Turntable FM - Best Opening Album Tracks - Tuesday, July 12 - 9p CDT

The Album Club format is simple. You play an album. You listen to an album. You tweet about an album. So why mess with something as easy as that? Because time waits for no man! Technology marches on! Today's Twitter is tomorrow's Friendster!

We're excited about turntable.fm. Here's the concept. Music fans gather in a virtual club. Everyone gets to spin one song at a time -- any song -- from their music library or a vast online library. Everyone in the room hears that song and can chat about it or vote for/against it. 

So this week, Album club presents our first ever turntable.fm session. The theme -- Best Opening Album Tracks. Pick a great first track off a great album. Or pick a great first track off a terrible album. We can discuss and vote on the song.

A few notes. You need a Facebook account to log in to turntable.FM. Tuesday night I'll send a link to the room. Only five people at a time can DJ, but we'll take turns if we have more than that. There's a turntable.fm FAQ here:

http://turntable.fm/static/faq.html#7

See you on the wheels of steel Tuesday night!

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run - Tuesday, June 21 - 9p CDT

On Saturday, The Big Man, Clarence Clemons passed away at the age of 69. In a statement on his web site, Bruce Springsteen said, "He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music."

Tuesday at 9p CDT, start Born To Run and tweet along with the hash tag #albumclub. Here's the FAQ.

Bon Iver, Bon Iver - Tuesday, June 14 - 9p CDT

For the first time ever, Album Club will listen to a new release. So new, in fact, that it's not even out yet. Bon Iver, Bon Iver is the much-anticipated second full-length release from the Eau Claire, WI native. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music calls it, "...a grand, chance-taking record: It sheds the raw nerviness of 2008's perfect For Emma, Forever Ago and replaces it with arrangements so lush and vivid, it can be hard to make out much of what Vernon sings."


Join us Album Club listens to Bon Iver, Bon Iver. The entire album is streaming online on 89.3 The Current's web site. Start it at 9p CDT Tuesday, then listen and Tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub.

First time with Album Club? Check our FAQ!

Beck - Odelay - Tuesday, June 7 - 9p CDT

This week, a request. Odelay! Listen and tweet along Tuesday at 9p CDT.

New to Album Club? Check the FAQ!

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - Tuesday, May 31 - 9p CDT

A long time ago (okay, like maybe a year ago), @johnmoe had a great idea for Twitter. It was #candyclub. Every week, he would choose a candy.  Say a Clark bar. Everyone would eat a Clark bar at the same time and talk about it on Twitter. You can see where this is going.... We at #albumclub stole his idea. We feared legal action, but instead of suing us, he's going to guest curate an album for us.

Join public radio host, author, #candyclub founder, and all-around good guy John Moe for Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. Start the album at 9p CDT Tuesday night and tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub. New to #albumclub? Here's a FAQ.

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique - Wednesday, May 25 - 9pCDT

"Shake. Your. Rump-ah!"

You know what's been missing from Album Club? Hip-hop. So this week we're going with the 1989 Beastie Boys classic Paul's Boutique. You remember the story. Second album. Commercial failure. Critical success. Eventually certified double platinum. But really, the important part is rump shaking.

Listen and tweet along Wednesday night at 9pCDT with the hashtag #albumclub. New to Album Club? Check our FAQ.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - Tues. May 17 - 9p CDT

Welcome to the first-ever spontaneously combusted Album Club.  It was a dark and stormy night.  Actually we think it was more like a unseasonably cool spring evening in the MSP.  The Twitters were crackling with chatter. Suddenly the collective brain trust of @alilozoff, @solace, @jefe23, @josephpettini, @munsongs, and probably a few that we're forgetting came up with this brilliant idea. Album Club should tackle Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. On the 40th anniversary of its release. With a live event. Great idea, #hivemind!

