Luke Redfield has been in and out of town so many times over the past half-decade, it might be hard to remember he's a Minnesotan songwriter (raised around Cannon Falls). He spent most of the past year living in Portland, Ore., and previously resided everywhere from Alaska to Austin, Texas. A good reiteration of his local roots came with last year's "Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt" tribute album from Rock the Cause, a project that Redfield instigated.
An even better reminder is his sophomore record that drops this week, "Tusen Takk,"which leaves little doubt where Redfield, 28, calls home – from its Scandanavian title (translation: "a thousand thanks") to its all-star list of Twin Cities backup musicians, including Jeremy Ylvisaker, Martin Dosh, Mike Lewis (all three Andrew Bird's bandmates), JoAnna James, Haley Bonar and JT Bates. The disc was co-produced with Ylvisaker, a longtime friend of Redfield's. Musically, the record adds lovely, wistful strings, piano and sweetening harmonies – I wouldn't be surprised to see a favorable Mumford & Sons comparison somewhere along the way -- without losing the rawness of Redfield's songwriting style, heavily dosed with both Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt. Yes, the dude doesn't shy away from poetry or darkness. One of the brighter tracks on the album, "I Want Only," is posted below. You can sample the entire disc (and/or buy it) over at Redfield's Bandcamp page.
Redfield will be back in town for an album release party Friday at the Varsity Theater, also featuring Me & My Arrow, Kansas folk-rockers Quiet Corrall and Romantica's Ben Kyle (8 p.m., $8).
