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We've had several years now to get to know Holly Newsom, the guiding force behind local minimalist rockers Zoo Animal. But as 2013 kicks into high gear, it seems as though we'll have some major reacquainting to do: For starters, the Cokato-reared songstress is once again going by her birth name, Holly Hansen. And it would seem that that's the just the tip of the iceberg for someone in the process of reinventing herself and her music.

Zoo Animal itself has a completely different look about it these days as well, having gone through a variety of lineup changes in the past year and a half since Tim Abramson and Thom Burton left the group. With a firm lineup finally in place, Hansen recently cut some demos in Minneapolis under the guidance of Alan Sparhawk. Based on the tightly wound melody of "Gravedigger" and the swirling rock 'n' roll of "Dark Dirt," the new material suggests a drastic change from the bleak, unflinching beauty of last year's Departure.

Here we have a video I shot in a park in St. Paul. Zoo Animal is rockin' out!