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.