Psst ... Jeremy Messersmith in Duluth Wednesday!

So sayeth my MySpace inbox: I'm playing a show in Duluth tomorrow night if you are bored and have nothing else to do on a Wednesday night. :)

12/03/2008 09:00 PM - U of Minnesota-Duluth with Greycoats - All Ages UMD Kirby CenterDuluth, Minnesota 55805Cost: $5 for non students- free for students Description:http://www.d.umn.edu/kirby/

To celebrate the occasion, I'll ... shamelessly plug my reviews of Jeremy's last two albums. I know I do that a lot, but it'll help you brush up on your Messersmith and, if undecided, help you realize why the trip to UMD will be a worthy one.

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Jeremy Messersmith builds on success of ‘The Alcatraz Kid’

When “The Alcatraz Kid” came out, I said, “Melancholy has a new best friend forever in Jeremy Messersmith.” I may have spoken too soon.

While its follow-up, “The Silver City,” isn’t like an I’m-having-so-much-fun-surfing-I-could-hurl early Beach Boys record or anything, there’s at least a glimmer of sunshine that wasn’t present two years ago.

For instance, when the Twin Cities popsmith expounds upon hell on Earth in “Welcome to Suburbia” — as in, actually living in suburbia — he does it in such an epic and catchy way that you almost want to reconsider living in a place as special as Duluth. Almost.

Much of this newfound pop love can probably be credited to the man behind the boards, producer Dan Wilson. He’s the Trip Shakespeare/Semisonic frontman who, weirdly enough (see previous review), also transformed underappreciated folk duo Storyhill into a Jayhawks-rivaling phenomenon on 2006’s “Storyhill.”

Everything that made “Alcatraz” such a revelation — namely Messersmith’s fascination with the late great Elliott Smith’s skill set (see “Franklin Avenue”) — is still present on “The Silver City,” but there’s an extra layer of polish that will help the troubadour reach greater audiences. Again, a la Storyhill.

Like Aaron Espe’s “Songs From a Small Town,” this concept album about getting around Minneapolis* isn’t something you’ll want to pass up at the local record store.

*As far as I can tell. My reasoning: Interludes include recordings from the city’s light rail system, and there’s even a cover of the Replacements classic “Skyway.”

This review of "The Silver City" originally appeared in the Sept. 21, 2008, issue of the Duluth Budgeteer News. Written by me, Matthew R. Perrine.

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Messersmith proves himself as Minneapolis’ next great singer/songwriter

Melancholy has a new best friend forever in Jeremy Messersmith.

Although he probably wasn’t attempting to record an anti-Mason Jennings album, that’s exactly what “The Alcatraz Kid” is. While both singer/songwriters operate out of the Twin Cities, two very different — and two very real — outcomes emerge when they commit their lives to tape. Jennings is happy in love, soaking in the sun (even when he’s trying to hide it) while Messersmith is left beaten down and brokenhearted.

More akin to select Pacific Northwest troubadours, Messersmith’s songs run rampant with loneliness and self-medication. The aptly titled “Novocain” may start out with some powerful acoustic strumming that seems uplifting enough, but the lyrics quickly remind listeners who’s between their ears: “I need a shot of Novocain / To numb my heart / Could you pass me the bottle? / Make it something hard.”

Similarly, the album’s most contagious rock chords (found on “Great Times”) are slightly dampered by lines like “If I had a slightly better job / Would it make you proud of me?”

It’s not to say that Messersmith isn’t entitled to write complete downers, but one definitely has to be in that kind of mood to fully appreciate this album’s stark intricacies.

Even in the quietest moments, though, the songs still shine. Messersmith, sounding eerily like Paul Westerberg on the Replacements’ “Skyway,” is both poignant and poetic, accompanied by not much more than his gentle acoustic strumming on “Day Job.”

And while much of “The Alcatraz Kid” plays to those subdued pop tendencies, traces of the Beach Boys’ grandeur masterpiece “Pet Sounds” can be heard on the album’s closer, “Old Skin.” While not necessarily upbeat by any means, scattered thoughts about growing old with a loved one quietly run together, culminating with the repetition of the words “I’ll love your old skin.”

