(Cover art by Emily Schoonover) "Take it as it comes" is a phrase that sits atop the pile of things that are easier said than done. Emily Schoonover sings those words right at the start of bugsy's new single "overwhelming" and subsequently points out the emptiness that these platitudes tend to have on the surface. "overwhelming" is a push-and-pull battle between being pulled under the tide and swallowed by worry and continuing to swim against the tide, despite being unable to see the shore. Each new song from bugsy is an unexpected ray of sunlight on a gloomy day. I'm not sure if I can call the guitar interplay and harmonized vocals a bugsy Trademark™ at this point, but it's something to look forward to hearing every single time. The balance of dynamics perfectly matches the lyrics' emotional duality, cutting through gray, stagnant sadness with aplomb. "overwhelming" captures a period of uncertainty, pain, and paralyzing anxiety,...

We've had a bit of a rough go of it, huh? I haven't been to a show since March 11 (Marmalade + bugsy tour kick-off at Hi Watt House), which I'm guessing (and hoping) is roughly how long it's been for most of you too. Virtually every DIY band who was planning to tour, record, or release new music had to at worst cancel or at best rearrange everything. 2020 was a year of adaption. Without any of the prior infrastructure supporting a musician's livelihood, everyone had to scrounge together whatever they could to keep sane and try to survive. After approximately nine months of *gestures to everything*, we've hit the end point; the time to reflect. These are just some of the albums that brought me joy this year, that reminded me how incredible it is to be able to participate in such a community. I'm grateful to have been able to interview four out of five of these bands (Dad Bod, you're next) and help share their music and words with people across the state a...

Ever since releasing their debut single “ moody knows best ” in early January, Minneapolis quartet bugsy has been making waves. Combining furious guitar riffs with beautiful harmonies, the band perfected a high-octane indie punk on their debut EP Teratoma , released in February. Their new single “talk to you” takes all that made Teratoma great and subtly expands upon it. Vocalist/guitarist Emily Schoonover remains one of the best songwriters in the Twin Cities and on "talk to you," they infuse their remarkably catchy style with a streak of darkness. bugsy has always operated in a happy-sad dynamic — the band makes ecstatic music that you can easily dance (or mosh) to, but the lyrics reveal a nuanced heartache and yearning. This time around, the band tinkers with their previous approach, letting the undercurrent of emotion bubble to the top and never letting it fully erupt. It gets awfully close (listen for the harmonies on the final chorus), but bugsy maintains ultimate con...

(Cover art by Alexis Politz) The Personas - Perspective  EP (self-released) Rock's not dead! It never really died, but I needed some click-baity way to introduce this segment. The things we do for journalistic integrity. In a word, Perspective  is effortless. The debut EP from the Personas floats on by without any external momentum. I imagine there's a tiny engine, chugging along, powering the band as they produce song-after-song of classic power pop, but from the listener's perspective (ha), Perspective  was recorded this morning and put out without a whim. Usually such ease is a façade, masking extremely deliberate songcraft. The seams are invisible, but every riff, melody, bassline, or solo was stitched together. From the fuzzed-out bass riff that kicks off "Audience of No One" to the fierce solo in "Waiting My Life Away," the Personas go all out in making maximum-satisfaction rock songs. Ironically, this write-up is going up on the sa...

It's always a pleasant surprise when songs resurface. They get tossed online with little fanfare, as a way of "just getting music out there" or freeing up space on a hard drive. Maybe so the DIY scene kids can learn the lyrics before the next house show. It's often more a means to an end than a full-fledged statement. That is how we arrive at "Moody Knows Best," the debut single from Bugsy . Emily Schoonover has been prolific over the last few years, as  Sharon is Karen  (RIP) or as part of Bruise Violet , and now with Bugsy. The quartet are prepping to release their first EP in two weeks, and "Moody Knows Best" is our first delightful sample. Originally released last year as a demo, "Moody Knows Best" is a refreshing slice of punky power-pop. The dueling guitars of Schoonover and Griffen Desai have a natural propulsion, fueling the song like a batch of pure jet fuel. Bugsy are conscious of their strengths - anxious lyrics w...