Unfortunately, technically we're not doing on the actual anniversary.  That's May 21. Which is a Saturday. So we assume you have better things to do with your life. Also, sadly there will be no live event. Despite the massive fun and fantastic hospitality at @astercafe with @booksandbars last week, I'm slightly worried the collective music loving geekdom in the area nearly spawned a tornado. In case you weren't there, this is what the sky looked like outside right before we dropped the e-needle on Purple Rain.

I know. Scary. Right?

But 1 out of 3 ain't bad! Heck, #hivemind, that's a better average than every Twin except Kubel! Atta-hive! Besides, there's something special about remaining separated --alone in our own, houses, apartments, condos, and/or vans down by the river -- connected only by the sinewy tissue of Twitter.

Star Marvin Gaye's What's Going On at 9p CDT May 17. Listen and tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub. Check the FAQ for more info about how Album Club works.

One Night Only - Books, Bars, Twitter, Album Club, Pulitzers, and Prince - Tuesday, May 10

On Tuesday, May 10, two burgeoning local cultural touchstones, Books & Bars and Album Club, are teaming up for one big live event at Aster Cafe. And it's free. Here's the scoop.

 Books & Bars:  This isn’t your mother’s book club. We provide a unique atmosphere for a lively discussion of interesting authors, fun people, good food and drinks. Jeff Kamin hosts. Tuesday, May 10 we're talking about Jennifer Egan's A Visit From the Goon Squad. It's the novel that won this year's Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The Pulitzers called it, "an inventive investigation of growing up and growing old in the digital age, displaying a big-hearted curiosity about cultural change at warp speed." Doors at 6. Discussion at 7. Followed by....

Album Club:  Your mother probably doesn't know what an album club is. But that's okay. You can tell her it's where everyone starts the same classic album at the same time, listens, and tweets about it using the hashtag #AlbumClub. Cause your mom is on Twitter, right? Anyway, for our first ever live event, we're going to listen to Prince's Purple Rain after Books & Bars. Be there for the dance party, or listen at home and tweet along. We'll start Purple Rain at 9.

This may be the best way to spend a Tuesday night since Glee! Wait. Is that show still on? Oh.  Well, I'm sure it's a repeat that night.

WHAT:  Books & Bars + Album Club, Together Again For The First Time
WHERE:  Aster Cafe, St. Anthony Main, 125 SE Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55414, 612 379-3138
WHEN:  Doors at 6, Book Talk at 7, Album Club at 9
WHY:  Because we're creating innovative cultural hybrids of traditional media, social media, and the ways in which they are discussed. Oh, and it's fun.
HOW: Tweet along with hashtags #BooksandBars and #AlbumClub. Follow @BooksandBars and @Album_Club for live Twitter feed of the event discussion, too.
HOW MUCH:  FREE!  Plus drink specials with $3 Fulton beer and $3 house wines.

P.S.  Afterward you're on your own if you want to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka....

Bjork - Post - Tuesday, May 3 - 9p Central

"When Post comes to an end, it feels like getting back from a good vacation: The last thing you want to do is re-enter the real world."

- Lorraine Ali, Rolling Stone

This week City Pages Music Editor Andrea Swensson (@gimme_noise) is our guest curator. Swensson chose Bjork's 1995 release Post. It was her third album, and it bounces from dance pop to trip-hop to big band. Bjork called it "musically promiscuous," and it includes production from Bjork, Graham Massey, Tricky, Howie B and Debut producer Nellee Hooper. For me, Post is one of those strong "time and place" records. Every time I hear "It's Oh So Quiet," my mind goes back to summer 1995, downtown Minneapolis, my first real job, and of course Spike Jonze's terrific slo-motion/real-time, big production number video. Zing! Boom! We'll see you on Twitter Tuesday at 9p Central. Start the album, listen, and tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub.

New to Album Club? Here's a FAQ.