Taken at face value, that line doesn’t scream “play me at your next wedding anniversary,” but, given the 10 oft-dreary tracks that preceded it, the fact that Messersmith may hold the 21st century’s answer to the Beatles’ “When I’m Sixty-Four” is only further compounded. It’s incredibly endearing and, most important of all, it gives the album a heart for listeners to hang onto.

While we’ll still turn to Jennings for that eternal glee and untarnished optimism, it’s good to know that we can listen to Messersmith for more than a sharp comedown.

This review of "The Alcatraz Kid" originally appeared in the Oct. 8, 2006, issue of the Duluth Budgeteer News. Written by me, Matthew R. Perrine.

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~Image of Jeremy courtesy Darin Back

Storyhill does Duluth AGAIN (FROM THE ARCHIVES)

In honor of Storyhill's upcoming performance at the College of St. Scholastica (7:30 p.m. / April 10 / Somers Lounge / FREE), I thought I'd resurrect my coverage of this terrific folk rock duo to date:

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Concert Review: Storyhill does Duluth, or: Weber’s $10M price tag finally pays off

Matthew R. Perrine
Budgeteer News - 10/21/2007

“I was sleeping” … with those three words, Storyhill launched into what may very well be the ultimate Weber Music Hall performance.

If nothing else, the Bozeman, Mont., duo’s 20-song set last Thursday at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s nearly $10 million concert hall was an essential concertgoing experience — and deserves to be dissected by, at the very least, a self-described music geek/obsessive fanboy.

If ever there were a perfect match for the unreal acoustics at Weber, it would be Storyhill.

Harmony-wise, these Montana boys can’t be beat. What they accomplish with only their acoustic guitars and golden voices puts every other duo to shame and, lyrically, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone offended by Storyhill’s songs about rivers, streams and crisp mountain air. (Although, it should be noted, “Wow, this is probably the edgiest group Weber has ever hosted” was my favorite joke of the night ... my dad laughed, but I’m sure he was just being nice.)

So, now that I’ve effectively showcased how gaga I get whenever there’s even the slightest mention of Storyhill, let’s get on to the show.

From the opener “Somewhere in Between” (from 1995’s “Clearing”), the group tackled a few more “golden oldies,” “New Year’s” and “Good Rain” — essentially easing longtime fans into a set that leaned heavily on material from last year’s self-titled album.

This is important to note, as “Storyhill” marked a significantly brighter approach to songwriting for Chris Cunningham and Johnny Hermanson. (Within the confines of Storyhill, that is. Hermanson, in particular, has been known to write They Might Be Giants-worthy tracks like “80s Party” when he’s going it alone.)

It’s not that Storyhill’s back catalog isn’t without its fair share of upbeat tunes — “Loose Summer Clothes” and “Worst Enemy” quickly come to mind — but those don’t seem to be played as much anymore.

And, while I can’t speak for those aforementioned Storyhill lifers (as “Storyhill” was my introduction to the band), I found the newer material to be the night’s undisputed highlights.

For me, perennial fan favorites like “Old Sea Captain” and “Mary on the Mountain” paled in comparison to the robust, Jayhawks-esque newbies like “Blazing Out of Sight” and “Happy Man.” In fact, when those two were played back to back, I distinctly recalled the words I chose to open my review of “Storyhill” last fall: “It takes less than a minute to fall in love with Storyhill.”

In addition to the memorable performances, Cunningham and Hermanson also filled the night with some surprisingly memorable onstage banter. They were as jovial as ever — Cunningham kept referring to the venue’s audio technician as “sound buddy,” and Hermanson quipped that ex-girlfriends are his biggest source of inspiration – but it was Cunningham who really drove it home.

As a way to introduce the heart-wrenching “Paradise Lost,” which examines how overdevelopment is destroying the green spaces we all enjoyed as kids, he made a few choice comments about Duluth’s Beacon Point Condominiums.

While the songwriter didn’t want to get “too negative” or start a political debate, he struck a raw nerve with yours truly: If a musician that only passes through town two or three times a year notices what a public blight Duluth has on its hands, why isn’t more being done to protect our city’s treasured assets?

