The long, pointed whisker stands out sharply from the undulating mass of curious bees beneath the Plexiglas. Next emerges a lonely ear. And finally the whole, unmistakable outline of the tiny skull: a common field mouse. It is completely lacquered in something dark, sticky, and resinous. Just three days earlier, this little skull—not much bigger … Read more
"Log cabins are a dime a dozen,” said Richard Olson, lighting up yet another Marlboro. “We looked at some of those. They were junk. They were put together by amateurs. Some of the logs had separated; you could see right through them. All these trees here, tip some of them on the side, and you’ve … Read more
Minnesota’s climate may not be conducive to driving Vespas, Stellas, Lambredas, and the like, but the local affection for geek-chic certainly is. That’s why Scooter Du, the annual parade and convention for vintage scooter enthusiasts, is such a happening affair. We crashed the party to get pointers on cultivating the look, and found inspiration in … Read more
The autumn moon looks too far away, an amber porch bulb draped in a tattered shroud of moths, all but a handful of stars faded into the weave. Buoyed up on the breath of the lake, frail whispers of wood smoke foretell the winter. Out on Superior the lights of a freighter ride the horizon. … Read more
It’s hard to explain—it was just something I slid into,” said Andy Rempel. He was describing his job as a fashion stylist, which is akin to defining style itself. After all, what is style? Rempel offered an explanation. “I think of it as playing with ideas of what’s appropriate and expected,” he said. “You twist … Read more
Stepping off the light-rail train at Minneapolis’ Midtown/Lake Street station, you’re surrounded by a menagerie of pastel glass panes, seemingly hovering in midair on the elevated platform. For a tiny second, it feels as though you’re exiting the famed El in Chicago, though this station is newer and tidier than any stop on the Loop—the … Read more
The best wedding bands don’t even know the chicken dance, or anything by the Village People. In conjunction with the Minnesota History Center’s “Happily Ever After” exhibit, this year’s outdoor Nine Nights of Music series showcases dream wedding bands playing music from around the world. August’s lineup opens with Piper’s Crow (above), a local Celtic … Read more
A couple of years ago, a scorching bit of celebrity gossip shocked the MPR-listening, granola-eating, prairie grass-planting fans of the contemporary folk scene: Singer-songwriters Greg Brown and Iris DeMent had secretly married. The couple keep their relationship strictly off the record (although once when we called Brown’s Iowa farmhouse, DeMent answered the phone, and we … Read more
With his snarky stage name, a voice you’ve got to learn to love, and a maddening compulsion for jumping genres, Declan McManus has become a pop music icon almost in spite of himself. Why? Because his songcraft, when it jells just right, has yielded some of the best pop of the last several decades. From … Read more
X may have emerged from the trash-strewn bowels of L.A., but it always had its finger on America’s rural music traditions. In fact, this offshoot of the legendary punk band excavated those roots long before MTV Unplugged and O Brother Where Art Thou made it cool to strum acoustic instruments and act like a hick. … Read more