Sort of the middle-age, mochachino-swilling suburbanite answer to the early-'80s Cabbage Patch Kid phenomenon -- except this one happens every year -- the rush for Cities 97's "Sampler, Volume 22" CDs will take place Thursday morning starting at 8 a.m. at Target stores all around the state (click here for the store list). As always, only 33,000 copies of the $24.97 disc are available to maintain the collection's nonprofit status. This year, about $800,000 will be given to local charities off of "Sampler" sales. Whatever you think of all the vanilla acoustic rock, this is still the coolest thing any Twin Cities radio station pulls off from year to year.
This year's "Sampler" itself is actually pretty cool, too. I agree with Jon Bream's assessment it's one of the strongest sets in years. The CD-opener "Kandi" by One eskimO still sounds as grating to me here as it did at the Basilica Block Party, but David Gray and Sara Bareilles make strong re-appearances. Especially nice are the inclusion of many worthy "Sampler" newbies, including the Avett Brothers, Court Yard Hounds (Emily and Martie of Dixie Chicks), Brandi Carlile and local acts Rogue Valley and Cedar Avenue. John Mayer and Sarah McLachlan also provide a little extra star power this time around. Not that it's needed.
