In one sense, Ice Palace started forming the moment Adam Sorensen learned how to play two chords on guitar. That was about all it took for songs to start spilling from the teenager growing up in Owatonna MN in the 80’s. Little did Sorensen know that his songs would keep a revolving cast of talented musicians and collaborators orbiting him for what’s now been the better part of two decades.
As a teen, Sorensen’s musical heroes were magical beings. Legends such as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Beatles (the ones everyone loves)…but then there was the strange punk of The Meat Puppets, The Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth and The Minutemen showing him that there were no rules to this. You could say anything you wanted to, and make any sound. Throw in some Syd Barrett and The Velvet Underground…..you’ve got this cosmic yet existential mix of musical ideas laying the foundation for Adam to find his own voice and write hundreds of songs through the years. Oh….and he read a lot of books…..which influenced the songs, too. His love for words and the power of language and storytelling is palpable in his lyrics.
Ice Palace songs have always perked ears up. With “Trampolining” in rotation on influential MN station 89.3 The Current, the band rose quickly through the ranks of aspiring acts, earning a release on Cloud Cult’s Earthology label, extensive national touring and opportunities to record albums with local luminaries such as Darren Jackson (Kid Dakota) and Brian Tighe (The Hang Ups).
Ice Palace’s hard-driving raucous live energy has evolved into something still edgy, yet more nuanced and composed, and always filled with interesting lyrical imagery made more poignant by Sorensen’s penetrating voice. Ice Palace is just wrapping up their latest EP produced by the epically discerning Jared Miller and Sorensen himself. Miller also plays bass in Ice Palace and the two are joined in the studio and on stage by guitarist Casey Virock (Porcupine), vocalist Allison LaBonne (The Owls, The Starfolk, Typsy Panthre) and drummer Aaron Lagas.