Event

SAINT ANYWAY

Saturday 4/27
SAINT ANYWAY
$10 advance / $10 at the door
www.
8:30 doors / 9:30 show (sets at 9:30 and 11:15 - no opener)
www.saintanyway.com

Saint Anyway is a "stomp-grass" trio comprised of Tony Petersen, Jamie Kallestad, and Dane Levinski. Originally from northland region, the band honed their chops in the tightly knit (and lately renown) indie music incubator of Duluth, Minnesota but are frequently touring farther from home these days. Now three albums and one EP deep into a promising career, Saint Anyway is poised to strike out into the nation's exploding roots/folk scene at large, with their muscular new release Behemoth (a should-be hit and the trio's best work to date) pulling the wagon train.

For any band so reverential to the antique sounds of early 20th Century Americana, the rare strain of hell-fire energy that propels Saint Anyway is refreshingly uncommon. On Behemoth, they continue a natural progression towards speedier (even reckless) playing styles yet choose to foreground laser-beam vocal harmonies and lyrics over traditional bluegrass bravado. The result is a well-crafted and swiftly moving album that could be shelved under alt-rock just as easily as the expected folk-bluegrass label.

Everywhere on Behemoth, Petesen's banjo is right on the mark, connecting verses with thoughtful licks and a few mesmerizing solo moments. Touches of organ hug these songs tenderly, and the palm-muted acoustic guitar on cuts like "Eternal Life" and "Thank You, Now" hint at varied influences from power-pop or punk rock. It's a heady mix to be sure, played with the exuberance of newcomers, the wisdom of road vets, and the unexpected turns of true innovators. Let these Saints come marching in.

The music of Saint Anyway is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and in independent music stores throughout the Midwest.