The Cedar-Riverside neighborhood has seen many changes through the years. The sense of community has shifted as populations have moved in and out and the neighboring colleges (the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College) have expanded. The North Country Co-op was a common thread in the community throughout its 35 years in service to the southeast Minneapolis neighborhood. Empty shelves now line the once defiant store, a piece of Twin Cities history. This past summer, …

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You know, celebrity perfume is a bit of a stretch. Shouldn’t it be called something along the lines of “My last album didn’t quite sell like hot cakes; I blame the internet, but let’s make some cash. Love you forever, Failing Industry?” Taking a page out of P. Diddy’s lengthy book Milking the Industry for All It’s Got, Gwen Stefani has been exploiting the anemic goats that are record companies like a major league slugger …

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Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog

The hushed whisper and acoustic creakiness of Iron and Wine’s early output could hardly have predicted the growth that has been seen on the bands’ subsequent releases. The Shepherd’s Dog marks the continued evolution of the indie-folkies, which was first seen on the outstanding Woman King EP, …

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It is often forgotten how bands begin. They play dingy holes in the wall, arriving five hours prior to their gig, lost in cities that they’ve never been to. They ride around in a not-so-white van for hours until they get to another strange town. Then they get stuck in the middle of Minnesota’s Iron Range, blinded by blizzard conditions, driving on right through the storm. Last year Tokyo Police Club canceled their …

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