An interview with Joey Burns of Calexico
Little Village caught up with frontman Joey Burns as he was waiting for a table at the restaurant Cochon in New Orleans during a visit for a performance at Jazz Fest. Check out the full interview aft...
Author Archives: Michael Roeder
Album Review: The Men from…BEYOND! – Surf Solaris
My first exposure to the L.A. punk scene was through the soundtrack to the 1984 movie Repo Man. This scene would be documented much more extensively in the movie The Decline of Western Civilization, ...
Interview with Iris DeMent
In October of 2012, Iris DeMent released her first new album of original songs after 16 years. The album—Sing the Delta, which DeMent maintained complete creative control over by releasing o...
Album Review: The Blendours – Level 99
The continuing influence of The Ramones’ music on the face of rock years after their breakup is a testament to the idea that simple and direct is the most effective approach to getting to the hearts ...
Album Review: Blizzard at Sea – Individuation
Blizzard at Sea Individuation blizzardatsea.com “All that I see are the photons, vibrating strings propagating down through the geometry of the higher dimensions. There’s a world that I’m unaware of ...
Album Review: Har-di-Har – Word(s) of Whim / Feudal Kind
Har-di-Har Word(s) of Whim Feudal Kind (EPs) Hardihar.com Few things excite me as much as stumbling upon a new band. The discovery of unexplored territory is a time consuming, but happy distraction f...
Album Review: Iris DeMent – Sing the Delta
Iris DeMent Sing the Delta irisdement.com Iris DeMent put 16 years between her new album, Sing the Delta, and her previous album of original music. She quickly gained critical acclaim (and one Grammy...
Album Review: Greg Brown – Hymns to What is Left
Greg Brown Hymns to What is Left gregbrownmusic.org Following a nearly-aborted album in 2011 (Freak Flag, which I reviewed in LV issue #103) Greg Brown was quoted as saying, “I enjoyed it; even thoug...
Album Review: The White Elephant – Self Titled
The White Elephant Self Titled thewhiteelephantband.com Brothers Ron and Tim Coleman and Chris Rohr of The White Elephant grew up in Wapello, IA (pop 2,067) in the Southeast corner of Iowa. Where man...
Album Review: Iowa City Song Project
Iowa City Song Project maximumamesrecords.com As a teenager hungry for a scene larger than the veritable cultural island of Bellevue, IA, at night I would arrange and rearrange my radio antenn...
Album Review: Samuel Locke Ward – Double Nightmare
Samuel Locke Ward Double Nightmare samuellockeward.bandcamp.com I was introduced to the insanity of “Big Lizard In My Backyard” by The Dead Milkmen sometime in the 80’s. The irreverent, usually scato...
Album Review: Dave Olson – No October
Dave Olson No October daveolsonmusic.com “What’s that place that she came from? A little town a couple miles from where the plane of Buddy Holly went down.” – Dave Olson, on “Buddy Holly” “Budd...
Album Review: Bermuda Report – Bittersweet
Bermuda Report Bittersweet facebook.com/bermudareport When I reviewed their debut EP last year, I said that Bermuda Report easily evoked a vacation in the tropics with their jazzy tropicalia-influenc...
Album Review: Dynoride – What You Wanted
Dynoride What You Wanted facebook.com/dynoride Dynoride is a Quad Cities band that was started in 2008 by a pair of old high school friends with the intent of producing—according to their press relea...
Live Music: An interview with Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, playing The Englert August 19, 20...
In October of 2009, California band Dawes was invited to be part of the second Daytrotter.com Barnstormer tour which included such exotic Iowa locations as Green Island, West Branch and Maquoketa. Th...