The College Dropout (20 plays)
29. The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane (20 plays)
30. Bell & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (20 plays)
31. Warm Thrills - Warm Thrills (20 plays)
32. Moby - Play (19 plays)
33. Les Savy Fav - Inches (19 plays)
34. Donald Fagen - Morph The Cat (18 plays)
35. The Hold Steady - Live At KYEP (18 plays)
36. Wamoo Papez - We Float (18 plays)
37. Giant People - Giant EP (17 plays)
38. Green Day - Dookie (16 plays)
39. After The Smoke - Microwaves (16 plays)
40. The Everywheres - Slow Friends (16 plays)
41. Roc Marciano - The Pimpire Strikes Back (16 plays)
42. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (15 plays)
43. Morrissey - The Last Of The Famous International Playboys (15 plays)
44. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (15 plays)
45. Big Cats! - Lesser Lights (15 plays)
46. Travis - The Invisible Band (14 plays)
47. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson In Crime (14 plays)
48. Jackamo Brown - Oh Yeah! The Drift Of The World (14 plays)
49. Wildlight - Hers Was As Thunder (14 plays)
50. All - Allroy's Revenge (14 plays)

All info via my Last.fm account.

Songs Of The Week #81: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Thumpers, Elizabeth & The Catapult, Angel Olsen, & Lizzo...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #81!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Thumpers - Sound Of Screams (from the album Galore)

 
TCDroogsma:

     Before I get into the reviews this week I'd like to take a moment to point out that we were only given four songs to review this week.  Why?  Because Monday was President's Day.  That's right, MPR takes President's Day off!  What are you, the fucking Post Office?  Rough gig.

     Anyway, on to the songs.  Thumpers.  They're a duo, they're British, and they like everything at once.  "Sound Of Screams" takes massive drums, skewed keyboard blips, fuzzed out bass guitar, shouted vocals, oohs & aahs, and some handclaps and just plays them all at the same time.  Believe it or not, this leaves "Sound Of Screams" a little murky.  I know that there's a hook in there somewhere, but I'll be damned if the boys of Thumpers don't do everything in their power to hide it.

MinneSarah:

     "Sound of Screams" skews more summer than I'm really able to handle this time of year.  The lyrics are nostalgic, so much so that the thought passed my mind more than once that this could be the end of summer "Camp song" for hipster summer camp.  In addition to drums, they sample handclaps and footstomps and run them on a loop.  While the title, "Sound of Screams" could be macabre, it appears here to be the reaction the band had to the Postal Service reunion.  I guarantee you I'd be feeling this song more, were it not -13 F as I write this review, but as far as circumstance goes, this one is coming off my iPod. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                               MinneSarah: 2.5/5

02. Elizabeth & The Catapult - Shoelaces (from the album Like It Never Happened)

TCDroogsma:

     The "Elizabeth" of Elizabeth & The Catapult is Elizabeth Ziman, a classically-trained musician from Greenwich Village.  Somehow knowing that little bit of information helped me make sense of "Shoelaces."

     "Shoelaces" is a lament about a woman who resists falling in love because she can't get her own shit together (an admirable sentiment, but really, you're a music major from Greenwich Village, nobody expects you to have your shit together).  The song is meticulously executed, riding a bouncing bass line and a twin acoustic/electric guitar attack through the verses and into a chorus that's half-lyrics, half-"do dum do."  If Neko Case tried to write a Fountains Of Wayne song it would turn out like "Shoelaces."

