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The skyline of Winona’s bluffs is still vivid in Spenny Klaus’s mind — a picture that stays with him as both a musician and a nature lover. 

"You look up at the bluff line, it kind of looks like looking at an audio file," Klaus said. 

His appreciation for the landscape started when he moved from Roseville to Winona for college. It happened quickly; he “just fell in love with this region.” 

“There's bluffs and rivers, and it's just a lot different than a lot of Minnesota," Klaus said.  

He explored the area, kayaking, biking and hiking. It became a favorite pastime, immersing himself in the constant chorus of the Driftless Area: sounds like a Tundra swan’s call, the crunch of snow or a Barred owl’s hoot.  

Inspired, he brought these sounds to his band, Afflatus, where he is the lead singer and songwriter. They began to chronicle the region’s voice through field recordings.    

"It just captivated me. And I think it was similar to a love story," Klaus said. “It's that intrigue of like, wanting to capture that and share that, because it's kind of hard to replicate, but it's such a unique and beautiful flavor to be able to get those sounds of the forest." 

In their new album "Painted Turtle,” bits of the natural soundscape weave between the 12 songs, culminating in the final track “Painted Turtle Tickles.” 

The track is 10 minutes of a curated organic chorus — literally — opening with the loon’s tremolo. Later, it folds in other bird calls and a rushing waterway; it is a postcard of the Driftless region.  

Other songs use nature as a jumping-off point.

The song “Murmuration” takes its name from the swirling formations some birds make in flight. It features an unusual time signature, as rare as the soundscape it reflects. The song features a guitar twang that couples with Klaus’ folksy voice as he sings about an impression of the region.  

Members of the band have been friends and playing together for years, but their current version of the band has been together since 2019. The bandmates have deepened both their collaboration and their love for Winona. It's something Klaus says makes the songs constantly alive.  

"We really work hard to try to be collaborative and be open to letting those songs transform, since I really view them as being alive in their own way, and giving them room to change and grow," he says.  

The song “Murmuration” is part of the album 

. Hear the band live at the No Name Bar in Winona on Nov. 14.

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What began as a musician falling in love with Winona’s bluffs has become an album that captures the region’s voice itself — a melodic love story to a place.

How a band captured Winona’s natural beauty

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