Photo by Bill Phelps

Yesterday, Dessa officially dropped "Call Off Your Ghost," the second single from the upcoming Parts of Speech. To celebrate, she took to Reddit to participate in the site's signature forum: An "AMA" -- that is, "Ask Me Anything," which is the equivalent of a no-holds Q&A between Dessa and her fans. Or at least, those of her fans who are on Reddit. And definitely a couple of participants who have maybe never heard her music at all.

To start it off, Dessa had a few questions of her own. "As an indie label, it's hard to be sure which of our strategies are working -- and which aren't," she wrote. "How did you hear about Doomtree's music? My music? Do you pre-order records? If not, why not?"

She got some answers. But the redditors were also curious about the conspiracies, the music, and the personal -- like whether the new album title is intentionally a nod at P.O.S., who she's dating, and how the new album evolved. Here are the highlights, followed by the new track.

See Also:
- Dessa announces new record Parts of Speech, debuts new track
- Dessa named 75th most influential person in the Twin Cities

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Photo by Jonathon Weiner

Late last fall, the members of New Found Glory got the idea to do a tour commemorating the ten-year anniversary of their Sticks and Stones album. Even without any "big hits" in recent years, the Florida pop-punk band has been touring constantly and continuously building their fanbase on the road. Due to timing, the band wasn't able to make it to Minneapolis, but was given the opportunity this spring to do a few shows in Canada and allowed them to add some cities they had skipped out on.

The band will be playing Sticks and Stones album in full at their show on Saturday evening, and Gimme Noise spoke with drummer Cyrus Bolooki before the band's swing through First Ave.

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Photo courtesy of the artist

Germaine Gemberling has been a part of the local music scene in one way or another since 1989, when she first formed the all-girl punk band Smut -- which might be the best name for a band ever. Since then, Gemberling has seen her musical style evolve along with her lifestyle, moving from her native St. Paul to the rural Northern Minnesota town of Ely, where she lived for 13 years. Gemberling currently resides in Sparta with her partner Rich Mattson -- who is also her co-writer and producer -- and heads up the pop-rock band Junkboat.

Now, Gemberling -- who sounds a little like a female version of Bob Dylan, back when he still sounded like Bob Dylan -- is releasing a solo album called Generator, the second album in her extensive catalog to be released on vinyl (the first was for Smut in 1994). It's a well-crafted 11-track collection that features Gemberling's reedy vocals against a smooth backdrop of open-sky guitar parts and twangy golden fields, complements of Ol' Yeller, which she employs as her backing band. But it's not all country: Gemberling also recruited members of Junkboat to give Generator a steely edge.

Gimme Noise caught up with Gemberling ahead of her CD Release show at the Turf Club on Friday to chat about her new album, how her music has changed over the years, and her first First Ave show.

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Photo by Dave Garwacke

Laura Stevenson's music is beautiful, but it hurts to listen. It hurts because she writes like a contemporary poet who feels too much and too deeply, her lyrics like fragile black-and-white snapshots remembering, with bittersweet nostalgia, a moment long gone. This is not an impression: in the past, Stevenson has spoken of her battle with depression and suicide and the long road from that dark place.

"Renee," the opening track on Stevenson's recently released third album, Wheel, opens delicately, a slow string arrangement progressing along with Stevenson's soft voice, and progresses into a throbbing crescendo. Much of Wheel goes on that way, with Stevenson exploring the edges of her early days as a punk singer-songwriter in Bomb the Music Industry! as well as he legacy of her grandfather, Harry Simeone (who famously composed "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "The Little Drummer Boy").

Ahead of her gig on Friday at the Triple Rock Social Club, Gimme Noise caught up with Stevenson to discuss her new album, why she went from being Laura Stevenson and the Cans to just Laura Stevenson, and how weird the music business is.

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Steven Cohen

Even over the phone, Nicholas David holds up to his reputation as being basically the nicest, most likeable guy in the history of the music business. He's got a warm voice that just sort of reaches out over the speaker to give your ear a hug. Seriously, he's that nice.

Nicholas David--or Nick "the Feelin'" Mrozinski as he was known to fans locally before wowing audiences with his soulful pipes on NBC's The Voice--is taking to First Avenue this weekend for a two-night stand where he's bringing in a slew of pals from the show and a host of local friends as well. Trevin Hunte (who took the fourth place spot to David's third), Melanie Martinez and Todd Kessler will perform on both Friday and Saturday nights, and Terry McDermott (second place) will be there on Saturday. Locally, Heatbox will be performing on Friday night, Teague Alexy on Saturday, and Desdamona and Alex Rossi will be there for both nights.

This is the first time David has had the chance to headline in his native city since before the show, and he's determined to make it a special occasion. Gimme Noise caught up with the singer ahead of his weekend gigs on what "the fame" is like, how his new album is coming along, and what the shows this weekend will look like.

