(Cover art by Lydia Williams) Keep for Cheap are entering a new era. They've finished recording their debut album and are leaving the prairie behind. They have left us with one last gift — their new single "Losing." Intended as a spiritual sequel/B-side to last fall's excellent "Forgive Me," it finds the band indulging in themselves and their influences to create their most expansive song yet. My eyes lit up when I saw that "Losing" has a near-six-minute runtime. On paper alone, I am extremely on board. It's essentially two songs in one: a strong core idea augmented by a fractured and grandiose outro. Keep for Cheap's ability to sew the two together and confidently deliver on such an ambitious structure is a testament to their grow as songwriters since 2019's Get Along . Leisurely wandering from the start, "Losing" matches the gentle vocals of Kate Malanaphy and Autumn Vagle with a frayed 70's riff and a straw-in-the-mout...

(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...

Following in the vein of Joe's introduction from his list, I embraced the fact that I'm totally still an idiot emo kid at heart. Emo and punk were a part of my formative musical experiences (we don't need to talk about the rest), but I was relatively late to the game with virtually anything other than MCR, Panic, and Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle." As time as gone by, I've allowed myself to be enveloped in the raucous emotions that call the genre home. There won't be a ton of local emo on this list, but that mostly seems to be because a lot of the emo bands I love took the year off. That may totally predict my 2020 year-end list, but in lieu of emo, I found a whole lot of other stuff to fall in love with, from piano ballads to country(!) to whatever the Happy Children are were. Albums and EPs (Cover art by Caleb Hinz probably??) The Happy Children - Same Dif  (self-released) This is unsurprisingly my album of the year. Earlier this yea...

Clearly, the members of Keep for Cheap were lying when they said they couldn't remember what it's like to be carefree. In the brand new video for their single "Day Without You," they are extremely  carefree. They dance around, run, and generally look like they're having a great time. It's delightful and wholesome. There's a couple shots of the band playing live, which I guess is a reminder that you should get to the gig? The video also features, ranked from best to least best: A purple cowboy hat Fun, subtle lil animations, done by Anna Heckmann Breakfast Club -esque dancing Kentucky Fried Chicken The video was shot by Emma Larson, Anna Heckmann, and the band's own Autumn Vagle, who also edited the whole thing. Watch it below.

Kate Malanaphy's voice is the sonorous core at the heart of her songs. "Glue," her brand new single, is the latest evidence of this. As per most of her solo work prior to this, the instrumentation consists primarily of full-bodied piano and meandering vocals. However, "Glue" subtly shifts all expectation on its head. Skittering electronic drumbeats and minimal vocal processing seep into the pensive watercolor portrait being painted by the lyrics. Much of this comes from the production of Caleb Hinz (Baby Boys/Normal Parents/The Happy Children). His generous contributions fill in all the cracks of Malanaphy's anachronistic alto. Hinz has proven himself to be a versatile contributor, serving the purposes of each collaborator with whom he works. This is a clear step in Malanaphy's evolution. It proves her willingness to experiment while still knowing and adhering to her well-defined strengths. The same sonic blood is pumping through "Glue"...

Keep for Cheap have established themselves as a fixture of the Twin Cities indie kid circuit over the past several months, playing shows with Ear Coffee favorites like the Clean Tramps, Alexander Natalie, and Miloe. Finally, they're releasing their debut single, "Day Without You." The quintet utilizes each member's assets smoothly and confidently.  Layered vocals act as a gentle wave that carries the listener into a cloud. There is an organ that shimmers in and out of focus. The sandy ocean floor is made out of rollicking (Ear Coffee's word of the day for describing guitar parts) electric guitar. It is a relentlessly pleasant song, even as the sentiment burns with longing. I'm tempted to classify Keep for Cheap as a supergroup, even with only one song to their name. Sal Paradise 's Robert Northrup, the Contingents ' Ted Tiedemann, Kate Malanaphy  on vocals and guitar. The group is rounded out with the exceptional Autumn Vagle on guitar and lead ...