The Current

Great Music Lives Here ®
Listener-Supported Music
Donate Now
Local Current Blog

Friday Five: J.S. Ondara, Ness Nite, and more new Minnesota music videos

J.S. Ondara - Lebanon
J.S. Ondara - Lebanon

by Cecilia Johnson

November 16, 2018

J.S. Ondara - Lebanon

"Oh Lebanon, life is brief don’t sit alone," J.S. Ondara asks in this single from his upcoming album Tales of America. Artist Woody Ray Tucker hand-drew the illustrations that'd become the video, using a mixture of watercolor, charcoal, ink, and graphite. He says, "The lyrics are very compassionate and rich in historical suggestion, so there was immediately a well of emotion from which to draw [...] The goal was to depict something vivid, but also tangible, rough, and impressionistic."

Ness Nite - Watercolor Roses

Ness Nite has seen enough to know that black womxn, womxn of color, and queer folks often come under attack in "traditionally unaccepting environments." So in "Watercolor Roses," she and a small posse gather in a church, checking out their own beauty and willfully ignoring those who can't handle it. The once-local artist is currently based in New York City, but she's back in Minneapolis to perform at the Walker Art Center's Teen Takeover tonight.

Dessa - Half Of You

Last February, Dessa pulled together more than 50 people to learn choreography for her Chime song "Half Of You." They responded to a listing in the YWCA newsletter and filmed at the Uptown YWCA in Minneapolis.

Frogleg - Fortune

Frogleg narrate the story of a man whom fortune clunks on the head. Whether that's luck or trouble is your call. They'll perform on Black Friday (Nov. 23) at the Varsity and on New Year's Eve at the Hook & Ladder.

Part Time Ex's - Gimme Your Love

A man undergoes a series of dates at Hodges Bend in St. Paul, and while he may not find his person, he does enjoy a particular sort of companionship. Part Time Ex's — John Hicks, Nick Tobar, Ben Greenwald, and Jon Stowell — are working on an EP for May 2019.

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.