Six cool things in music, from two points of view:
Bottle Rockets, Turf Club. Playing plenty of old favorites, a few covers and the entire incredible new album "South Broadway Athletic Club," these vets put on a great rock show.
Vinyl at St. Paul public libraries. The Highland and Merriam Park branches now have a nice stash of LPs among the thousands of CDs, including many of fine local bands past and present.
Allen Toussaint, RIP. He personifies the great music of New Orleans and made a huge contribution to American music as a whole, leaving a masterful body of work for generations to enjoy.
Matt Reinartz, St. Paul
E-mail popmusic@startribune.com.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "Kevin." Even though they were overdressed in suits on the American Music Awards, this bracing indictment of overprescribing medication connected with a passion and power not heard on the show's other performances.
Tanya Tagaq and "Nanook of the North," Walker Art Center. The throat-singing vocalist and her two musicians made this 1922 silent movie truly come alive.
