Kaiser Cartel

The first time I ever saw KaiserCartel was in the basement of a south Minneapolis coffee shop and it blew me away, as their charmingly understated personalities were in contrast to their passionate sound. The release of their new album, March Forth, released earlier in June, showcases Courtney Kaiser's delicately strong voice, reminiscent of Aimee Mann, beautiful and clear as a bell. She intertwines romantically with musical partner and boyfriend Benjamin Cartel's warm, enveloping voice with a sweet, barely noticeable Southern twang, the two voices lavished with xylophone and sweet flourishes of whistling and slightly poppy handclaps one moment while woeful and moody the next. This duo's approach might seem simplistic, but they have a seemingly effortless ability to produce lovely tunes. So hold on tight, three shows are taking over the Bryant-Lake Bowl this evening—a 3 p.m. kids' show, a 7:30 p.m. set with the Mad Ripple, and a 10 p.m. performance with that dreamy foursome Romantica.
Sun., July 13, 3, 7:30 & 10 p.m., 2008