April News Update

If you missed our Modern Radio Night last month, then you missed out on great music provided by Makr, Teenage Strangler, Andrew Broder and Steve from Moon Glyph but fortunately, May is shortly upon us and we have a great lineup for you.

May 3rd - Modern Radio Night at the Kitty Cat Klub

Littlefoot
Collin Gorman Weiland (of Daughter of the Sun, Camden, Roy Orb D.M.T.)
Plus DJs Makr and Neil Weir

9pm FREE 21+
The mobile Modern Radio store will be there with tons of great records.

The webstore is chocked full of new goodies including the new LP by Is/Is - III. We also have a handful of new Moonglyph titles including the latest LP from Food Pyramid, Buffalo Moon CD, Xander Harris / Dylan Ettinger split 7" and a bunch of new cassettes.

Last and definitely not least, we have thrilling news about a new STNNNG LP. If you have seen STNNNG lately, you know they have been playing a ton of new songs. Well, those songs are recorded and will make up their new record. The band chose to record the new album with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. STNNNG has had the opportunity to play with Albini's Shellac in the past and Steve has referenced the band in past interviews, so its very exciting to have the renowned producer and music legend record their latest opus. The band reports that results were very promising and hopes to master and release a record later this year. We here at Modern Radio can not wait to hear the recording and all about the experience. More on this Albini produced STNNNG record coming soon!

March News Update

Thanks to everyone who came out to the record release show for Jim and the French Vanilla and the first of many Modern Radio nights at the Kitty Cat Klub. If you didn't make it to the release show, you can pick up the record in our webstore, in record stores in the Twin Cities or at future Modern Radio night's at the Kitty Cat Klub. Less than 100 remain so these won't be around forever.

Next month at the Kitty Cat Klub, April 5th Modern Radio Night will include live music by Teenage Strangler and Makr (ex-To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie) as well as DJ sets by Andrew Broder (Cloak Ox, Fog) and Steve from Moonglyph Records. It's free as always and we'll be selling a ton of records from our webstore and beyond.

Since last you heard from us, we've added a bunch of new stuff to the webstore. We have hot new cassette and vinyl releases from Moonglyph Records artists Food Pyramid, Roy Orb D.M.T. (Cole of DOTS), Buffalo Moon, and more. Our friends over at Totally Gross National Prouduct got us stocked up on records including the Cloak Ox Prisen CDEP, and the Marijuana Deathsquads LP. We've added issues of the art and literary magazine Paper Darts, Rodd Keith's My Pipe Yellow Dream from Roaratorio as well as the latest collaboration with Michael Yonkers and the Blind Shake. Keep checking back in. We're constantly adding new stuff.

Finally, we'd like to address a recent change to the availability of our music digitally. Spotify, the online music streaming service has become a staple for discovering and listening to music today. We've decided to opt out and not have our catalog available on Spotify after working with them for the last 6 months. The decision to opt-out of Spotify is neither new nor infrequent. Many labels and artists have done the same in response to Spotify's insultingly low compensation rates. We here at Modern Radio have always made a commitment to making our music available and affordable in a variety of formats. However, the Spotify formula essentially devalues music and greatly reduces our ability to support our artists. We have no problem with making our releases available digitally and have been very proactive in doing so, but Spotify is essentially giving the music away. At some point people have to determine for themselves how much they value the music that they enjoy, because if it is not paid for at some level, artists will stop creating music. Please understand, this is not a CD/record versus digital issue. We are happy to share music on Modern Radio via streaming on our own website. Also, feel free to contact us if you would like a free download sampler of music on our label that is available to order on our webstore. We love the music and community we are connected to and are happy to share the wonderful music that has been created.

February News Update: New Modern Radio Music Night & New Jim and the French Vanilla Record!

We here at Modern Radio have always been fans of what is going on under the surface in the Twin Cities music and creative community. So now we bring to you, every first Thursday of the month at the Kitty Cat Klub, a new, FREE music night to reflect it. We will be booking 1-2 bands (done by midnight) and 1-3 DJs (great musiciams with great taste in music). This is definitely not your typical dance music night. We'll be selling records from our label, webstore, lots of local stuff from Moon Glyph, Learning Curve, Totally Gross National Product, Stand Up! Records, Guilt Ridden Pop, Roaratorio, Doomtree and much much more. Additionally, we'll have select titles that we carry, isted in this thread. We're excited to be able to put these nights together. We're really trying to showcase a lot of what we love about being part of this amazing creative community.

