Cloud Cult flashback

Instead of just sending its two out-of-print CDs to the manufacturers to be reissued, Cloud Cult has "reimagined" its 2003-04 albums "They Live on the Sun" and "Aurora Borealis" -- the ones that first earned the group a buzz on college stations and music blogs -- as an all-in-one CD package hitting stores this week.

These are the albums most directly influenced/haunted by the 2002 death of frontman Craig Minowa's 2-year-old son. "I wanted to keep it authentic to the time period, but there was a fair amount of rearranging," Minowa said. He did not record any new parts but added the song "And It's Good," recorded the week after "Aurora Borealis" was finished. "I've always felt like it belongs on that album."

Cloud Cult shows are on hold as Minowa and his painter wife, Connie, care for their new son, born in October. After a month of "paternity leave," Minowa said he started writing songs for an all-new record likely due next fall.

Wanna Guante?

Another deep-voiced, grit-kicking MC in the style of Crescent Moon and No Bird Sing's Joe Horton, Guante's full-length debut, "An Unwelcome Guest," is a concept album about a weary traveler walking through a land of zombies. No, it's not about a recent trip to Uptown. The real- life Kyle Myhre, who got his start as a spoken-word poet, co-produced the album with wild-eyed beatmaker Big Cats!, with whom he's performing at Saturday's release party at Bedlam Theater, 1501 S. 6th St., Mpls., with openers No Bird Sing and Kristoff Krane (10 p.m., $5-$7). Guests include Haley Bonar, Big Quarters and Chastity Brown.

The $20K kids

You have to love this kind of pitch from a band: "Some say that our $20,000 might have been better spent on a Mustang V6 or a down payment for one of the many foreclosed houses in the area, but we instead decided to make 34 minutes and 14 seconds of music."

That's from Cedar Avenue, a Fray- and One Republic-like, piano-laced quartet led by a husband/wife duo, It celebrates its full-length debut, "Someday Soon," at the Varsity Theater Saturday with This World Fair and the Alarmists (7:30 p.m., $8-$10). The group hooked up with members of Graham Colton's band at the Fine Line last year, which led to a monthlong recording session in scenic Norman, Okla., plus other pricey polishing to try to land a record deal. That hasn't happened yet, but the band sounds primed for radio play anyway, with the dramatic, gorgeously sung title track and the stormy rocker "Up North."

Random mix

Rumors of rowdy punk quartet Off With Their Heads signing to Epitaph Records are not exactly true. An Epitaph publicist said, "Nothing has been signed," but confirmed there is interest. One thing for sure, the band has tour dates with ALL next month. ...

Hard-rock risers 3 Pill Morning have a new EP, "Singles," produced and mixed by name-brand duo Corey Lowery and Brian Virtue (Deftones, Chevelle). The band just finished a Jägermeister-sponsored tour and is building up to a full-length debut next year. ...

Part of Prince lore as the place where Warner Bros. signed him, the Capri Theater in north Minneapolis is hosting music again. The eclectic ensembles Felonious Bosch and the Greg Herriges Trio perform there Saturday (7:30 p.m., 2027 W. Broadway, $10). ...

A fledgling site that promotes local artists worldwide, TwinCitiesRadio.net is throwing a free holiday party at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the 508, 508 1st Av. N., Mpls., with Nikki & the Ruemates, Lizzy Rain, Lonnie Knight and MJ Kroll. If you can't make it in person, you can tune in live. ...

A Suburb has left the building. R.I.P., Bruce Allen, 54, an integral part of one of the best live bands this scene ever produced.