Radiohead - OK Computer - Tuesday, April 26 - 9p Central

For the next Album Club we're launching a new feature -- the Guest Curator. Once in a while, we'll ask a prominent music lover to choose a classic album for us to listen to.  For our first time out, we asked Twin Cities bassist extraordinaire and all around good guy John Munson (@munsongs).  You might remember him from such popular bands as Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic, and these days he's working on a lot of projects, including The New Standards and Minnesota Public Radio's Wits series.

When I asked John to curate for Album Club, his first question was, "Have you done OK Computer?"  Nope!  Done and done!  This June, Radiohead's classic turns 15 years old, and I don't need to tell you that many critics consider it one of the greatest albums ever made.  Should be a great listen, and Munson said on Twitter, "I will be spending the whole week nervously ramming information into my musket which will then explode, Fudd-like."  Start OK Computer at 9p Central on Tuesday, April 26.  Listen and tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub.  Oh, and bring your own musket....

New to Album Club?  Check out our FAQ!

Pixies - Doolittle - Wednesday, April 20 - 9p Central

"It's deliberately both attractive and repellent, a pleasure that makes you squirm." 

Ben Sisario on Doolittle

On a spring day in 2005, New York Times music critic Ben Sisario climbed into a big, yellow, 1986 Cadillac*  with Charles Thompson/Black Francis/Frank Black.  They spent three days cruising around Oregon and talking about Doolittle.  Sisario (@sisario on Twitter) wrote a book about the record, and Wednesday night at 9p Central,  he'll join Album Club as we listen to and tweet about The Pixies' masterpiece.  We'll also have Steve Seel and Jill Riley from The Current's morning show. It's all in preparation for The Pixies Doolitle tour at Roy Wilkins Sunday, April 24.

Should be an epic Album Club. Start Doolittle at 9p Central Wednesday, April 20, and tweet along with the hash tag #albumclub.  Check our FAQ for more information about how it all works.

*Black Francis bought that Cadillac in cash with most of his royalty check for Doolittle!

Album Club Launches Four Special Nights, Starting With The Pixies

Some might say we're taking Album Club to another level.  But we hate it when people say stuff like that.  So instead, let's just say we've got four supercool, superspecial nights of Album Club lined up.  Here's the scoop:

Wednesday, April 20 - The Guy Who Wrote The Book About The Pixies Doolittle:  The Pixies are rolling through Canada and the US with their Doolittle tour.  It's coming to Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and to celebrate, Album Club regular @jefe23 suggested we listen to the CD. Done! But to spice things up, we're bringing in an expert. Ben Sisario (@sisario) writes about music and culture for the New York Times.  He also wrote a whole book about Doolittle for the 33 1/3 series.  You can read the first few pages on Amazon.  He's going to listen and tweet along with insights from his book.  To spice things up even more, Steve Seel and Jill Riley from 89.3 The Current's Morning Show are going to join us too.  Wednesday, April 20 - The Pixies - Doolittle - 9pm Central

Tuesday, April 26 - Guest Curator Bassist Extraordinaire John Munson:  You know John Munson (@munsongs)as the man behind the bass in Trip Shakespeare, Semisonic, The New Standards, and more.  Tuesday, April 26, he'll be the man behind the keyboard.  Or the smartphone.  And the CD player.  Or the iPod.  Well, frankly, we don't know where he'll be.  But we do know he chose one of his favorite classic albums for us to listen to.  It's Radiohead's OK Computer.  Tuesday, April 26 - Radiohead - OK Computer - 9pm Central

Tuesday, May 3 - Guest Curator Andrea Swensson Will Give Us Noise:  We love to follow Andrea Swensson (@gimme_noise) on Twitter because she makes it to all the shows we can't get to.  Then she writes about them all for City Pages.  On May 3, Album Club will listen to one of her favorite classic albums.  It's TK.  What's that you ask?  TK is what writers write when they are missing a fact.  Like which classic album Andrea Swensson will curate for us.  But we're not worried.  We promise to give you a heads up at least a week ahead of time.  Tuesday, May 3 - TK - TK - 9pm Central