Month 1 / March 1 - will be the release show for Jim and the French Vanilla. For those of you not familiar, Jim and the French Vanilla is the solo project of Jim Blaha of the Blind Shake. His second album, "II" will be released in a very imited pressing of 100. The record includes a digital download card and featurers Jim's cover illustration. The record will be for sale at a reduced price, this night only and again, there are only 100 of these so don't snooze. "II" is a treasure hunt in a dementia ward - surprises all around. Self-recorded by Blaha in his bedroom on cassette four-track, these songs explore the loneliness of discovery and the thrill of misery. The music comes across as stripped down garage rock with haunting distant sounds. Jim with be playing a solo set as well as a rare acoustic performance with Blind Shake bandmates Mike and Dave.

Tom (from Modern Radio, DJ TRL) Chris Besinger (STNNNG) and Pete Biasi (Signal To Trust/TFB) will be playing music throughout the night. 21+ 9PM FREE

2012 News Update

2012, Welcome. According to the Mayans we have about 11 months til it's over - but what the fuck do the Mayans know, they're dead and we're ready for an exciting 13th year.

New Release: We have a new album coming out by Jim and the French Vanilla. You may know Jim from his other kickass band, The Blind Shake, and TBS's collaborations with Michael Yonkers. However, Jim has been making stripped down, garage rock blues on his own for a number of years too. We released Jim's first album Roll Out the Candy in 2009, and this new record has been playing non-stop at Modern Radio headquarters. We're doing a short run of this album on vinyl and will have details about the release date and a release show in the coming weeks.

New Webstore Titles: Our fine-feathered friends from Doomtree and Guilt Ridden Pop provide some excellent new records coming out of the Twin Cities area and we've stocked up for your buying pleasure. Doomtree offers up their newest crew album, No Kings, and the latest album by Dessa called Castor, The Twin. Guilt Ridden Pop hooked us up with three new shiny LPs by the bands Claps, Brief Candles (Milwaukee) and Wizards Are Real. Expect a number of other new titles in the next update from Paper Darts, Roaratorio, and Totally Gross National Product.

Quick note: STNNNG will be playing their last show till at least April (GAH!) this weekend. Check them out during The Deaf's residency at Grumpy's Downtown on Saturday, January 28. Word is they have a ton of new tunes to share and some big plans for the upcoming Spring.

Finally, we'd like to welcome the newest addition to the Modern Radio Family - William "Breadcrumb" Adams. Proud papa Bob (Tornavalanche / Ten Grand / MR web genius) reports that, "he's a rad little guy who loves screaming and sleeping." Well done, sir. I'm sure Modern Radio will be putting out this kid's post-music full-length on brain chip implant in a few years.

2011 in a nutshell

STNNNG flipped their van in a blizzard just days before a show with Mike Watt and survive with only a few bumps and bruises. Expect big things from them in 2012 including the much anticipated collaboration with FT(The Shadow Government). Before the year is done they will be doing a set of AC/DC covers at the Turf Club. If you want blood, you got it! STNNNG kicks off the new year with another great bill on January 7th at the Turf.

Vampire Hands got together for a rare show this past week with all 4 original members. Colin continues to live in Missoula and is working on a number of projects including American Trash band. Chris, Chris and Alex have been quite busy. Chris B. is playing with new bands Polica, Pony Trash (new band with Neil from Chambermaids and Nate of STNNNG) and continues to play out solo on occasion as Invisible Boy. Chris R. has been busy with his own solo project Robust Worlds and Alex is playing with The Chambermaids. The Chris's and Alex nabbed two talented ladies, Molly and Sara, for a new band called Heavy Deeds. Heads ain't ready for how good this band is already.

Daughters of the Sun released a pretty kick ass record earlier this year called Ghost With Chains, which pretty quickly became out of print. Fortunately we still have a couple copies available in the webstore. DOTS will be playing a rare Minneapolis show at the Hexagon Bar - Sunday, January 8 with Heavy Deeds. Word has it that they will be finishing their next masterpiece in January.

