Brian Bethke’s new album can be downloaded for free. His online Underdog Radio features local talent.

    Osseo’s own Brian Bethke, one of the area’s most ambitious musicians, is set to release another album and is also hosting his very own show on Underdog Radio. Filled with the same emotional inspiration, Bethke’s The River is unlikely to go unnoticed, as it is an example of more amazing local music from the singer/songwriter.

Like most great music, Bethke’s new album comes from a deeply personal place. Written during very different stages in his life, The River carves out a map of Bethke’s own story.

Two of the tracks – Die in Your Arms and Show Me the Numbers – date back about three years and show Bethke’s more playful music ability. The Silence however, is a song Bethke wrote when he was 16 years old. The final track of the album, Horrible Destiny, dates even further back, from when Bethke was only 14. Because of this, these two much older songs have a different nature to them, and are seemingly angrier or further removed from the folk presentation of the rest of the album. This adds a certain texture, though, giving the listener another side of Bethke’s inspiration.

The title track, The River, holds the most emotive gravity. Written for Bethke’s mother, struggling with stage-four breast cancer, the song contains a large part of the album’s meaning. Heartbreaking and emotionally accessible, The River pieces Bethke’s life into one deeply moving story.

Bethke’s ambitious nature and interest in music has also given the area Underdog Radio. He began this project by building his own transmitter in an attempt to own a free and legal radio station near Levis, WI. The show originally encompassed only a half-mile, but Bethke has since moved online to reach a larger audience.

In his weekly podcast, Bethke sets out to inform his audience of music that would be difficult to find anywhere else, as well as setting up a local vibe in honor of the area as a source of great talent.

The River is free for download at BrianBethke.com with a donation of $5 or more to the American Cancer Society. There will be a free CD release show on March 26 at the Acoustic Café in Eau Claire, 7pm.