Part of Minneapolis' Doomtree collective, Dessa, the 7-member group's only female emcee, may also be their most well rounded. A degree in philosophy, a background in writing, particularly in creative non-fiction and spoken-word, and enough business acumen to run day-to-days of the label itself all lend strength to Dessa's presence on record and onstage. On her latest solo album, Parts of Speech, the artist also known as Margret Wander, really opens her pipes and herself by relying more on vocal melodies than the street smart spoken word lyrics on her previous album. But unchanged is the unflinching view of her own emotional life as well as those of others. Recently, Dessa returned to the studio, not as the solo performer, as she first did, nor with the other talented Doomtree crew, who she toured with last year, but now with her own supporting group. Watch the videos of her set here:
Full Performance:
To commemorate the release of Chime, DJ Kevin Cole will be playing songs from and inspired by the record, plus a vinyl giveaway.
An essayist as well as a rapper, Dessa’s lyricism has always been a pool fed by both hip-hop and those forms of storytelling and poetry meant for the page. The Doomtree affiliated, Minneapolis MC is especially sharp-eyed on her latest single “Fire Drills,” off the soon-to-be-released album Chime.
You'd be mistaken to think that the artists at Pickathon are all a bunch of wizened fingerpickers. One of the highlights of the Portland-area festival's carefully curated lineup is the pairing of musicians new and old. On stage, you'll hear veteran songwriters with more stories to tell than songs t…
Born out of the humid Athens, Georgia, southlands, the music of Futurebirds washes over the ears like a welcomed rain. Utilizing pedal steel and a myriad of other instruments on their studio albums - the most recent of which is Baba Yaga, a tight, catchy collection - the band writes songs like acti…
