Ah, the split. One of the quintessential underground releases, alongside label compilations and the immortal 7". Two bands, usually sharing a label, put out a few of their latest tracks - enough to take up one side of a record each. Minneapolis comrades Cave Light and Gather Data Pray for Death pursue this noble indie ideal on their split EP Ends . The two bands share the same twisted guitar sensibilities. Notes aren't seen as something to be played; they're threaded together into a rope, tied into the tightest knot possible. Songs shift and shimmer like the sunset on one of Minnesota's 11,842 lakes. No idea overstays its welcome. The math-like randomness that possess these bands is a breath of fresh air. Honestly, we need more bands that are willing to let their songs go over five minutes (and actually fill them with creative music). Gather Data's side haunts with delirious cacophony. "Swelling Over" menaces with a pointed guitar line and practi...

Blood Banks is a band that was born from the Minneapolis punk scene. Its members came from acts like Cadillac Blindside and the Dirty Hits, which were staples on college radio in the late 90s and early 2000s, and with a pedigree like that, it's easy to see why their sophomore release  Dear Tomorrow feels right at home among bands that were already established staples in the punk world or hit their stride during that era.  Dear Tomorrow  is a release that is both familiar yet a little different, and as a follow up their 2017 debut  Be Alive  the band is showing they have hit their stride too. From the first note of the prophetic intro on "Night Falls," the songs on Dear Tomorrow feel like they all tell a story of events that take place over a single night. The spaghetti western tone paints a foreboding picture that compels the listener into the earnest story of unrequited love told during the following song, "Last Night." It is this attenti...

Minneapolis math punk trio Why Not  has a musical output that is slowly approaching the prolific levels of artists like Ty Segall or John Dwyer. This band has put out a record or EP every year since 2017. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you take into consideration that these guys are in their senior year of high school, there is a whole new level of impressiveness. It's amazing that these three friends have found time to start a band, write three releases' worth of material, and still find time for regular day-to-day activities. Their lives feel like a plot to a mid-2000s Disney Channel TV show. With 2019's EP , the band finds themself reflecting over their personal lives and musical career. The single "Ready 4 the World" has the band asking "Are you listening intently/What am I saying on the outside/Is it friendly?" The track echoes sentiments of feeling lost and looking for a foothold to move forward.  Why Not's bassist and fro...

Noise pop trio the Florists have been gearing up for the release of their debut full-length record Prayer Starter with a series of four highly stylized music videos. Today, we were lucky enough to receive the most abstract of the four releases with a video for the track "Bury Your Heart." The video matches the angular nature of this song. It grows steadily more manic and surreal along with the soundscape of the song. This video along with the other two slate  Prayer Starter to be a dynamic debut for the band.   Prayer Starter  is a follow up to the band's 2017 EP No Costume . The record will be released on March 1. You can watch the video for " Bury Your Heart" that was filmed by  Tessa Loeffler below .

Minneapolis jitter punk quartet Catbath have blessed us on this snowladen Friday with a new music video for their song "Check Byways." The absurd and loosely psychedelic clip was directed Matthew "Gravey" Graves. The band also recently re-uploaded some older music videos on their YouTube channel, so check those out while you're at it. Watch the "Check Byways" video and listen to Catbath's 2018 album Glitterbox  below. Glitterbox by Catbath