Other than those few offhanded comments — which were, more than anything, just brief departures back into reality — the group moved seamlessly from one flawlessly orchestrated arrangement to the next.

There were also a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Hermanson previewed a new song (“Better Angels”); the group resurrected “Full Circle” from Cunningham’s Sixth Sense days and, in an encore that would incorporate “If I Could,” “Stillwater” and “Steady On,” the group asked the audience if there was anything else they wanted to hear.

That easy-going nature, and the magic that is the Storyhill canon — combined with the unbeatable sound environment at Weber, of course — made for quite the night.

The set list for Storyhill's performance at Weber Music Hall is available at www.areavoices.com/mperrine (on Matthew R. Perrine's blog, "Fly High, Duluth!").

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This concert review originally appeared in the Oct. 21, 2007, issue of the Duluth Budgeteer News. It can be found on the paper's Web site at www.duluthbudgeteer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=20994. (Image cutline: Storyhill’s Chris Cunningham and Johnny Hermanson. Matthew R. Perrine/Budgeteer News.)

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Saturday, October 14, 2006

CD Reviews: The folkies are in full bloom

Matthew R. Perrine
Budgeteer News - 10/15/2006

It takes less than a minute to fall in love with Storyhill. Forty-eight seconds into “Give Up the Ghost,” the lead-off track on the duo’s new self-titled release, it becomes painfully obvious that these guys aren’t just the pride of Bozeman, but of the entire state of Montana.

Trading folk and rock passages back and forth a la early records by the Jayhawks, Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson have crafted a timeless sound. Supercharged by the production of Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, though, and the two have crafted a timeless sound that won’t go unnoticed.

So much so, in fact, that the group is currently contending major distribution offers. In consequence, this brilliant self-released gem will only be available at their shows until they’re officially superstars.

Storyhill will perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, at the Scottish Rite Temple. Justin Roth opens. Cost is $17 ($12 for students). For details, visit www.storyhill.com.

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Leaning more on the adult contemporary side of the folk spectrum, Edie Carey dangerously walks the line between schmaltz and authenticity.

That’s not to say that the songs on her latest album, “Another Kind of Fire,” should immediately be disregarded, but songs like “Hollywood Ending” could easily provide the soundtrack to a delicate, slow-moving crane shot in any given teen drama — in early a.m. glow, no less.

In fact, “sentimental” is a word that doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling Carey chases. Too harsh? Hardly. The album’s liner notes include special thanks for “soft beds, hot meals, babies for the holding and late-night chats” — this music is only for the faint of heart.

Edie Carey will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, at Beaner’s Central. Rachael Kilgour is also on the bill. Cost is $8. For details, visit www.ediecarey.com.

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Even in her quietest moments, Chris Pureka exudes a magnificent presence.

“Dryland,” her follow-up to 2004’s “Driving North,” presents another journey onto itself. While “Intro” may flow like a gentle stream, it belies the fact that this isn’t just another delicate folk record. It’s more than that; it’s rustic because, like Pureka’s voice, the songs are a little rough around the edges.

Following an entrenching cover of Gillian Welch’s “Everything is Free,” “Compass Rose” is really this album’s shining hour. Wrapped around some curious guitar noodling, upright bass, banjo and fiddle coalesce to lead listeners back to a different time.

Somewhere this song should be playing on a midnight train rolling across moonlit rolling hills in the high plains of Wyoming. One can only imagine that, if Charlie Parr was listening right now, he’d be smiling.

Chris Pureka will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at Carmody’s Irish Pub. Jerree Small will also perform. No cost. For details, visit www.chrispureka.com.

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These reviews originally appeared in the Oct. 15, 2006, issue of the Duluth Budgeteer News. They can be found on the paper's Web site at www.duluthbudgeteer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=19044.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Megastardom 101: A Blue Man breaks his silence

To celebrate the Blue Man Group's encore performance April 22 at the DECC, I've decided to resurrect the feature I did for the group's last go-round in Duluth. Enjoy!

