​Lovers of Death Cab for Cutie will get rewarded for showing up early starting in April when Low, our not-so-slow-core-no-more neighbors from Duluth, joins them for a spate of shows. This pairing is a huge coup for Low, who have steadily grasped more rock conventions in their work while ne'r neglecting the gorgeous harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker that got them noticed in the first place. This'll be in support of C'mon, the band's third Sub Pop album (and ninth overall), which was released last April.
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​The irregularly touring Explosions in the Sky are certainly enough reason to head to Monday's sold-out First Avenue show, but the Baltimore duo Wye Oak are great reason to show up early. Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack released their stellar third album Civilian on Merge Records earlier this year, and the album has pushed them into a much larger national spotlight. As recently as April, the band was only playing the Turf Club, but now they've graduated to the big leagues as they hit the First Avenue mainroom Monday.

Wye Oak's performance style as a duo is unique though: Stack performs with his right on the kit and left on the keyboard to cover the bass lines, giving the band an enormous sound for a guitar and drums duo. Naturally, he's heard just about every Def Leppard drummer joke you can think of. In advance of the concert, Gimme Noise spoke with Stack about his unique drumming approach and his reaction to the band's success.

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Courtesy of Chris Rosenau

​89.3 the Current listeners won't have trouble finding something to do this Saturday: between the Horrors at the Triple Rock and the Rural Alberta Advantage/All Tiny Creatures at First Avenue, there's plenty of reason to head downtown. Both the RAA and All Tiny Creatures released new albums this year, but the latter's Harbors (released in March via Portland boutique label Hometapes) has been getting some pretty heavy rotation in this particular iPod since its release.

With Harbors, All Tiny Creatures add vocals to their typically-dense mix of guitar, keyboard and percussion swatches. But don't think these Wisconsin minimalists have forgotten their roots: the vocals merely act as another textural element in the mix, rather than taking the forefront. Equal parts unfolding soundscapes and rhythmically-driven experimental pop jams, Harbors is a strong statement from this quartet.

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Courtesy of the Daredevil Christopher Wright

​There must be something in the water out there in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Justin Vernon has seen his popularity skyrocket recently coming off the release of his sophomore effort Bon Iver, Bon Iver, an album chock full of layered falsetto and choirboy harmonies. But Vernon's crew isn't the only one from Eau Claire dedicated to putting vocal harmonies up front: the Daredevil Christopher Wright has been honing their pipes since their first full-length, In Deference To A Broken Back (which was mixed by Vernon, because the world is a tiny place).

On Friday, September 16, the trio will open a heavy folk/country-ish bill in First Avenue's Mainroom, which is the official record release show for both Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps' Little Wind and Dead Man Winter's Bright Lights. As if that line-up wasn't enough already, local favorites Dark Dark Dark are also playing, kicking off a month-long tour.

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​You've probably already heard of Death Cab for Cutie - let's face it, indie's #1 sensitive guy band have been hard to miss over the past 10 years, even if you barely followed pop culture. But Death Cab's tourmates Frightened Rabbit have flown a little more under the radar, despite a string of strong albums.

The Scottish quintet almost sounds like an unbuttoned version of the National, like if the NYC band wasn't so carefully orchestrated. Frightened Rabbit has a similarly rich, heavily textured sound, but the many layers and textures are messy, ragged, and noisy, in the best possible way. The lyrics are honest and visceral, and Scott Hutchison lays it all out there when performing live. It's easy to see why Death Cab chose them to open for their tour.

Frightened Rabbit released their highly acclaimed The Winter of Mixed Drinks last year, but they most recently released a short tour EP of three songs, one of which features a lovely appearance by Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura. The band opens for Death Cab at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul this Friday August 26, but lead singer Scott Hutchison took some time away from set-up in San Diego to speak with Gimme Noise about his lyrics, folk music, and the group's plans for a new album.

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​If you're still looking for a perfect summer soundtrack, look no further than the Brian Just Band. The Minneapolis sextet released their first full-length record in May, the 1960s-esque If You Like To Be Alone Or If You Need To Be With Someone. Their single "Electric," a melodic stomper from the new record, has been in heavy rotation on The Current, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a sunnier July driving tune.

With the summer months fully upon us and the band's recent love from The Current, now is a great time to get to know the Brian Just Band. The crew has already played a number of shows around the Twin Cities this summer, including a mid-afternoon set at the Stone Arch Bridge Arts Festival and most recently, a Triple Rock gig with local heavyweights Communist Daughter and Howler. But if you missed those, the band is opening this Friday at Nick and Eddie, with Richard Lloyd (of the band Television), Love Lake, and Love Cat. In advance of that concert, we took a listen to their most recent album.

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Courtesy of The Felix Culpa

​Since the early 2000s, The Felix Culpa has steadily built a large grassroots following for their blend of post-hardcore, arty indie rock, melody, and dissonance. The Illinois/Wisconsin-based quartet recently signed with the West Coast-based indie label No Sleep Records, which re-released the band's behemoth of a second album, Sever Your Roots. Originally released by the band independently in 2010, Sever Your Roots spans 14 tracks, with some running over the seven minute mark. These aren't bloated prog-rock tunes though; Sever Your Roots is the rare album that feels as though every song needs to be that long to fully develop.

The punk-leaning magazine Alternative Press even featured the album in many of the editors' 2010 year-end Top 10 lists.

The Culpa, as fans affectionately call them, have been busy since signing with No Sleep, releasing a music video and a new companion EP to Sever Your Roots. And soon, they'll be heading out on tour with experimental indie rockers The Dear Hunter, with a stop at the Triple Rock.

In advance of their Twin Cities appearance Friday, Gimme Noise spoke with singer and guitarist Marky Hladish about what they've been up to lately, writing for such a major album, and their recent decision to finally sign with a label.

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