The death of Prince last year has brought about a new appreciation for Minnesota Musicians/Bands. Our state, while sometimes ridiculed for our accents and excessive cold, has an amazing indie music scene. As one of the most hipster cities ever (that’s not a fact, just an opinion) we have no shortage of obscure bands such as Husker Du, The Replacements, and The Suburbs. Haven’t heard of them? You’re not alone. The above-listed bands are slightly older, and out of the common millennial’s orbit. Below, I’ll get into some of my personal favorite and more recent Minnesota acts, and recommend a couple of tracks to give you just a taste of their awesomeness.
Atmosphere – 1989-Present
Atmosphere consists of two people: Slug (Sean Daley) and Ant (Anthony Davis). So far they have 8 studio albums and 10 EPs. Slug has a tendency to rap about past relationships, the hip-hop industry, and feelings regarding his father and son. Lots of the tracks deal with introspection as well. Fun fact: Throughout the years, Slug’s personal growth has led to him refuse to perform some older songs because he felt that he was not that person anymore.
Recommended tracks:
-Fuck You Lucy – An awesome song about the mythical “Lucy Ford” who is not a singular person, but is said to represent past girlfriends, relationships, and alcoholism, her name being a play on Lucifer.
-Shhh – A song about how much Slug and Ant love Minnesota.
-Always Coming Back Home to You – One of my very favorite Atmosphere songs, he discusses his life, his childhood, and his city.
Flickron City Soundtrack – 1997-2016
One of Minnesota’s own “pop punk” or “emo” bands, signed primarily to Epitaph Records with 6 studio albums under their belt. The band writes about topics ranging from relationships to mental health. They’re popular amongst teens, young adults, and adults alike. Similar to bands like Relient K and Blink-182.
Recommended tracks:
LG FUAD (Let’s get fucked up and die)
Everything is Alright
Broken Heart – My personal favorite
from Keith Barker on Flickr
Lizzo – 2012 – Present
I can’t say enough about Lizzo. Her real name is Melissa Jefferson and she is an alternative hip-hop and pop artist. She is a founding member of a bunch of indie hip-hop groups such as Chalice and Grrrl PPrty. She won the “Picked to Click” award for best new Twin Citie’s artist in 2013 and performed on the Late Show with David Letterman. She sings about woman power, body confidence, and injustice in the world. Beyoncé better watch out.
Recommended tracks:
Good as Hell -My getting ready in the morning song
Worship
Scuse Me
from Alt Sounds on flickr
Hippo Campus – 2013 – Present
Named Rolling Stone’s best newcomers of 2015, Hippo Campus is an adorable indie band of guys from St. Paul. Signed to albums in the U.S. and the U.K., Hippo Campus has only been around for 3 years and already played at South by Southwest, Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds, and on Conan. Their last handful of shows in Minneapolis have sold out incredibly fast, to the point of them planning two shows in March in an attempt to satisfy their hometown fans. They have opened for bands such as My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse, The Mowgli’s, and Walk the Moon, big names in the indie rock scene.
Recommended tracks:
Violet
Dollar Bill
Buttercup – From their Album Landmarks that came out February 24th of this year, my current favorite.
from WFUZ Public Radio on Flickr
Trampled by Turtles
Trampled by Turtles is a bluegrass band from Duluth with 8 studio albums, three of which reached number one spots on the US billboard chart. One of their albums, Palomino even reached top 10 on the bluegrass charts for an entire year. Their sound has been praised all across the country and leads to them playing festivals like Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bumbershoot, and Pickathon with two appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman.
Recommended tracks:
Wild Animals – My personal favorite
Victory
Where is My Mind? – A bluegrass cover of the famous song by the Pixies
Minnesota is an amazing state full of culture and life. The above mentioned are just a couple of the amazing musical acts that we have here and I wholeheartedly encourage you to go out and listen to some more.