Album Review

and more. There will also be food trucks and live music, as well as both outdoor and indoor games. Check back on the event’s website for more details; last year’s events also featured an evening contra dance, silent auction, Earth Day yoga, tree planting, lawn care workshops, community trash cleanup, comedy performances and demonstrations of electric vehicles. Also, you’ll have an opportunity to hear from officials on local efforts to preserve the environment. northfieldearthday.com

Taste of Nations 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 25 Austin Packer Arena, Austin Austin’s annual Taste of Nations is known for drawing a big crowd, and it’s growing every year. Now in its 11th year, it’s getting bigger and better than ever. With food samples available from over a

10th Annual Taste of Mower County 4-7 p.m. April 26 Holiday Inn Conference Center, Austin Enjoy a wide range of food and beverage tastings from Mower County’s best restaurant chefs and home cooks. Last year’s offerings included a little of everything: pork sandwiches, jalapeno poppers, macarons, pizza, enchiladas, Bundt cakes...the list goes on! Stick around for games, a cash bar and a range of entertainment, along with a silent and live auction. While you’re eating as much as possible

America: 50th Anniversary Tour 7 p.m. April 26 Mayo Clinic Eventer Center, Mankato 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the classic rock favorite America. The band made its name on the Top 40 charts in the 1970s with hits like “A Horse With No Name,” “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway” and “Lonely People,” and continues to appeal to cross-generational audiences. While it’s mainly a rock band, the group is also known for dabbling in pop, folk, jazz and Latin rhythms along with former bandmate Dan Peek’s country-rock sound. Decades after the band members originally met in high school, they’re still touring with the same lyrical storytelling and internationally appealing sounds that made their name way back when. mayoclinichealthsystemeventcenter.com

ALBUM RE VIEW

Tame Impala - The Slow Rush

By Dani el G. Moir editor@southernminnscene.com

Australian CBD-influenced psychedelic favorites deliver an insightful and well-formed collection of songs based on a common subject that unites everyone. Album Grade: A-/B+ There are several subjects that all writers inevitably tackle during their creative life. Many of these are quite obvious with love, loss and journeys among the most common. Eventually, just about every creative person draws their attention to the more subtle points of time. Time is the one topic that covers all the bases. Time impacts both love and loss, ultimately focusing on the very journey through time itself as a person ages. On The Slow Rush, this is where Tame Impala’s studio wunderkind multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker finds himself concerned with. The Slow Rush states its intents with the album’s first track, “One More Year.” Here, Parker finds himself physically in the same space as he was a year ago and takes a moment to reflect on what has changed, and more importantly, what perhaps has not changed. The driving standard time beat and hypnotic, repetitive groove of the song reflect both the forward progression of time as well as the singer’s observation of lack of personal change despite it. The Slow Rush benefits greatly from this type of start. Much like a retail organization might look at current year results among comparable stores against that of the prior year, it serves as a control group for the ruminations to come. Musically, the sonic repetition perfectly matches the ambivalent viewpoint of the album’s character as they assess their situation. There is an admission that they haven’t done much over the prior year and are just fine with that. “On Track” has a mid-tempo ballad groove with lush keyboard instrumentation as Parker attempts to justify his seeming lack of personal progression in life when questioned about it. The feel created in the music is laconic and equally formless, darting unexpectedly as if to reflect the searching nature of the lyrics. Parker’s wispy high tenor voice throughout the album serves as both a counterpoint and reflection of the lyrics sung. Replete with a slinky, vibrant bassline, “Lost In Yesterday” is a fond bit of nostalgia on how bad previous situations are viewed through the rose-colored glasses of “now.” Far more than just easy romanticism, it is also an opportunity to discard the negative feelings that haunt and tend to hold people back. The drive is not to live in the past, but to learn and take all the baggage and “lose them in yesterday” as part of an effort to move into a more positive present day. Things begin to change as the album moves to its conclusion with the song “It Might Be Time.” Musically similar to Supertramp’s “The Logical Song,” the repetitive driving keyboard part is vibrant and insistent. Similarly, the lyrics also reflect a growing sense of anxiety and maturation as well. Here, the protagonist admits a growing unease and realization that maybe it is time to leave past lifestyles behind. It acknowledges the effect time has. “You ain’t as young as you used to be.” “You ain’t as cool as you used to be.” The sensation that friends are growing up and moving on leaves behind the creeping feeling that perhaps something is missing as a result. It is a small step, but an important one. The Slow Rush is filled with surprising melodies and electronic flourishes throughout its 12 tracks. While lyrical themes are complex and well formed, The Slow Rush is also an album that you can dance to as well. A rare collection that works to be enjoyed in a variety of ways.

Fittingly, the The Slow Rush closes with “ One More H our” to bookend the opening track. Here, instead of a relentless drum beat driving the piece, it is a keyboard played much like the drums in the previous “It Might Be T ime.” When a drum beat does emerge, it is subdued and played with a much more relaxed feel. Here, time serves as a comfort, an opportunity to assess lessons learned from it, and most importantly, to take a proper inventory of what is ultimately important to the individual and how they want to focus on over the time left in life. A common theme perhaps, but Kevin Parker masterfully explores it to a satisfying conclusion on Tame Impala’s fourth album. One of the first remarkable albums of 2020 so far.

