Music Posts

Trampled by Turtles – “Our Town”

Another new song from the upcoming Trampled by Turtles EP Sigourney Fever, available Dec 6. The album features five cover songs; “Our Town” is an Iris DeMent cover.

Video by Mitch Peterson; photos by Banjo Dave Carroll.

Dylan Thomas – “Duluth Street”

It’s not easy to find reliable information online about musician Dylan Thomas, since he shares the name of a famous Welsh poet. But what seems to be the case is that in 2007 Thomas released the album Pieces of an Overhead View, featuring a song with Duluth in the title and the lyrics.

FeMN Fest scaling down before ramping up

Last year’s FeMN Fest organization team was made up of Diona Johnson, Jesse Dykhuis, Abigail Mlinar, Brittany Lind, McKenzie Howe and Melissa La Tour. Photo by Jes at Mad Chicken Studio.

Since 2017 “a team of womxn-identified bosses” have brought “an unapologetically feminist festival” to Duluth. In its first two years FeMN Fest featured womxn-lead music, art, workshops and vendors. The third annual event on Friday, Nov. 15, at Pizza Lucé is a scaled-down version featuring three musical acts: Me-N-Her, One Less Guest and Wild Flower.

Video Archive: Average Sun – “Good Night”

A 1997 video from Duluth band Average Sun for a track from the album Light and Shadow. Band members included Andrew and Scott Hauswirth, Bill Nelson and Griffin Vittone. The group was formed around 1994.

Vittone and Scott Hauswirth continued on into the next millennium with a revamped version of the band that included keyboardist Tim Shepard. By 2003 the group consisted of Hauswirth as the lone original member, joined by guitarist Corwin Pederson, bassist Ethan Thompson and drummer Chad Hulter.

Jim Hall chases time after five decades on stage

Jim Hall played a Halloween party at the Duluth Owls Club last month. On Saturday, he’s playing at Sacred Heart Music Center, a celebration of his 50 years on stage in the region.

Those familiar with the music of Jim Hall over the years would be right to do a double take when they hear one of his sets these days. The already basso troubadour has kicked his voice into even lower gear, and with a growl. That’s how Hall has been fighting an alarming and mysterious change in his vocal chords earlier this year. Even his talking voice changed.

The Richardson Brothers Podcast: Charlotte Montgomery interviewed by Jim Richardson

The first of a projected series of Duluth music scene interviews. Jim Richardson interviews the multi-talented Charlotte Montgomery: solo singer-songwriter, member of the band Red Mountain, and dancer in the Duluth Dolls. This interview features a performance of one of Charlotte’s original songs – “West” – and it is a barn-burner. Charlotte is leaving town after eight years; her farewell performance was at Blacklist Brewing, Saturday Nov. 9 at 8 p.m.

Dave Mehling – “Big Time Sadness”

Duluth native Dave Mehling has a new album on the way — Beach Boy. Here’s the video by Ben Abrahamson for the first single.

Emily Haavik & the 35s – “Take Me to the City”

Duluth native turned (Twin) city girl Emily Haavik has a new video, produced by AMPonStage, featuring a new song recorded at Underwood Recording studios in Minneapolis. The video also features another Duluth native, Dave Mehling, on guitar.

Haavik is opening for Matthew Mayfield at First Avenue’s 7th St Entry on Dec. 10.

Trampled by Turtles – “Fake Plastic Trees”

Trampled by Turtles tackle a Radiohead cover.

From Sigourney Fever, a Trampled by Turtles EP of covers, available Dec. 6.

Track list:
1. “Pocahontas” (Neil Young)
2. “Ooh La La” (Faces)
3. “Our Town” (Iris DeMent)
4. “Keep Me in Your Heart” (Warren Zevon)
5. “Fake Plastic Trees” (Radiohead)

Darling Drive – “At a Loss”

Darling Drive, the solo acoustic music project of Enrique Aguilar, released the song “At a Loss” on the 2014 album Shipwrecked. The song mentions Duluth, and depending on how one interprets it there might also be a reference to the city of Superior or Lake Superior.

Wild, a spoken-word musical tribute to weasels, inspired by an encounter in Chester Park

A celebration of the weasel family (mustelids) inspired by an encounter I had with a least weasel in the deep woods portions of Chester Park Ravine, which led to a re-reading of Annie Dillard’s essay, “Living Like Weasels.”

Atmosphere – “Say Shh …”

Minneapolis-based hip-hop outfit Atmosphere name-drops Duluth in a hidden track on its 2003 studio album Seven’s Travels.

“Duluth’s Song” by Charlotte Montgomery

Charlotte Montgomery, one of Duluth’s most inimitable singer-songwriters, is moving away. This also means the band Red Mountain is losing a vocalist. She has left us with this new song, a perfect example of her haunting sound.

You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Shot and recorded by Mikayla Haynes of Clyde Fox Creative.

Bullet – “Duluth Blues”

From the 1975 soundtrack album to the TV series The Hanged Man comes the short instrumental piece “Duluth Blues.” The band Bullet was a collection of session players assembled in Germany to play the soundtrack music composed by Alan Tew.

The Autumn Leaves – “Back to Me”

Minneapolis band the Autumn Leaves released the song “Back to Me” on the 2008 album Long Lost Friend. Duluth lands in the lyrics at the 1:26 mark.

The photographs we took in the photo booth
The trips we planned to take up near Duluth