Stars and Satellites [10th Anniversary Edition] in Bloomington, MN

Stars and Satellites
, the sixth studio album from Duluth, Minnesota-based indie folk outfit
Trampled by Turtles
, is imbued with the kind of reserved blue-collar authenticity that stems from dollar draft specials, chapped faces, and countless icy van rides home from gigs. Like their Michigan counterparts
Frontier Ruckus
,
use the rich traditions of country, folk, and bluegrass as a foundation to explore modern problems, both big and small. Whether it's windswept balladry ("Midnight on the Interstate," "The Calm and the Crying Wind") or furious picking ("Risk," "Walt Whitman"),
manages to find that elusive balance between workmanlike precision and 3:00 a.m. vulnerability. ~ James Christopher Monger