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We were relieved to discover that the atrocious buzz about Liz Phair’s attempt at pop starletry was too harsh. Only some of the new record is cringingly awful. A self-imposed exile from Exile in Guyville, her celebrated debut three albums ago, and a move toward slick pop is not necessarily wrongheaded—why should the field be … Read more

Oh sure, you remember “Fast Car,” the strummy singalong that launched Chapman in 1988 from the subway stations of Boston to MTV and beyond. But she’s had five albums since then, mostly working below the radar—the natural result, perhaps, of someone who helped usher in the now-dated era of the politically correct college-radio singer-songwriter. New … Read more

Pure pop for now people, 2003 edition. The New Pornographers’ Electric Version is even better than their much-talked-about 2000 debut Mass Romantic—it’s easily the catchiest album we’ve run across all year, a sunny, soaring mix of harmonies and jangly chords that has more hooks than the state fishing opener. The Vancouver indie-rock supergroup—which takes its … Read more

Normally, we’re kind of cynical about pop sensations like Norah Jones, and honestly if we hear “Don’t Know Why” on the radio one more time, we’ll throw the infernal device out the window. (But we don’t hold it against her, we hold it against computerized program directors at computerized radio stations. Beethoven’s Ninth would drive … Read more

Call him the Baryshnikov of North Indian dance. Still going strong well into his 60s, Birju Maharaj has been called the greatest living exponent of the kathak tradition, a family torch he took on from his father and uncles, all famous dancers themselves. He’s also an accomplished singer and drummer. His O’Shaughnessy visit, part of … Read more

Call him the Baryshnikov of—no, wait, this really is Mikhail Baryshnikov, the most famous ballet dancer in the world, and, in his prime, possibly the greatest. In recent years, the Russian expatriate has moved into modern dance—leading to inevitable (and weakly founded) whisperings that he’s too old for ballet. Choreographers have always clamored to work … Read more

Three decades of existence is long enough for any art space to be proud of, and Groveland takes a well-deserved bow with this 30-artist showcase featuring many of the gallery’s longtime favorites. Much of the work on display is recent, but there are several notable pieces that go back even before Groveland existed, including a … Read more

It was noted art critic Jack Handey who first noticed the relationship between boxing and fine art, describing it as “like a ballet, except there’s no music, no choreography and the dancers hit each other.” Except Handey’s not an art critic, he’s the guy who wrote “Deep Thoughts” for Saturday Night Live. Boxing and art … Read more

On the edge of an industrial zone in southeast Minneapolis, the Rogue Buddha’s found success off the beaten path, recently adding an extra 400-square-foot gallery space in its basement. Owner and artist Nicholas Harper makes a concerted effort to keep things from getting into a rut, displaying his most edgy and avant-garde artists next to … Read more

Like the titular vamp of this summer’s production, the Showboat’s enjoying a new life after death, now in its second season in a new St. Paul barge built after the old one was destroyed in a devastating fire. Written and directed by longtime Showboat skipper Charles Nolte, Dracula matches the U of M theater’s traditionally … Read more