In addition to a number of the Twin Cities bands we already talked about, we wanted to mention some other newly formed top notch Twin Cities bands that we enjoy, Bombay Sweets (ex-Selby Tigers, ex-His Mischief) and Cloak Ox (ex-Fog). There's still something in the water around these parts and we want to continue to spread the good word.

Finally, it's been a hell of a year for Doomtree artist SIMS, starting off with the much anticipated and critically acclaimed album Bad Time Zoo. After touring the country several times over and as a mainstay at summer festivals like Soundset and Soundtown, SIMS brought it all back home with another hugely successful, end of year Doomtree Blowout. We were so pleased to be able to help out with Bad Time Zoo and can't wait to see what SIMS has up his sleeve for 2012.

Much thanks goes out to everyone we've worked with and who has helped us out at the label. We've got some exciting things already planned for the new year so stay tuned.

11/17/11 Update

Look, we know we're a few months behind on the news updates. Thanks for not saying anything. Our own guilt was enough to deal with. So let's just look to what is happening in the now.

We continue to expand our webstore, carrying a variety of Minnesota classics and new releases. Just in stock is the new LP by Skoal Kodiak called Kryotonym Bodliak. This record has been a long time in the making and we're so happy that it has finally been released. Also recently available are two timeless slowcore Low records, Secret Name and Long Division. Additional we've restocked Trust, Things We Lost in the Fire and The Great Destroyer. Finally, we'll also have the recently reissued I Could Live in Hope very soon.

If mail order isn't your thing then this event might interest you. Modern Radio will be participating in Co Exhibitions' second annual World (craft) Fair on Saturday, December 10th. We'll be selling records from our entire catalog as well as our extended webstore. We also have a handful of new vinyl of select classic records including T-Rex, Velvet Underground, Superchunk, Spaceman 3, Black Flag and much more! We'll be there all day from 10am-6pm and Admission is FREE! See you there!

Sheridan Fox (His Mischief) has a residency every Wednesday in November at the new Amsterdam Bar in downtown Saint Paul. If you haven't been over to check it out you should. It's a great space and a much needed addition to the area. There's only a couple weeks left so don't miss out.

The Chambermaids have a new digital single available for free download on Bandcamp. They also have a few upcoming shows.
11/18 at the Kitty Cat Club w/ Mother of Fire, Is/Is & Brute Heart
12/17 at Hymie's w/ Is/Is (AA, 6:30-9:30PM)

STNNNG has been working on a colaborative project with FT (The Shadow Government). The bands have finally completed recoding and mixing after 4 years in the works. STNNNG will also be playing the annual winter blowout show at the Turf Club on January 7th w/ Birthday Suits, Blind Shake and Gay Witch Abortion.

Congrats to Robust Worlds and Polica for their inclusion in this year's City Pages "Picked To Click" Best New Bands poll. Robust Worlds is the solo project of Chris Rose (Vampire Hands) and Polica includes the rhythm section of Ben Ivascu (STNNNG) and Chris Beirden (Vampire Hands).

The guys from Vampire Hands also have a new band called Heavy Deeds. The group played their first few shows for a residency at the Turf Club last month and they continue to play shows around the Twin Cities.

That's it for now everyone. Have a good turkey day and you'll hear from us next month.

8/16/11 Update

Ah, another summer month, another step toward winter. What's that? You forgot about winter? Rest assured my fair weather friends, while you're busy complaining about the trials of summer heat, old Jack Frost or Edgar Winter, or whoever it is that pulls the snowy strings, is grinning anxiously waiting to show you what extreme weather is all about. So, no more whining about heat indices and long summer days, lest you be left out in the cold about all the cool shit going on around you.

