A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:

Jenifer Kramer of Coon Rapids:

1 Mary Strand, "Golden Girl (Acoustic)" EP. Strand's experience as an author is apparent in her creative, well-written songs in this acoustic release, which is a follow-up to her debut album, "Golden Girl." The four catchy songs selected from her full-length album translate well into the acoustic versions.

2 Ryan Smith at Carbone's Minneapolis. The talented multi-instrumentalist, lead guitar player for Soul Asylum, will be performing a solo show on Saturday. Historically, Smith in solo has delighted audiences with songs from his own bands, the Melismatics and Ryan and Pony, along with his solo work, a Soul Asylum tune or two and a few covers.

3 "Live From Daryl's House" with guest Robert Fripp. Daryl Hall reunites with his "Sacred Songs" album collaborator, Robert Fripp, in this episode, and the result is magical. The musical chemistry between them is strong. The latest season, along with all previous episodes of "Live From Daryl's House," are available on Hall's YouTube channel.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:

1 Beyoncé, "Texas Hold 'Em." Didn't the horseback photo on the cover of "Renaissance" tip you off? Or the cowgirl hat she wore to the Grammys this month? She's gone country, listen to them lyrics. She mentions boots, spurs, liquor and dive bar in this banjo-fueled single that she surprise-released this week. The tune twangs, it grooves, and it may be the first country song to feature the words hoedown and bitch.

2 "Bob Marley: One Love." Of course, the songs are great, sung by a blend of actor Kingsley Ben-Adir and Marley's recordings. Lashana Lynch stands out as Rita Marley, the force behind the reggae king. This authorized but flawed biopic ultimately tells us no woman, no Bob.

3 Black Violin and Abraham Alexander, State Theatre. While the increasingly popular Black Violin delivered an entertaining mashup of classical and hip-hop (the free-styling was the best and DJ SPS was dope), the real discovery was Alexander. The Greece-born singer who moved to Texas at age 11 proved to be a natural storyteller with a soulful voice, charming presence and guitar picking skills. His songs from last year's outstanding "Sea/Sons" were heartfelt and absorbing. He received a richly deserved and sincere standing ovation from an audience that had probably never heard of him.

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