Sarah Selects

FAVORITE LOCAL RELEASES OF 2021

The pandemic forced us all to confront our thoughts and emotions in a way we otherwise would not have. Within those moments of introspection and isolation, some people rose to the occasion: making bread, getting a Peloton or an air fryer, or making music. In 2021, we saw musicians calling it quits, calling out injustice, and dialing it in, exploring new genres and creating whole new projects. This past year was the time to throw caution to the wind and hold tight to whatever creativity and joy there was to be had. The albums I gravitated toward spoke to that. They saw my anger, they held my sadness, my loneliness and desperation for a connection that wasn’t through a screen. They made me hopeful, they shook their fi sts with me in rage, they made me laugh and they helped me cope with this view looking inward. Minnesota is incredibly rich with talent in every genre and these albums only touch the surface of what’s out there.

KISS THE TIGER - “VICIOUS KID”

It’s easy to see why Kiss The Tiger made fast work of getting noticed. From the moment they stepped onto the local scene in 2016 they’ve been turning out accolades (City Pages Picked To Click, Star Tribune’s Best New Bands, The Current’s Chart Show etc), landing on every it-list and gaining scores of fans with their distinctive nods to classic rock ‘n roll for the modern ear. Electric lead singer Meghan Kreidler brings irresistible swagger and energy to every performance, big and small. Their third album “Vicious Kid” fi nds the band bringing loud drums, swinging guitars and Meghan’s signature serenades and fi erce growls. They tackle issues of feminism both playfully (“Who Does Her Hair?”) and with depth (“Grown Ass Woman”). They don’t take themselves too seriously (“Dinosaur Song”); every track is more addicting than the last. Vicious Kid was on repeat in my car for weeks and I bet it’ll be the same for you.

HUMBIRD - “STILL LIFE”

Siri Undlin and her trio, Humbird, spent the summer playing songs with a round robin of various surprise guests; telling folktales in backyards all over the Twin Cities and beyond. At the peak of lock down, she wrote “On The Day We Are Together Again”, a beautiful tune sketched in the imprint of a spiritual and likens to “Amazing Grace”, it gives hope for a postpandemic future with endless hugs and taco truck visits. “Still Life” paints a portrait of anything but life standing still, but rather windows into it. Her songs are tender, capturing meaning in moments we often take for granted. Siri’s voice is clear and captivating as it winds and weaves through her beautiful observations of the human condition. There’s an unmistakable soulfulness and sincerity that comes through in her singing that will move you to the core.

LANUE - “LANUE”

Lanue’s music is a soft, slightly sticky summer breeze at the water’s edge. It’s the feeling of your toes in the sand when the lightest waves hit your ankles. It’s your favorite gauzy summer dress, damp on the edges from dancing in the tide. It’s the way someone looks at you right after a really good kiss. Lanue is Sarah Krueger, who previously released music under that moniker but decided to start anew with a cast of well-known Twin Cities folks: J.T Bates, Erik Koskinen, Sean Carey (Bon Iver) and Ryan Young (Trampled By Turtles), to name a few. These tunes are warm and inviting, with an air of old-fashioned nostalgia. Listening is like fl ipping through old polaroid pictures of a summer road trip. Sarah’s voice is a strong dark tea, warming you in soft subtle notes of fl avor while piano and pedal steel melt around her. The whole album is pure comfort.

ELSKA - “ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS”

“On The Shoulders Of Giants” takes a running leap with the title track, a powerful statement on the strength of women. From there starts a series of storytelling songs, each one expertly formulated with stylized ascents, a piano that splits time between lush and bouncy. ELSKA (Old Norse word meaning to hold something dear, to love fi ercely) is the name adopted by singer Elsa Lee. Together with her creative partner, Owen Santori, Lee has created a sound that embodies the crisp coolness of winter with little nods to modern pop. A classically trained musician, it’s clear that Lee has been thoughtful and intentional about every piano key, every harmony and strum of the guitar. The resulting sound is beautifully full and polished, cinematic at times. Her songwriting highlights the experience of being female and it’s clear she’s passionate about her music refl ecting the times, like in“Last Tree On Earth”, a call-to-action for climate change. For ELSKA to have a debut album this strong makes her one to keep your eye on.

ANNIE MACK - “TESTIFY”

There is no age limit or requirement to enjoy the music of Annie Mack. It’s solid rhythm-andblues medicine, familiar as an old childhood friend. She delivers every line with conviction and ease. The fi ve tracks on her EP “Testify” refl ect the story of a woman who has come into herself, recognizes where she may have debts to pay but at the end of the day, she straightens her crown and gets on with it. On “Shadows Of A Kingdom” she sings “It ain’t easy being queen in the shadows of a kingdom trying to turn water to wine” which is a feeling I think every mom in a pandemic can relate to. Every line Annie sings is delivered with soul and a been-through-it wisdom. She is our own local Yola, just as powerful solo as she is with a band — and not to be missed if you can catch her live.

AMANDA GRACE - “PLEASE

DEAR SUN”

Amanda Grace doesn’t follow rules. She’s not here to fi t into anyone’s tiny box or musical cage. When it comes to songwriting, she lets the music lead her to water. It did not steer her wrong here. Recorded at her home during the pandemic by sending fi les back and forth with her band, “Please Dear Sun” was the pandemic album I didn’t know I needed. Her voice is smooth and velvety, and these songs fi nd her vulnerable and forthright. These songs bleed 90s nostalgia and are reminiscent of Joan Osborne, Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morrisette.

UNDER VIOLET -

“THREES”

Under Violet is an indie folk coloring book that comes with John Prine’s markers. Lead singer Sara Bischoff’s voice is one part Dolly Parton and two parts Mazzy Star: breathy, semi-sweet with a hint of twang. She sings with a cool nonchalant-ness that would make Phoebe Bridgers smile. She’s backed by Chris Bierden (Polica), Jeremy Ylvisaker and Mike Gunvalson. Together they created a genius, tiny niche of irresistible indie tunes.

VIAL - “LOUDMOUTH”

LOUDMOUTH is indie punk for feminists and equality seekers who think they’re not into indie punk. It’s the album you need for every time you get mansplained. It’s high octane, hella fun, boastful energy that will make you hate the proverbial antagonist who, from where I stand, is a cis-man (perhaps maybe even all cis-men?) but you can envision them as you like. The songs are loud and raucous, smart and seething. Once you board the LOUDMOUTH train, you will not want to get off. Every stop is another piece of the puzzle, another person who needs a punch in the face. When they’re not wailing and riling, they also excel at the slower moments on the album, e.g. “Thumbs” a song about a romantic situation not coming to fruition. 