Karen Haglof is a veteran musician and songwriter whose fourth full-length album One Hand Up was released on June 14, 2024 on CD, digital download and via streaming services. Haglof began her career in music in the late 70s Minneapolis scene rubbing shoulders with the likes of pioneering Twin Cities punk band The Suicide Commandos which helped to launch the underground scene that produced the likes of Hüsker Dü, The Replacements and Soul Asylum. When Suicide Commandos bassist and vocalist moved to New York, Haglof followed suit in 1980 but found herself immersed more in the world of avant-garde and experimental music playing in Rhys Chatham’s ensemble and later joining Band of Susans. By the early 1990s Haglof realized she didn’t want to be working in restaurants for the rest of her life so she finished college and went to medical school and quit music for many years as being in hematology and oncology didn’t leave a lot of time to pursue music with the focus and energy she once had. Haglof has since retired from medicine in 2022 but prior to doing so she returned to making music in 2014 and ten years later she has released not only one of the most fascinating sets of music of her career thus far but one of the most innovative guitar and synth records of 2024. One Hand Up sounds like an art rock, power pop, jazz Americana record. Its rich tones and nuanced moods, it’s orchestration of detailed performances to convey a retrofuturist honky tonk post-punk aesthetic and a sense of a place in the none-too-distant future at a late night lounge catering to left field music. Parts of the album had contributions from legendary producer Mitch Easter who also performed Moog synth parts to the track “Slinky 66.” But the songwriting is rooted in Haglof’s richly creative imagination.
Listen to our interview with Haglof on Bandcamp and follow her at the links below.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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