Megastardom 101: A Blue Man breaks his silence
Matthew R. Perrine
Budgeteer News - 03/16/2007

What does megastardom take? Well, for three New Yorkers, it started with an ample supply of black clothing, latex “bald” caps, blue grease paint and the ability to keep mum. (But just at work.)

Since its inception in the ’80s, Blue Man Group has grown into a worldwide institution, spawning shows in five countries and employing more than 50 of the blue guys — not to mention entertaining fans of all ages with a number of highly acclaimed albums, videos, rock tours, products (including children’s instruments) and television appearances.

Matthew Banks, a “second-wave” Blue Man, explains how it all works.

“The creators, the founders of the company, are always involved in the opening of a show,” he said, referring to the original trio of Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. “They still write material. They still direct. They just don’t perform regularly in the shows anymore.”

Banks, a mainstay at the group’s show at the Venetian in Las Vegas, is out on the road for How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.0. When the Budgeteer caught up with him, he was in “sunny as all get-out” Columbus, Ga.

“We are forbidden to speak,” he said of the group’s in-costume rules of engagement. “The Blue Man says a lot without speaking. He’s very involved — very, very engaged — in what is happening around him.”

Throughout the phone conversation with Banks, he added a number of items to the “how to be a megastar” checklist above, including physical endurance and, well …

“I had to catch things in my mouth — that were thrown at me from about 15 feet away — for half an hour every day for six weeks,” he said of the extensive training sessions he had to endure in New York City before he could join the elite army of blue.

Banks also had to return to drumming, something he had “kind of let go” since his high school days.

“Within each piece, I would learn about the character and his drumming style. Because it’s not just like regular drumming; it’s a little more primal … beastly,” he said, laughing.

Banks was living in his native Toronto in ’98 when the Blue Man Group rolled into town seeking new members. He hadn’t heard of the group, but he knew he fit the bill, so he showed up.

“A friend of mine said, ‘They want a drummer, an actor and you have to be six feet tall, so you should go to that (audition),’” Banks said. “I was like, ‘Right on.’ I didn’t even know it was going to be a paying job or anything.”

After the training workshops in New York, he performed a year’s worth of dates before moving to Las Vegas, where Blue Man Group set up its flagship show at Luxor. (The group would eventually move to the Venetian in late 2005 after the resort, as Banks explains, “totally redid a huge section of its property and made it our theater.”)

Although he didn’t like it at first — “I kept on telling myself, Nothing should be here. This is a desert.” — after seven years, the city is finally starting to grow on him.

“I have a cat,” he said, laughing. “It’s a simple, peaceful life out in the suburbs.”

Banks also said he enjoys the fact that he can take off his makeup and not be recognized outside of work.

“The only hindrance is when I tell people I am a Blue Man,” he said, “and they don’t believe me.”

‘Your attention please’

How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.0, which will bring Blue Man Group to the DECC March 28, is an extension of the group’s 2003 tour in support of its star-studded rock album, “The Complex.”

“There’s a lot more supporting material (in the new tour) that goes along with the theme of what it takes to put on a rock concert,” Banks said, “and what the ingredients are for becoming — and sustaining — megastardom.”

According to the tour’s Web site, www.howtobeamegastar.com, Banks and company will “celebrate, skewer and otherwise deconstruct rock stardom in all of its narcissistic glory” through a satirical workshop.

Opening up for the group — and joining them onstage for “Your Attention” — is DJ, turntablist and video scratcher Mike Relm.

The group hand-selected the artist after catching some of his live clips on YouTube.

Relm, who has done some remixes for Adult Swim and will appear at the Coachella festival next month, utilizes emerging DVDJ technology to spin, scratch and mix video clips alongside his records.

For more info about the show, check out www.blueman.com or www.mikerelm.com.

News to Use
The Blue Man Group will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 28 at the DECC. DJ, turntablist and video scratcher Mike Relm opens. Cost is $49.50 or $75. For tickets, call 727-2121 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

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This article was originally published in the Duluth Budgeteer News on March 18, 2007. It can be found on the Budgeteer's Web site at www.duluthbudgeteer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=19781.