'Live Current Vol. 7' fostering membership-drive kickoff

Just a few days after Cities 97 announced the lineup for its annual "Sampler" collection (coincidental timing?), the Current 89.3 FM has finalized the track list for its own nonprofit collection, "Live Current Vol. 7," which goes on sale today to coincide with its fall membership drive. Of course, the only way to get the Current's disc is via a sustaining membership with Minnesota Public Radio (new or renew). The station is running a special today to kick off its fund drive, offering "Vol. 7" at a discounted pledge of $5 a month. Click here for details and full samples of all 18 tracks.

The Current's new sampler features two acts also on Cities 97's disc, Lissie and Fitz & the Tantrums, plus one more local band than its competitor's disc, with both Low and Atmosphere (the Current also put out its excellent, all-MN "Local Current Vol. 1" CD just last year). Mostly, though, "Vol. 7" plays to the core Current audience with lovely, stripped-down studio recordings by Band of Horses, Broken Bells, the National, Dawes, Sharon Jones and Iron & Wine.

The new "Live Current" also features a few less-obvious participants that could bring in some fresh, younger supporters to the station, including the Temper Trap and especially Foster the People. When I first heard that Foster dude go into the falsetto, "woo-hoo-hoo" part of this acoustic version of "Pumped Up Kicks," I laughed even harder than when Kenny G joined them on "Saturday Night Live." But the track's inclusion is undoubtedly a serious boost to the nonprofit efforts here.

Here's the full track list on "Live Current Vol. 7."