(Cover art by Lydia Williams) We've missed St. Paul's Keep for Cheap . It's been just over a year since they released one of the best EPs of 2019 (and maybe all time?) with Get Along . Towards the end of the winter, the band started playing some new songs regularly at gigs. Attendees of those shows were blessed with a version of the band's incredible new single "Forgive Me." Written by Kate Malanaphy, "Forgive Me" is the natural next step for Keep for Cheap's sound. The twangier elements reach a new level, culminating in a full-on country guitar solo from guitarist Ted Tiedemann. Idyllic lyricism summons uncertain emotions until they burst into clarity through the cloudiness. And my God, the vocal harmonies will always knock me out. To get to the heart of the new song, we asked Malanaphy a few questions via email — read their answers below. While reading, why not listen to "Forgive Me" on repeat for the rest of the day? Forgive Me by Ke...

As the Minnesota weather forces us indoors for long periods of time, our tendency to get caught up in our own minds and ruminate is incredibly high. For me personally, being able to pair those moments with music that is open, honest, and raw is incredibly important. Enter songwriter Noah Topliff with the newest single from his band Alexander Natalie , "651."  "651." has us walking in on another conversation, this time over the phone. Topliff is chasing his thoughts around in chorus, singing, "And I know myself, and I don't, want to be here / Runnin' round my head, tryna forget, what it means." An additional layer of vocal harmony from guitarist Samuel Ketcham provides tenderness among the band's expansive folky instrumentation.  For having six members playing multiple instruments, I'm always impressed with the gentle complexity of Alexander Natalie. To put it simply, the music made by this band is absolutely beautiful.  Listen to ...

Alexander Natalie has the ability to put raw emotions into words that are rarely seen among folk artists. Natalie made his powerful debut onto Twin Cities last year with the December release of How Much Could You Ask of Me? which was one of our favorite releases of 2018 . Now Natalie and company are back with their first single of 2019 titled "Nosh." The track opens almost from nothing as a lone acoustic guitar plays a simple chord progression before Natalie's voice makes a haunting appearance with the lyrics "Give it up? I’m old enough/To know it’s not enough/Just to be in love." As those words sink in, the feelings of a relationship that has gone cold begin to wash over you until Natalie closes out the first verse by stating "Enough is enough/And I can't breathe."  Like in much of his work, there are themes of maturity and accepting the future as something you cannot always change in this track. These themes are underscored by incredibly be...

We may have missed last Monday's gig-list, but we are back at it again this week to help you find a concert to go to this week. Monday 4/23 Almighty American - Turf Club Hurray For The Riff Raff w/ Waxahatchee - First Ave Valinor Excelsior w/ Threat Signal, Joey Muha and More - Lee's Liquor Lounge Tuesday 4/24 Rainbow Kitten Surprise w/ Caamp - First Ave  Langhorne Sling - Cedar Cultural Center Joan Shelly - Turf Club Wednesday 4/25 No Age - 7th Street Entry Transmission w/ Jake Rudh - VFW Post 246 The Moth Story Slam - Amsterdam Bar & Hall Thursday 4/26 King Lil G - The Cabooze Straya and Yazan - Eagles Club 34 Edward the Confessor, Candid Kid, and More - Mortimers Bar Friday 4/27 Franz Ferdinan - First Ave Indigo Girls - Varsity Theater Jeff Rosenstock - Coffmen Memorial Union (U of M) Nick Check and The Dead Century - The Pourhouse Saturday 4/28 Bon Jovi - Xcel Energy Center Mia Dyson - Cedar Cultural Center Kamelot ...