See
more of the story
Gretchen serves 'Pie' Heretofore best known as Grammy-winning singer Aimee Mann's quirky sister, Gretchen Seichrist brazenly steps into her own light on her sophomore disc under the alias Patches & Gretchen, "Sugar Head Pie" -- and it's quite a searing, squint-inducing light at that. Imagine Chrissie Hynde if she were really into barbecue, or Patti Smith if she knew how to make hot dish, and you get an idea of the album's odd charm and meaty power.
Seichrist utilizes her Midwest-mom-of-two personality as an angsty punk-rock weapon while riding with an MVP platoon of local players, including Terry Eason, Rich Mattson, Jacques Wait and David Loy. Together, they cavort around wildly but thoughtfully from full-steam rockers such as "Time of the Lilacs" to the elegant twangathon "Blood Suitcase," and from the boozy Irish howler "I'm Tired of Chicken" (last line: "Die, bitch, die") to the hazy, warped 10-minute freakout finale "Everything Is Indian," which might actually leave you disturbed.
Seichrist hosts an all-star CD party Thursday at the Varsity Theater (8 p.m., $10-$12).
Wapsipi-who?! A band just begging for a decent nickname -- "Wapsi" sounds too "WASP-y," and "Waps" even more racially charged -- Wapsipinicon will celebrate its debut album, "San Geronimo," Saturday at the Kitty Cat Klub (10 p.m., $5).
The moniker comes from a river in Iowa, and its frontman hails from Cloud Cult (and Tapes N' Tapes before that). Bassist Shawn Neary started the group as a solo project and has expanded it to a sextet onstage featuring tunesmith Adam Svec on keys and two Cloud Cult mates, violinist Shannon Frid and drummer Arlen Peiffer. Songs range in style from the Bon Iver-ish "Get Out of My Town" to the proudly Cloud Cult-like triumphant track "Vans on Dupont."
Random mix There's yet another "OK Computer"-copping atmospheric rock band of note in town, the Sextons, who perform Friday at Sauce with Small Cities and These Modern Socks to tout their eponymous debut album (9:30 p.m., $5). Frontman Eric Moeckel -- who played solo around town before starting the band -- sounds a little like Jeff Buckley with his high, wavering voice, but the eerie guitar work and soft-to-loud explosiveness on the quartet's eight-song disc recalls "Bends"/"Computer"-era Radiohead, albeit a bit sleepishly. ...
Vita.mn has named the three finalists of its "Are You Local?" new-ish bands contest: spacey digi-rap duo Bight Club, vaguely Grizzly Bear-ish quintet the Hunting Club and bittersweet folk-pop band Joey Ryan & the Inks. All three play 7th Street Entry on Saturday as part of the First Ave showcase (5:30 p.m., $5-$10). The winning Entry entrant will then go on to play a South by Southwest party with Solid Gold and the other main-room participants. ...
Jeremy Messersmith, who also is playing Saturday's Vita.mn showcase, was at First Ave last weekend for the Electric Fetus benefit. He debuted a new quartet lineup in which he mostly played bass -- a McCartney-style Hofner bass, no less, which fit the pleasantly Beatlesy songs from the new album he hopes to have out by summer. ... Solid Gold hosted this past week's episode of "Subterranean" on MTV2, hyping the March 16 physical release of its "Synchronize EP." Release parties are Friday and Saturday at the Turf Club (9 p.m., $12). ...
Mid-'00s punk darlings the Soviettes have set a March 19 reunion gig at the Turf Club. ... March 20 will see the debut of BNLX, Polara leader Ed Ackerson's first-ever band with his Mood Swings-fronting wife Ashley Ackerson, issuing a debut EP at Sauce. ... The Birthday Suits just hit the road for a tour behind their long-awaited second full-length album, "The Minnesota: Mouth to Mouth," winding up at SXSW before a March 27 party at the Turf. ...
Eschewing its charming old-hippie reputation, the Cedar Cultural Center -- of all venues -- is the first local venue I know to create its own iPhone app, now available for free at Apple's iTunes store. The so-called "Cedar App" features show info, video and sound clips, a monthly newsletter and even a way to buy tickets. When you can use an iPhone to order a beer in a club, then maybe I'll finally break down and bite the Apple price tag.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