Jac’s Bar & Grill

Jamie & Robin Arthur, coowners of Jac’s Bar & Grill, Chatfield, have been in their beautifully-remodeled restaurant (with a recently-added pizza kitchen) for nearly three years. The kitchen managers are Becky Irish (25 years’ experience) and David Parkhurst, whose 10-years’ experience, brings a younger taste to the table. Co-owner Jamie Arthur is the main chef. “It has always been a dream of his to own a restaurant. He takes pride in the food we put out to our customers and community. He puts his heart and soul into everything he prepares,” said Robin. The Arthur’s daughter, Brittany, is a great asset, working as a manager, a server, and a bartender. Maggie Haugstad is also instrumental in keeping the restaurant running smoothly, and she joins a staff

of 20; who all make JA C’s a great place to eat. The Arthurs serve lunch and dinner, and they feature daily dinner specials every night of the week, after 5:00 p.m. They also provide catering services, and the venue houses a large, back room for events and parties. JAC’S boasts many signature items, like the Caprese Flatbread; which is hot, fresh, and delicious; presented on a seasoned, flatbread crust, with garlic olive oil base, mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes, basil, and topped with balsamic vinaigrette. The notorious Monkey burger is a fresh, never frozen, burger patty, topped generously with bacon, swiss cheese, jalapenos, and a house-made Ranch, with secret monkey sauce. “Hands down, our crispy chicken wrap is one that everyone must try. It includes crispy chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, served with a side of our signature dill dip. W e wrap up the week by offering $1.00 off our wraps, ever y Sunday after

5 pm,” explained Robin. Other all-time favorites include boneless and bone-in wings; a plethora of sauces include BBQ, honey BBQ, bourbon BBQ, Carolina BBQ, Carolina sting, stinging honey garlic, garlic parmesan, sweet chili, teriyaki, buffalo, and monkey; or dip’ em in the house’s very own Ranch dressing, which is an absolute must have on wings, fries, wraps, and more. Aside from a friendly, knowledgeable staff, JAC’s offers delicious, fresh home-style burgers, wings, pizzas and flatbreads (freshly made), a full salad bar, craft beer selection, and service with a smile. There is something for everyone, from gluten-free options, to vegan-Beyond burgers. Occasionally, JAC’s features live entertainment and DJ/Karaoke (check out Facebook for upcoming events). “We know that many people drive by because they don’ t know we are here, and that they think we are only a bar. But once they step inside, they are amazed at how cozy the place is and that we are fam

ily orientated. They discover that we are not just a bar. We purchased old booths from the Wicked Moose when they closed, and they now have a new life in our cozy lounge seating area,” Robin said. In August, the Arthurs host a street dance for Chatfield W estern Days. Additionally, JAC’s sponsors the Annual Molly-Jake Alumni Basketball Fundraiser and Jared Hammel Volleyball fundraiser events; held to raise funds for the community. JAC’s is also the place for an annual Halloween Party and New Year’s Party. “I think that extra care and love goes into what truly makes JAC’s a special place; all the way down to our cleaning ladies…each and every one puts in her own, special touch. We get to know our customers and always make sure to let them know how much we appreciate them!” exclaimed Robin. Jac’s Bar/ Grill, 129 S Main St., Chatfield (https:// www.jacsbargrill.com/home) SMS

Denelle Schimek Denelle is a designer at The Design Element in the Mankato Design Center. She can help you with all your design needs from planning to product selection. Cabinetry Plywood vs Particle Board

When it comes to designing a kitchen, most people have a general idea of what they want their space to look like. As kitchen designers, we help our clients choose appliances, counter tops, layout, plumbing and electrical configurations, materials, cabinets, and even décor. While there are thousands of iterations of kitchen cabinets, be it color, finishes, wood species, and style, with a few questions from the kitchen designer, we can quickly narrow in on what type of cabinets they have in mind. One of the most difficult decisions to be made is what type of box construction should be used, plywood or particle board. The two materials have very different characteristics, so it’s good to become familiar with the pros and cons of each before choosing your kitchen cabinets. Each material has benefits to consider. Plywood is an engineered wood product consisting of several layers of wood veneer that are glued together . They alternate grain direction in various angles and are ‘sandwiched’ together. This is done to create a high dimensional stability that resists splitting and warping. In contrast, particle board, also known as furniture board, is made of wood fibers that are glued and pressed together. Plywood is generally thought to be the better product when building cabinets. It has superior construction longevity because it holds screws and other mechanical fasteners more efficiently. It has a slight advantage in the ability to bear weight. It weighs less than particle board which can be advantageous when hanging large cabinets. And, it is also more resistant to dents and scratches than particle board.

Particle board also has its own advantages. It has great stability , doesn’t warp due to temperature fluctuations and environmental changes, and its thickness is consistent throughout the board. Most notably, it costs less than plywood. By using particle board, one can generally save between 10-15% on the cost of the cabinets. Particle board is affordable, durable, doesn’t warp, and is easy to install. Either choice for the box material does not affect the material of the door, which is chosen separately. Generally, these are the components made from solid wood – so most components you will see and touch are solid wood of the species of your choice. Either plywood or particle board can be the right decision depending on the situation. Neither material is a solid wood material, and both are considered “engineered”. The drastic climate changes in your region should be considered when choosing building materials and engineered is generally better in these environments. In frameless construction cabinetry, particle board is used for tighter joints and to resist warping and cracking. However, if inset doors are a specified design feature, this is only available utilizing plywood construction.

Not sure which option is best for you? Our design professionals at The Design Element are here specifically for that reason. W e sit down with you and determine the best layout and design that reflects your lifestyle.

Do you know exactly what you’re looking for in your new cabinetry? The Cabinet Lab can draw and design to your specifications in several semi-custom cabinetry lines. SPONSORED BY The Design Element 1711 Premier Drive Mankato, MN 507.345.8708