Golden Smog (Gary Louris, Kraig Johnson, Dan Murphy, Marc Perlman & Steve Gorman)

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Golden Smog

The exact origins of Golden Smog are lost in the hazy backwaters of the late 1980s Minnesota music scene. Initially a loose-knit outfit featuring members of notable bands like The Jayhawks, The Replacements, Soul Asylum and Run Westy Run, early Golden Smog wasn't much more than a jokey cover band side project. Within a few years, the lineup solidified around a core of Gary Louris and Marc Perlman from The Jayhawks, Dan Murphy from Soul Asylum, and Kraig Johnson from Run Westy Run. The punny On Golden Smog, an all covers EP, came out in 1992 complete with fake identities and wacky Chris Mars cover art.

With Wilco's Jeff Tweedy now on board, two mid-'90s releases, Down By the Old Mainstream and Weird Tales, put Golden Smog on the map in a big way, featuring first rate original songs and inspired performances, aided by drummers Noah Levy and Jody Stephens, and violinist Jessy Greene. Often labeled as "Americana," these two landmark albums encompassed an impressive array of sounds and styles. It would be 10 years before the next Golden Smog album, Another Fine Day (2006), a sprawling, adventurous work of art that remains a true lost masterpiece. A follow up EP came the following year; a greatest hits album was released in 2009.

Golden Smog live shows, and especially tours, have always been something of a rarity given all the conflicting schedules. The last full-length tour was in 2006 followed by a handful of one offs and tribute shows. For the most part, the last decade has been very quiet in Smog world. In July 2019, that silence was broken with a stealthy full-blown Golden Smog show in an off-the-radar basement event space in Minneapolis' St. Anthony Main neighborhood to celebrate Dan Murphy's birthday. Things fell into place naturally, the band sounded great and a good time was had by all.

Which brings us to #goldensmog2020 and a high profile show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of First Avenue, one of the most important venues of the rock era, just about 30 years after Golden Smog played their first show on a smoky stage somewhere that nobody can quite remember now. Who knows what the future will bring? Stick around and find out.

Eleganza!

Eleganza’s second album, Water Valley High, was recorded at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, MS, and Produced by the Drive-By Truckers’ Matt Patton. Released on Dial Back Sound Records, it was named “Best Local Record” of 2022 by the Star Tribune’s Chris Reimenschneider. In July 2024, Eleganza! went back down to Dial Back Sound to record their follow-up album, again produced By Patton, with a release date in 2025.

"I don’t know the reason, or even if there’s one,” sings Brian Vanderwerf in the opening track of Eleganza’s Water Valley High LP (Dial Back Sound, April 2022). Despite Brian’s undoubted place amongst underground rock’s singing MVPs, the past decade has given many in his position little reason to hustle. Love of the game? Fuck that! This is all they’ve got!

Water Valley High is the sound of a band punching its way out of a corner, once again finding ring center in a scene of royal outcasts. Vanderwuf’s vocal tenures in The Midnight Evils (Estrus Records) and Chooglin’ (Big Legal Mess) have long-established him as dirt-rock aristocracy. Bassist Tony Zaccarid is The Twin Cities’ Midnight Mayor. Tony not only doubles as bassist for St Paul’s Romantica, but also owns popular night spot and venue Palmer’s Bar in Minneapolis.

Chooglin’ grad Jeff Johnson has done more with what Chuck Berry taught Keith Richards than anyone since Chuck Berry. Think about it. Secret weapon Greg McAloon pins down the middle guitar with ruthless precision and the cold stare of 1,000 Minnesota winters. Tim Baumgart, as sweet as he is big, seems unaware that it’s actually really hard to play drums as well as he does. Ever wonder what Scott Asheton playing jazz grip would sound like? Buy the record. Latecomer (but gaining fast) Charlie Smith thinks a lot of Nicky Hopkins and puts that honky tonkin’, boogaloo shit on everything.

As a concept, it would suffice to say that the band has had their minds on what every American has these past five or six years: Exile On Main St. They have made their collective share of all-out hell-raising rock’n’roll albums over the past couple decades. With Eleganza, they have found a sound and rhythm where country and blue-eyed soul can coexist with the punk rock for which they’ve been known. And, with Water Valley High, Eleganza have hit their stride.