Speaking of cool shit, your friendly Modern Radio record slangers held court at the annual Pitchfork Music Festival this past month in Chicago. We survived the high 90-degree heat and humidity (okay, maybe a little whining), represented a ton of great Twin Cities labels and bands, and even had an image of our illustrious leader, DJ TRL, captured for all of eternity on the Huffington Post. Yep, that's Tom, looking like a fiery comet of wisdom awash in record seller plaid. For more on the Pitchfork Fest experience, check out MPLS.TV's oh-so-cerebral reportage

So, why should you really care about our Chicago excursion? Because we stocked up on a bunch of sweet records before heading down and the leftovers are all yours, specially priced for newsletter subscribers. Classic LPs from bands like Velvet Underground, T-Rex, Superchunk, Spacemen 3, and Black Flag are still available and all priced to move at just a hair over wholesale. Get at 'em quick though, as supplies are seriously limited. You can check out the full list of stuff on our messageboard and just shoot us an E-mail if anything piques your fancy. If you're outside of the Twin Cities metro and require shipping we can let you know what that amount is as well.

In other news, STNNNG raided Hell's Kitchen recently for their Benefit for a Totaled Van show. The show was well attended and all the bands were great. Reviler's Adam Bubolz was on hand snapping pictures, which are up on their site. The band was also mentioned in a recent interview with Steve Albini as a band he currently enjoys. So check that out as well.

And finally, if you haven't heard, Modern Radio is helping in an effort to bring Mount Eerie to the Cedar Cultural Center this September. You can find more details about it on the Cedar website, but it's actually pretty simple. If you want to see Mount Eerie, pony up early and you can get some nice bonus goodies. It works like a Kickstarter campaign, and as we stand, we're just about ¾ of the way there with only 5 days left to contribute. 

That's it for this month. Stay tuned next month for more news on upcoming releases and much more!

7/13/11 Update

Summer is in full-swing, which means that Modern Radio is preparing to pack up some records, load up the car and head out on the open road on a vision quest to find truth, freedom, and the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. In this news update, we'll be following our spirit animals, a wisecracking owl known as Sims and a street tough grizzly bear with a heart of gold known as STNNNG as they play shows and win hearts in the Twin Cities and beyond. Now, a vision quest is never an easy undertaking, so why not sit back, relax, and follow our summer progress via the more comfortable route of this news update? Just don't forget to fast for two days before reading on, or magical tidings of Pitchfork, STNNNG, Sims and our webstore may not appear.

Pitchfork Fest: We'll be at the CHIRP Record Fair at Pitchfork Music Festival again for the 3rd straight year, selling records from our catalog as well as a ton of other local Twin Cities labels and bands. At the table you will also find us selling a number of classic titles of past and present that we love including T.Rex, Superchunk, Hüsker Dü, Black Flag, Iggy Pop and much much more! The prices on all of these records are nice and easy. We'll be passing out free digital samplers that will include a variety of stuff from the Modern Radio catalog as well as other artists available in our web store.

STNNNG will be playing Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis on August 4th with the Blind Shake and Buildings as a sort of fundraiser to help replace their totaled van. If you haven't heard the van had flipped on the freeway coming back late from a show in southern MN. Everyone is fine, minus some bumps, bruises and well, a operational van. So come by to show your support and let the guys know you're glad they're still alive.

SIMS continues to grab people's attention, racking up accolades and year end list mentions. Star Tribune recently included Bad Time Zoo in its list of the Best Local Albums of 2011 so far. Do yourself a favor and check out the interview/video of Sims where he talks to Buzzine in Austin, TX during SXSW. Doomtree also have a bunch of shows scheduled this Summer including Sims playing solo on August 19 in Somerset, WI for the SoundTown Music & Camping Festival

Webstore: If you've dropped by our web store lately you might have noticed that we've expanded our selection well beyond the Modern Radio catalog. We've been working dilegently to collect work of artists and labels that we enjoy within this community and beyond. Just recently we've added most of the Dark Dark Dark catalog, the new Soft Abuse release by Brute Heart and the latest from Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. We'll be getting new titles in more regularly and will be letting people know of various deals and discounts, so check back periodically.

Finally, if you have signed up for our mailing list recently you might have noticed it is in a slightly different format. It has been a long time coming to get this mailing list / newsletter going. Hopefully you appreciate the new look. We'll be doing our best to bring you regular updates and specials from the web store. So tell your friends to sign up today!

Hope everyone is having a great Summer and if you're going to be in Chicago for Pitchfork Fest this weekend stop by the table and say hi.