Minnesota. It’s a pretty cool place. I’ll be spending the next three weeks of my life in this wonderful state, at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. I’ll be participating in the college’s world famous Summer Writing Program, so hopefully the new writing methods and techniques that I’ll be learning will help improve this steaming pile of crap that I call a blog.
I figured, “hey, I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in the land of 10,000 lakes, I should tie this back to Swole Ear.” What you’re reading is the first post in a series of seven in what I will be calling “Minnesota Week.” Creative, right? One week, all bands/artists that formed in the state of Minnesota. Hey, I have to write about something.
The first Minnesotan band that I listened to is The Replacements. My dad suggested that I check them out after I played him some of Titus Andronicus’ The Monitor a few months back, and I completely understand why. I thought that Titus front man Patrick Stickles’ voice was fairly unique, until I got about half way through The Replacement’s Let It Be. Paul Westerberg, the voice behind The Replacements, must be Stickles’ father or something. It’s not just that their growly voices sound the same—they do—but their deliveries are almost identical. It’s weird. No, The Replacements don’t sing ballads about the Civil War, but the similarities are still really noticeable.
Now, for the most important part of this blog—my opinion. The Replacements have just gained a new fan. Their fast, sloppy, lo-fi punk rock is right down my alley, and I can’t wait to check out more by them.
Swole Ear 
You’re at Carleton? That’s awesome, I know like half the college, haha
If you’re doing Minnesota music and you’re in Northfield, you need to listen to some more Zevon. He has no known ties to Minnesota, but he did a beautiful song about Frank and Jesse James and you can’t talk about Northfield without talking about the James Gang. Maybe you should listen to an album by the James Gang, while you’re at it. They had Joe Walsh at his best, before he got softened up by the Eagles and a solo career that reduced a guitar genius to something of a novelty act.
Nice pick for Minnesota. My suggestion for next Replacements album would be “Pleased to Meet Me”.
As for Northfield, three words: Grundy’s bison burger. You will thank me.
Finally, a few (actual) Minnesota suggestions:
1. Husker Du: Warehouse or Flip Your Wig
2. Prince: Sign O’ The Times
…and for the more obscure picks…
3. The Suburbs: Credit In Heaven
4. anything by Something Fierce. The band’s main singer and songwriter was Jeff Carpenter, a Carleton English major, whose career in music was cut short by serious injuries resulting from a car accident. This band and its predecessor, Gung Ho, did some smart, funny music. I am betting that the Carleton bookstore may have some in stock and if they don’t the KRLX music library will. As a legacy kid, access to that music library is something like a right for you.
Enjoy your Northfield summer.
How about that Dylan guy? I think he was pretty influential (not like Prince, but close). But which album? And another idea, taking the Minnesota thing on a tangent — there used to be a basketball team in Minnesota called the Lakers. They moved to L.A. One of their players — I think they call him Shaq — released a rap record. I think Artest did too. Or you could go full tangent and review an Aaron Carter record (Nick Carter’s little brother) because he did a song “How I beat Shaq” or something like that. Embrace it.