Tuesday, May 10 - Album Club Live With Books and Bars:  As much as we love sitting alone in our PJs in front the stereo, with a laptop and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, Album Club is (at its core) a social experience.  So let's get together!  We're partnering with Books & Bars for a Book Club/Album Club/Rock And Roll Extravaganza!  The book is A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.  The album is Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution.  The location is Aster Cafe.  Doors are at 6.  We talk book at 7.  Album Club at 9.  Can't make it?  No problem.  Snuggle in to your jammies, then listen and tweet along like normal.  But you might miss the live spontaneous dance party.  It might be the next best thing to the Purple One's 21-night stand in LA.  Tuesday, May 10 - Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain - 9pm Central

FAQ:  Got questions about Album Club?  Here's the FAQ.

Arcade Fire - Funeral - Tuesday April 12 - 9p Central

When Arcade Fire won Best Album at The Grammy's this year, my Twitter feed went nuts.  I bet yours did too.  Of course, there was a touch of irony.  Most of my musichead friends (myself included) bend over backwards to point out how little value there is in one of those shiny little gramophone statues.  So why did it suddenly mean so much to us?  I think it's because for once, the geeks had won.  In 2004 Funeral exploded into the indie-stratosphere with towering choruses from a group of violin playing, art loving, SP 65 sunblock wearing geeks.  That's not the kind of band that wins a Grammy.  That's the kind of band that gets beat up for their lunch money. 

So Tuesday night at 9 Central, let's pile into the wayback machine and revisit Arcade Fire's debut album.  Listen and tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub.  I'll bring the sunblock.

Album Club 101 - How To Listen And Tweet Along

Feels like the first time

Like we've opened up the door

Feels like the first time

Like it never will again, never again

- Foreigner

Maybe you've waited a lifetime.  Spent your time so foolishly.  But now, you've heard about Album Club, and you're wondering how to tweet along. Here's all you need to know to bring out the man in you.*

What do I need? You need a Twitter account and the album we're going to listen to. New to Twitter? Here's a nice overview.  Every week you can find this week's CD on the Album Club blog. You should also follow @album_club on Twitter.

How does it work?  We announce the date and time to start this week's album.  Start your record right at the appointed time.  We use the official US atomic clock, but don't worry too much if you are off a little bit.  It's easy to follow along.

How do I make a comment?  Simply send a Tweet with the hashtag #albumclub in the body.  Like this: 

How do I see other people's Tweets?  Use the search function on Twitter.  There's a search box on your main page, or you can use Twitter search. Type #albumclub and you'll get this:

How do I reply to a tweet?  Just click reply, but be sure to use #albumclub in your response if you want everyone to see it easily.

How do people hear about Album Club?  Once you follow @album_club on Twitter, you'll get all the updates.  But the best way to spread the word is to retweet the albums you are excited about.  Album Club is more fun with more people, and we need you to help!

Those are the basics.  Still have questions? Send a Tweet with a mention of @album_club and your question and we'll respond.

*In case you aren't familiar, a reference to more Foreigner lyrics.

The Clash - London Calling - Tue. April 5 - 9p CDT

In January 1980, The Clash released their epic third studio album.  Listen and tweet along Tuesday night at 9p CDT.  Follow the #albumclub hashtag on Twitter.

The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin - Tue. March 29, 9p CDT

On July 1, The Flaming Lips will perform The Soft Bulletin live in London as part of All Tomorrow's Parties. I checked my schedule, and won't be able to make it....  The next best thing? The Soft Bulletin as part of #albumclub!

For the Lips' 9th album, their label Warner Bros. gave the band a big push.  I know this partly because of the radio friendly remixes on the disc, and partly because of the lengths the label went through to promote the band.  Example.  At a radio station I worked at, Wayne and the crew were forced to play for staffers at 10 in the morning in a conference room, around a big meeting table.  Wayne was gracious and kind, even though turnout was sparse.