MinneSarah:

     The singer, who I can only imagine is the marqueeing Elizabeth, has a powerful voice.  It skews a little Country, with planned breaks and extended enunciation, but the song itself is surprisingly poppy.  The lyrics are about how she can't invest in a relationship because of a litany of metaphors relating to housekeeping, songwriting, and gardening.  While it's my personal opinion that relationships aren't worth getting into unless you go head first - it must be nice to have that foresight to take it slow.  While all the examples make me wonder who would want to date anyone racked with such self-doubt, the song turns it around and makes perfect sense.  It has elements of happy-go-lucky pop and moody intervals of singer/songwriter reflection, making it more listenable than just one of those genres.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                               MinneSarah: 3/5

03. Angel Olsen - High And Wild (from the album Burn Your Fire For No Witness)

TCDroogsma:

     Angel Olsen has been kind of blowing up the indie music blog world over the last week, so when I saw that we'd be reviewing "High And Wild" this week I was looking forward to finding out what all the hype was about.

     Turns out, not much.  "High And Wild" shows up in a haze of fuzzy guitars, old-timey piano and spoke-sung lyrics and proceeds to just sit their nearly four minutes.  Angel Olsen comes off like Courtney Barnett minus the Dylan infatuation, which, I realize, seems like a compliment, but Barnett was such a blank slate that copping Dylan's style was the only thing noteworthy about her song.  Lyrically Olsen comes off like the id to Elizabeth Ziman's ego.  She's struggling to find love too, but it's definitely somebody else's fault.  When she delivers lines as cringe-inducing as, "I'm neither innocent or wise when you look me in the eyes, you might as well be blind, 'cause you don't see me anymore!"  it leaves me wondering why anybody would want to see her anymore.  "High And Wild" comes off like a Tumblr post that should probably should have been taken down once the hangover wore off.

MinneSarah:

     "High and Wild" is a roller coaster of a song with a sixties feel to it. While I'm not interested at all of the talking-toned singing at the beginning, listener take note - Angel Olson has an emotion-filled voice when she wants to use it!  At those moments, this song takes on another level of feeling that is more than the you may have thought you've gotten into from the beginning.  The lyrics are relate-able - relationship problems and emotionally charged miscommunications are always familiar fodder.  The way the song picks up towards the end, is extended a little longer than it needs be, as the last 40 second sounds like a 60's drug-fueled jam band session.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1/5
                               MinneSarah: 3/5

04. Lizzo - Paris (New Single)

TCDroogsma:

     My distaste for Lizzo was pretty well-established over the last year.  Between The Chalice, GRRRL Party, and the singles off LizzoBangers, I was sure I'd seen every side of Lizzo and even more sure that I didn't like any of them.

     That said, "Paris" is not bad enough to push my distaste for Lizzo any further, and that's the nicest thing I have to say about it.  This time out we find Lizzo putting style over substance yet again, rapping about how Prince & Jay-Z are fans (dubious), how she can't by liquor on a Sunday (confusing, evidently), and how she's "like a muslim and you a piece of ham, I will never touch you, rather you will never touch me..." (about as poorly crafted a boast as I think I've ever heard in a hip-hop song).  Like most Lizzo songs, it's about absolutely nothing whatsoever.  Even the well-crafted chorus that asks if, "you've ever been to Paris at night?" loses its luster when she claims that, if you say yes, she probably won't believe you (the implication being that nobody is higher up the food chain than Lizzo, so if she hasn't been there, clearly, you haven't either).  If I got paid to try to promote songs this bad I'd need to take President's Day off too.

MinneSarah:

     Last month, I saw Lizzo perform this song at First Avenue.  While I love her energy, I often don't identify with lyrical content, which can seem base and non-sensical.  While listening to this song in person, it was one of the few unifying moments of the evening - I can relate with the chorus - I, too, have never been to Paris...at night (or otherwise).  However, the rest of the song is slower and doesn't showcase what fans really go crazy over - her lightning fast rapping ability.  Part of the song actually sounds like it is modeled after Dave Chapelle's Tupac song - she references a cousin who you'll probably never meet.  While I'm not averse to any possible insight in Lizzo's lyrics,  I'm not seeing them in this song - "You a piece of ham," really?  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 0/5
                               MinneSarah: 2.5/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  In addition to  filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column she occasionally joins TCDroogsma as co-host of the Flatbasset Radio podcast.


For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.