Holed up in tiny Sparta, Minn., Mattson and his romantic and musical partner Germaine Gemberling bust out in a big way on their latest and loudest effort under the Northstars moniker. The road song "Iowa" and wigged-out jam "Kiss the Sky" sound more akin to the ragged glory of Mattson's Neil Young tribute group Tired Eyes than his more alt-twangy old bands Ol' Yeller and the Tisdales. He and Gemberling also trade off vocals more often and share their shared sense of sardonic Minnesota humor (see: "Another Stupid Song"), coming off like a Turf Club answer to X's John Doe and Exene Cervenka.
