Friday Five: New Y.N.RichKids, Grant Hart, Villa Rosa, more
May 10, 2013
Slip on your headphones and get ready to have a little desk chair dance party—these are five fresh tracks and videos from Minnesota artists that are guaranteed to bring a little sunshine to your afternoon.
Y.N.RichKids
The Kids are back! "My Bike" is Y.N.RichKids' first video and single since their viral hit "Hot Cheetos & Takis," and it features all of the same crew members—plus a new addition named Lauren, who finishes off the track with her searing, sassy verse. And for even more from the Kids, check out the new video from the NSJ Crew called "Khaki Pants," which features cameos from many of the same young MCs. Both videos were directed by budding 19-year-old filmmaker Ben Hughes.
Villa Rosa
Maria Isa is on fire this week. She collaborated with producer and songwriter Young Mennace to record her new album, Latinization, and dropped it earlier this week, and followed it up with a new video for "Street Luv" that features her friend and Villa Rosa bandmate Muja Messiah.
Grant Hart
Grant Hart has long been regarded as an astute songwriter, from his work in Hüsker Dü to his long career as a solo artist, but his latest concept album just might be his most ambitious work to date: This June he will release a double album, The Argument, that was largely inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost. To preview the record, he released two singles this week; and while "Letting Me Out" is clearly the more upbeat and pop-oriented tune, I think I prefer the more brooding, experimental nature of this track, "Is the Sky the Limit?"
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Patches and Gretchen
One of the rawest and most vulnerable songwriters around, Gretchen Siechrist, just released a new album under the Patches and Gretchen moniker this month. Sample the first track off the new album, Even Breaks, in the video below, which Gretchen says is ""dedicated to each human being's right to live without violence and harassment."
Reckless Ones
Rockabilly revivalists the Reckless Ones have a new EP out today, so if you like what you hear you should head down to Lee's Liquor Lounge tonight to check them out at their release show. They'll be joined by openers L'Assassins and Ross Kleiner & the Thrill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iC98aHYhHpM