REVIEW: DESSA – PARTS OF SPEECH (2013)
Dessa is consistent, but not. This Minneapolis MC, poet, frequent college speaker, “underrated writer, overrated rapper, undecided major” has been all over the place since 2005’s Falsehopes, including creating her own lipstick with The Elixery to support CARE.org (an organi
CONCERT REVIEW: DESSA LIPSTICK LAUNCH PARTY AT ICEHOUSE (MINNEAPOLIS, MN)
Saturday night The Elixery, a Minneapolis, MN based cosmetic house launched their much-anticipated new color, Dessa. With a local star line up that included Barb Abney from 89.3 The Current, and performances by Dessa, Aby Wolf, and Ashley Gold the night proved to be a s
Review: Doomtree – No Kings (2011)
No Kings is not hot on the heels of F H : X V or 2008′s Doomtree. It’s in searing pursuit, hugging hairpin curves tighter, and launching a full on Mad Max auditory assault that chases you down, latches on, and refuses to let you go until nearly 47 minutes later. The Minneapol
CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOGRAPHY: DESSA AND HINDI ZAHRA AT LINCOLN HALL (CHICAGO)
Dessa (Minneapolis, MN) and Hindi Zahra (France/Morocco)October 11th, 2011Lincoln Hall in Chicago, Illinois Sometime during the late summer, not so far away from now actually and in a midst of that still growing curiosity of all that’s going on across the Atlantic, I happened upon the most vib
Review: Dessa – Castor, the Twin (2011)
What usually follows an album nowadays is something called a deluxe edition. The original plus added “incentives”, usually b-sides or live recordings haphazardly tacked on often as an afterthought as a way to revitalize interest in an album. To convince me to buy your deluxe edition, paying seve
2010: JOHN’S TOP TEN ALBUMS
10. Sophie Hunger – 1983 Zurich-based Sophie Hunger is a singer not many people in North America have heard of yet, which is quite the pity. Her voice is powerful, and calming, much in the way you think of Randy Newman but absolutely without the tackiness. She can just pull those emotion
REVIEW: GAYNGS – RELAYTED (2010)
Alors the City of Love is world renown for pure, unbridled ecstasy and creativity oft of the sexual variety. The streets are full entranced lovers along the river, and les bacs (record stores) are full of the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourgs and Sebastien Telliers. T
REVIEW: DESSA – A BADLY BROKEN CODE (2010)
My first exposure to Dessa just so happened to be on one of the False Hopes that the Minneapolis collective, Doomtree, has been churning out over the 2000s. She’s the countering anchor to heavy hitters, Sims, Mike Mictlan and P.O.S.. With A Badly Broken Code
REVIEW: DOOMTREE – SELF-TITLED (2008)
The Minneapolis collective unveiled their long-anticipated debut. Aside from anthologies of efforts, the self-titled album is first studio album, polished by the artistic visions of five rappers and four producers. Last week I reviewed their previous effort, False Hopes (Doomtree