The Wake

It never ceases to amaze, how suddenly and thoroughly a piece of music can change your mental state. The idea that emotions are reasonable disappears the minute your treasured existential despair is dissolved in Black Moth Super Rainbow.

Circling a dimly-lit bar crowded with trendy twentysomethings, listening to talk of spring lines and independent boutiques, I feel a bit lost. Watching Zoolander is about as close as I’ve come to high fashion before this and it’s hard not to think of the vapid, self-congratulating models and designers of that movie as I weave among the denizens of the Twin Cities’ fashion world. The DJ spinning “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood—was that a deliberate reference?—doesn’t help.

But as I keep talking to the attendees of this …

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Proud Dripping Citizen
By Brian Johnson

Sing Christmas chimes in fourth of Julys

PACE, PACE, PACE

Down one aisle,

Up the next

You’re getting groceries,

You’re looking for an automotive part,

You’re mixing the alphabet with paper cuts

Your sacrifice is never belittled by the lack of brains it takes to do your job.

No.

Your happiness is just dripping-

As you shop for Christmas presents in summer

Hail to the chief proud dripping citizen!

Ride your shopping cart to heaven,

Where Santa lives

The store will be closing in 10 minutes.

Body Without Organs 
By Michael Hessel-Mial

drinks can hisses brown
like snake

in a rattling tank in the desert

hot slick body cold sweat
flimsy stomach pounding
out chest pumping fluid
to …

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There will be grass, but it won’t be for smoking. However, it will still be burning up from bad, yet self-assured dancing. Despite the lack of rhythmically attractive moves, there will be plenty of music to please hungry ears. That’s right, the Walker Art Center is hosting Rock the Garden all over again. There will be music, there will be beer, and there will be a large metal spoon with cherry.

On Saturday, June 20, 2009, the young and talented will stampede the Walker Art Center. Not to fear, the museum will be overwhelmed …

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The aptly titled Bromst, Dan Deacon’s newest album seems to bring together exactly what the title implies. Part new sound, part old, Dan Deacon took Bromst in a somewhat new direction, while largely adhering to his old standbys of crazy and absurd. The songs are as packed with noise as ever, while Deacon distorts his voice through out the background like some sort of acid-tripping, cat-stuck-in-engine sound that I couldn’t possibly describe any better.

Of the newer twist to his sound, Deacon makes ample use of digital synth drums and computerized sounds. Every track is filled to …

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It is no question that Peter, Bjorn, and John is one of the most refreshing bands to come along in some time. Just as the fire is dying down from their last mainstream effort Writer’s Block, the Swedish pop trio has returned with Living Thing.

Released on March 31, Living Thing treads on similar ground as Architecture In Helsinki’s Places Like
This, while still maintaining enough originality to stand all on its own. The music is eccentric and rhythm-centered, with less of the straightforward structure usually common in their songs. Die-hard fans don’t fret; this album still …

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In the 90’s, Scotland had some power house indie acts like Belle and Sebastian and Arab Strap. More recently pop-tastic Camera Obscura is making a scene with their new album coming out on April 20. These bands seem to have one thing in common, Orange Juice. I’m not talking about the cold-fighting, all-around health beverage boasted by every Floridian.

Orange Juice formed in 1975, originally calling themselves the Nu-Sonics until the formation of legendary indie pop record label Postcard. After joining the label, the Nu-Sonics changed their name and recorded their first album, You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever for under …

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There appears to be no limit to which facets of life are infiltrated by the ecological mindset. Consumers are in a market that targets this mindset by “greenwashing” products. “Greenwashing” is branding an unsustainable product in a fashion that boasts an earth-friendly image. Think images of landscapes on laundry detergent, forests on drawing pads, or perhaps on a larger scale, British Petroleum’s adoption of a green and yellow sunflower logo in 2000. Consumers are slowly questioning their products with a keen eye and mind. Greenwashing, however, has been drawn to new levels outside …

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From a young age, I knew I would go to graduate school. My father (like a lot of other foreign born fathers) emphasized the importance of having a couple of letters after my last name. J and D were acceptable. P, H, and D were even better, and M and D were the ultimate in parental bliss. I couldn’t be a lawyer because I have a soul. Medicine was out because I’m pretty sure screaming; “OH DEAR GOD WHY???” when you see blood is unacceptable. That left me with getting a Ph.D., which is …

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Recent bursts of legal provisions allowing same-sex couples to wed have taken America by surprise. The fact that Iowa became the third state to override this ban sent people parading down the streets of Des Moines to express their heightened states of arousal, whether it was anger or euphoria. The aftershock will be felt for some time to come, as the end of April will mark the commencement of lawful gay marriages in Iowa (out-of-staters are also welcome). No one, not even Iowans themselves, expected such a bold decision to come from the …

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Mashed Potatoes, Enchiladas and an Easter Egg. My head told me no, my stomach the same. But for some reason I piled on a plate of inexplicable combinations. This was the result. Next time I’ll stick to beer.

Perish walks out from the shore
Pushes and plows
Streams from doors
Swinging force and control
Perish can find no flow
And he carried his weight
on his front
He carried to the lake
where he sunk