Tagine

While doomsayers lay dying in wait for the next 15-minute imposters to affirm their worst fears about rock-n-roll's imminent demise, Minnesota's Tagine are daring to spread hope among the masses. Hitting countless venues throughout the upper-Midwest, they're taking audiences on a crusade far beyond the cliched confines of reality TV culture, yet are still managing to clock in infectious, hook-heavy songs at a tidy three-and-a-half minutes. It's the kind of song craft that's led Minneapolis' No Alternative Records to proclaim, "Tagine proves that the Twin Cities can produce artists beyond its already clever pop heritage."

For their contless fans, the leap of faith is really no big trick- Tagine's fresh, dynamic sound melds a perfect-pop combination of both brains and balls. But the cuts are courageously deep, fusing whip-smart, lovesexy lyrics with modern guitar-rock bravado and a super-tight spin on the streamlines grooves of old school funk, R&B and soul. They've been compared variously to Jeff Buckley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maroon 5, and Prince, but with their Latin flair and knack of stylish jazz harmonies, the St. Paul Pioneer Press also hails them as, "a pleasant yet subtle divergence from much of the rock music that's out there."

That mix of genre-bending approach and universal appeal has found them opening for acts as wide-ranging as Edwin McCain, Jonny Lang, Dada, The Nadas, Little Feat, and Joe Firstman, and their blistering live show has been garnering devotees at theaters, clubs, festivals, and college campuses alike. They've racked up numerous accolades as well, being granted Best Rock Album (for their 2003 release, "Red") and Best Rock Band nomination by the Minnesota Music Awards (MMA), in addition to a 2002 MMA nomination for Best New Band. That year also saw them snagging a NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) award, Jim Beam's "Band of the Week", and winning Minnesota's KQRS "Homegrown" contest.

Beneath the impressive luster, Tagine's power-packed songcraft suggests years of introspection, exploration and fine-tuning. Indeed, vocalist/ guitarist Wade Linkert and lead guitarist Alex Moreno have written together since their early teens, playing in a number of bands within the confines of small-town Minnesota. Originally a drummer, Linkert found himself drawn increasingly toward songwriting, and itching to bring his own material to both studio and stage as a front man. During a short-lived split between the two to work on stylistically distinct projects, Linkert recorded his first solo release, "Flavor", performing all of the instruments himself. He later recruited bassist Ben Shaffer and drummer Austin Dingus to perform the songs live, and eventually re-joined with Moreno. They took upon what was to become a prolific co-writing partnership, penning two more studio albums, 2002's "Red" and 2003's "Genuine Flavor". Linkert recorded another self-recorded LP in 2003 called "Behind a Smile".

Now relocated to the Twin Cities, Tagine shows no sign of slowing down. Their fourth full-length effort, "Secret Solution", is due January 06, and shows them honing their sound to both razor-sharp smarts and pop-accessible sensibility. With a passionate promotional knack, extraordinary musicianship, and nose-to-the-grindstone ethic, Tagine possesses all of the stuff of which rock-n-roll legends are made, redefining yesterday's greatest trends while wowing mainstream audiences with forward-looking innovation and indisputable sonic brilliance.