We did it (sort of)! Ear Coffee survived it's first full year, and there were only a half dozen or so hiatuses of varying lengths. As the hell-year known as 2018 is closing, we (as undoubtedly professional music critics) are yet again forced by the will of God to make lists of the music we liked. There were a lot of great local albums that were released this year that we did not cover for this list, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth listening to. Please enjoy the following selection of Wes and Joe's favorite local records of 2018. Check out our podcast episode covering many of these releases too - link at the bottom of the article! Nick Check & the Dead Century - "One More Year" Single It's rare for something released in January to sound as fresh as it first did at the end of the year. This single from the Dead Century has stayed true as some of the best material from the year. The band showcased all of their talents on both sides of t...

Minneapolis indie-rockers Calvin Heights are no more. The announcement came Monday, December 3 in a post to social media. In the post, frontman Brett Carey said, "Jordan (Wipf) and I thank you all for listening and supporting what we've done and we hope to see you in the future with something else. But as for now, our lives [are] changing and we desire to change with it." Calvin Heights released their debut record titled Self Untitled in May of 2014. It featured a more indie rock/indie folk-influenced sound.  Over the next four years and four releases, the band's sound (and line up) expanded and changed as elements of noise and experimental music made its way to the forefront. The 2017 EP "The Possession of the Deer's Feet" marked a definite shift in Calvin Heights sound. The Possession of the Deer's Feet by Calvin Heights What is meant to be a prologue to their third full-length Worst Calligraphy , the EP confused and intrigued fans...

After years of on and off again recording sessions, Jed LaPlant will be releasing his debut record I'll See You Again .  The northern Minnesota native has a knack for writing lyrics that take moments in his life and paint a vivid picture that the listener can place themselves into.  LaPlant describes  I'll See You Again  as a coming of age tale. In a statement to Ear Coffee, LaPlant said, "The song 'When I Was Younger' was really sort of the catalyst of the record. I wrote this song in the north woods of Minnesota feeling like I was miles away from home dried up in some desert land." LaPlant was going through some massive life changes which led to him to go on a cross-country road trip on his motorcycle. He said, "I hit the road headed west figuring maybe I would spend a couple of days out in the Black Hills to catch my breath." However, he didn't stop at the Black Hills; LaPlant kept heading west with just his motorcycle, bedroll, and so...

Mudhoney's latest album is an aging band's daft attempt to be hip and relevant. The title of this record is a descriptor of what it actually is: Digital Garbage . Digital Garbage by Mudhoney

Psychedelic and experimental music is notorious for being deliberately difficult. Artists gladly make things as dense as possible, often solely for the sake of doing so. Taking the precedent and smashing it to pieces is the ultimate artistic pursuit, or so some might say. Juniper Douglas , a musical collective based out of Minneapolis, certainly fall into this category. They manage to walk the tightrope of bizarre and tasteful throughout the 63 minutes of their debut album, Error to Introspection . With sloppy precision, sounds are splattered on an ethereal canvas of invitation. Each song on the record acts as a coat of multi-colored fluorescent paint. There is a techno-like study in layering on Error – each corner can be peeled back to reveal something new, confounding, and often wonderful. The record kicks off with “Promiseland Bakery.” Lowkey drum machines and acoustic guitars invite the listener to cross the threshold and immediately the overwhelming scents pos...