See also:
Nicholas David places third on The Voice
Nicholas David's final performances on The Voice (VIDEO)
Howard Stern says Nicholas David should win The Voice

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Like most of it's traditions of which Sweden has many, Death Metal is a pervasively dark and sorrow-driven force in the the country's music history. With many brands of heaviness in it's ranks the band Ghost (or Ghost B.C. as they are known stateside) stand out as one that seemingly came from out of nowhere. Vaporizing into form as the hooded spiritual beings lead by the skull-faced "Pope", Papa Emeritus II, the band manages to create and capture a dark and gloomy, satanically-inspired persona that visually enhances and solidifies the band's overall concept.

While no one really knows who the actual band members are, they aren't the first band in history to create their own mythology but have since created a sound and characteristics that make their live show a must-see theatrical experience.

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Albert Birney

Julian Koster is the type of creative artist that doesn't really exist in the trepid trapping of reality. For over a decade, Koster has been experimenting with sound to create musical "tape collages." As part of Music Tapes, Koster's live performance pop project, Koster has spent the last four years or so bringing those sounds into homes and unconventional spaces around the country. Now, the Music Tapes are bringing the same sensational world of imagination to Minneapolis.

Titled The Traveling Imaginery, Koster and his longtime partner Robbie Cucchiaro will be performing tonight at the Cedar Cultural Center in support of their latest album, Mary's Voice, a truly unique and idiosyncratic blend of old-world sounds meshed with pop sensibilities. But perhaps performing isn't quite the right word: Koster will be installing a circus tent into the Cedar and is presenting the evening as a multi-layered production, an epic adventure that unfolds as a live story, complete with games and wonderments for the audience to take part in.

Gimme Noise caught up with Koster ahead of his show this evening at the Cedar Cultural Center about what to expect from the Music Tapes, how Mary's Voice came together, and what all the traveling has taught him.

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Courtesy of Tim Ritter

While grunge broke out of the Pacific Northwest in the early '90s, there was something different happening in the Twin Cities. Bands here were far more influenced by what was happening in the U.K., and a vital and volatile shoegaze/Krautrock/dreampop scene materialized. Sadly, many of those bands went under-appreciated and have been relegated to the dusty annals of time. But many of the musicians from that scene and era are thankfully continuing to make music in one form or another, with some bands even playing the occasional reunion gig.

One of the best bands of that time was Shapeshifter, an ethereal quartet started by a bunch of high school friends in St. Paul. The group is set to play a rare reunion show tonight at Cause, along with their old friends in BNLX, Two Harbors, and Fury Things, giving Twin Cities music fans a clear idea of where the sound of the Cities has come from, as well as where it's going in the future.

Gimme Noise caught up with one of the founding members of Shapeshifter, Tim Ritter, and he shared his recollections about what the scene was like for his band back in the day.

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Web of Sunsets

The three members of Web of Sunsets -- Sara Bischoff, Sarah Nienaber, and Chris Rose -- are all soft-spoken. So soft-spoken, in fact, that they joke about not being able to talk to each other during band practice. Nestled inside their space at Trax Studio -- separated by a tangle of microphone stands and an unused drum kit, the room lit by the soft glow of a lone lamp in the corner -- they can hardly hear one another over the noise from the adjoining rooms.

But it's just that kind of quiet understatement that lends the band's off-center country hymns their magic. In fact, it even landed their first-ever recording a shout-out from Pitchfork -- not a bad way to get things started.

"The way I wanted to sing was harder in a fuller band, with full-on drums and bass guitar," says Bischoff, who primarily sings. She sits at a high-top at the nearby Hexagon Bar, a red wool cap pulled down over her hair and a glass of whiskey in her hand. "You know, I love full rock bands. But it's really nice to just be able to sing with acoustic guitars and no drums."

See Also:
Picked to Click 2012: #5. Heavy Deeds
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Photo by Heidi Ross

Thad Cockrell, Tyler Burkum and Jeremy Lutito were never really indie-pop guys. Cockrell got his wings as a country star, singing sad twangy songs; Burkum has two Grammys under his belt as part of the rock-gospel outfit Audio Adrenaline; and Lutito was a regular bassist for the Christian rock band Jars of Clay. It's a bit unexpected, then, that the three of them should come together as Leagues, with a sunny pop sound that sounds as fresh as summer.

The Nashville-based Leagues has just released their debut record You Belong Here, giving listeners ten tracks that are sing-along ready. Cockrell's tenor vocals are anything but country here, and the lyrics stick fast to the "romantic love" theme introduced in the album's infectious opening track "Spotlight." It's the album that should usher in a season change (and a mood change) with its lighthearted hope and dance tunes.

Ahead of the band's gig this Friday night at the Cedar Cultural Center, Gimme Noise caught up with guitarist Burkum -- who some might know as the brother to Page Burkum, co-founder of local group the Cactus Blossoms -- to chat about the new record and what it's like starting over all over again.

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