The (Local) Fresh Five: Loud Sun, Rank Strangers, Eric Mayson, VIAL, and Sister Species
For the Fresh Five we pick out five great new(ish) jams that we’re currently obsessing over. All of these songs come from local (Minnesota) bands/artists.
A new Andrew Jansen record is always something to get excited for and his LP as Loud Sun, A Pile of Light (out last month), is no exception. It also feels like a bit of a departure from 2020’s Sweet Pit, a dreamy, whispered, lo fi psych rock masterpiece. And while it has moments of that same dreaminess, overall A Pile of Light feels both more vigorous in tone as well as more varied. Garage rock melts into swampy funk, Velvets-esque psychedelic cool transitions to experimental bedroom pop. It covers quite a bit more sonic ground and rarely misses. Check out single “Everyone Else Was OK” above and stream/purchase the new record here.
Mike Wisti’s band Rank Strangers has to be one of the longest running local bands around. Since the nineties they have released a grip of albums, played literally hundreds of shows, and cycled through a handful of members (though lineup for past 20+ years has included Davin Odegaard and Shawn Davis). Rank Strangers have a new record coming out this month I Missed The 20th Century (the titular single you can stream above). With the new music Wisti and co have stayed true to their analogue roots (boasting that no computer was involved). IMTTC will be released officially with a show at the Hook & Ladder on 12/21 (details).
Eric Mayson’s new record Rerun is a product of a long gestating project that coincided with a great deal of personal and professional change in his life. As a result Mayson presents the new works as “a conversation between past and present” a kind of exploration of dichotomy via R&B and jazz. The record is out now and you can stream/purchase it here.
Local punk trio Vial have had quite the year if the number of pressings of their 2024 record Burnout are still remaining for sale via their bandcamp page is any indicator (spoiler: if you want to buy it you better hurry). Likely a consideration for any critics local best of year end write up, Burnout is a blistering collection of melodic punk pop that draws from both Riot Grrrl as well as late nineties anthemic power punk for inspiration. Stream/purchase the (limited) record here.
Sister Species have been a longstanding local institution led by Emily Kastrul for a number of years now. They are a chamber pop band that incorporate a variety of instruments (notably brass and accordion) to create a multilayered sound. The new record feels rooted in pop, rock, and Americana and it has a (mostly) buoyant, breezy vibe to it that makes for an upbeat listen.