Join us Tuesday night.  Start the disc at 9p CDT, then listen and Tweet along with #albumclub.

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust - Tuesday, March 22 9p CDT

First off, for the fact checkers in our rabid fanbase, we know the full title is "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." But we're on Twitter and that title is like 128 characters or something.... As for the record, what can we say? Classic concept album about an androgynous alien rock star.

Listen and tweet along with us with the hash tag #albumclub Tuesday night at 9p CDT.

Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville - Tuesday March 15, 9p CDT

This may be the most controversial Album Club selection ever. Okay, it's only the fourth Album Club selection ever, but still.  Liz Phair long ago fell from grace in the minds of aging indie rockers. In 2003 in The New York Times, Meghan O'Rourke said Phair committed career suicide. Critically, things haven't really picked up since then.

But this is Album Club. Not Let's Rip On Someone We Used To Like Club. 

In 1993, Exile In Guyville and Liz Phair were part of a mini-media frenzy. Rock critics (and even MTV) helped to write the script. Strong woman songwriter toils in basement, battling hostile male-dominated Chicago music scene to create heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Cynical hipsters can look back now and say she was already trying to manipulate the media. But they're wrong. Chicago music critic Tankboy nailed it. When this record came out, "...a LOT of girls that were suddenly like, OH my GOD, I think those same things too. And it’s O.K. I’m not alone!" It's a classic.

Join us Tuesday night at 9p CDT. Start the record and tweet along with #albumclub.

Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks - Tuesday, March 8, 9p CST

For the third time in a row, Album Club is going to listen to a Midwestern artist.  Dylan's 15th studio album, released in 1975, was a return to form after a few critical and commercial bombs. I'm no Dylanologist, but it's widely believed the record is about his tumultuous relationship with his first wife Sara Dylan. Classic breakup album. Interesting then that one Christmas my wife and I unknowingly got each other copies of this disc. We're still married BTW....

Dylan famously recorded the album in NYC. Then, shortly before it was released, he rerecorded several tracks with a band his brother put together in Minnesota. There's at least one book about it, but if you don't feel up to reading it all, take a few minutes to listen to Cathy Wurzer's interview with co-author and musician Kevin Odegard. He says he came up with the idea of changing the key of "Tangled Up In Blue" from G, where the song was just kind of sitting there, to A, where it really popped.

Thanks to @NikiBeckerMusic for suggesting "Blood On The Tracks," and to @JBickal for the links. Start the album at 9p CST Tuesday, March 8 and tweet along with #albumclub.

Let It Be - Monday, Feb. 28 8p CST

For 1984's Let It Be, The Replacements decided to get "a little more sincere." To me, it seemed a LOT more sincere.  Unsatisfied.  Sixteen Blue.  Answering Machine. I Will Dare. Classic. Classic. Classic! CLASSIC!!! According to the Jim Walsh book, photographer Daniel Corrigan convinced the band to climb on to the roof of the Stinson's house to shoot the iconic album photo.

I have listened to this album a hundred times. Monday night, We're Coming Out!!! Start "Let It Be" at 8p CST.  Listen and tweet along with the hashtag #albumclub. Hope to see you on the Tweeterzz!

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Tue. Feb. 22 8p CST

Hello and welcome to the first ever Album Club. We're going to listen to Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot." Seemed like a good choice to kick off Album Club. It's a classic, no question about it. It has a great story. Pitchfork gave it a 10. And everyone loves the documentary about it.Well, everyone but me. I thought the doc was kind of a snoozer.

But that's not the point.

The point is, Tuesday Feb. 22 at 8p CST, start the album. Follow and use the hashtag #albumclub on Twitter. Tweet what you think. What did it mean to you when it came out? How have the songs changed for you?  What else can you add to the conversation?

One more note. #albumclub was inspired by @johnmoe and his nearly legendary #candyclub (RIP). See you Tuesday night!