Andrea Myers, Writer

The Twin Cities are a hotbed for literate, politically-conscious hip-hop, and this Saturday many of the area’s best MCs will face off at “Hip-Hop for the Homeless.” The event serves dual purposes: showcasing a diverse cast of local hip-hop talent and raising money for Youthlink, a local nonprofit organization that works to prevent teen homelessness. MORE »

It’s hard not to have high expectations for burgeoning local indie rock band The Wars of 1812. Seemingly out of nowhere, the band is preparing to pounce onto the scene with an album that recalls the pop structures of songwriting heavyweights like Spoon (who, in turn, recall the Beatles) and early Wilco. The disc, titled Status Quo Ante Bellum, is due out March 15 as a co-release from Afternoon Records (Mouthful of Bees, Haley Bonar) and Amble Down Records, the label that recently helped launch Bon Iver into the stratosphere. MORE »

For almost twenty years, First Avenue has made a tradition of highlighting the most promising emerging acts in town with their Best New Bands showcase. MORE »

Mason Jennings, Minnesota’s folk-rock singer-songwriter darling, has recorded an album on a major label. For a generation of twenty and thirty-something Mason fans schooled on Nirvana rebellion and the evils of The Man, we have come to respond quickly to the term “major label” MORE »