There are 12 drawings on the cover of Buz Owen’s most recent album, Sleep. There’s a bunny-eared television. A crucifix. An elephant. The images make up a visual tracklist for the album’s songs, music that draws from backyard bluegrass, folk and even Uncle Tupelo-era alt-country.
Avery Gregurich
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Armed with a Hammond organ (or two), Delvon Lamarr and his trio have a groovy set in store for Des Moines
It only makes sense that at his home in northern Indiana, Delvon Lamarr’s garage is packed full of Hammond B-3 organs. “I had seven, but I just sold one, so now I got six,” Lamarr told me. “I always regret when I get rid of things. I’ve had all kinds of synthesizers and stuff, and […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: diistancing — ‘this love ain’t a film’
this love ain't a film by diistancing For the last couple of years, Iowa City’s James Hirsch has been releasing music under the name diistancing. His latest, releasing on good old Saint Valentine’s Day, is this love ain’t a film. Featuring seven slow-burning, melancholic love/breakup songs, this diistancing release is stripped-down and raw, incorporating elements […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: GOLDBLUMS — ‘Bless Me for the Get Better’
Bless Me for the Get Better by GOLDBLUMS Over the last few years, the Des Moines-based group GOLDBLUMS have recorded with a wide sonic palette, including elements of garage punk, noise pop, and even some stoner sludge metal into their music. On their latest, Bless Me for the Get Better, they present six tracks full […]
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The million-matchstick masterpieces of Iowan Pat Acton
If you’re visiting Gladbrook in Tama County, it’s probably for Matchstick Marvels. And the nice people of Gladbrook know it — they’ve put “Home of Matchstick Marvels” on both of the city’s welcome signs. Matchstick Marvels is the hometown museum of one of Iowa’s most prominent folk artists, Pat Acton, who works primarily with wooden […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Hunt for golden records in Marshalltown’s sprawling vinyl palace, Wax Xtatic
Wax Xtatic Record Audio Stereo Shop in Marshalltown holds easily one of the largest inventories of new vinyl in Central Iowa, as well as the cleanest used vinyl section I’ve ever seen. Owned, organized and operated by John Blaubaum, the Marshalltown staple survived a mid-pandemic move in 2021 to its new space on Main Street. […]
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Album Review: Sean Tyler — ‘NOR THERE’
NOR THERE by Sean Tyler I first found out about Sean Tyler from one of the great No Touching Sessions filmed at Gabe’s way back in 2020. Tyler’s been performing regularly around Iowa City ever since, and recently played at the Refocus Film Festival. Released in September, NOR THERE is his first official collection of […]
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‘I don’t want my kid to grow up in a culture that admires and rewards white supremacy’: Adeem the Artist set to play Iowa City on Friday
Adeem the Artist has declared this to be their “weird summer of chaos.” During a phone interview with Little Village, Adeem the Artist spoke quickly and eloquently, a gentle type of proselytizing that led them at one point to say, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to get to sing my songs and tell my story […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Miss Christine — ‘Bittersweet’
Bittersweet by Miss Christine Christine Moad, who records under the moniker Miss Christine, gave themself an unenviable task: to take the dumpster fire of the last three years and turn it into music. Their latest album Bittersweet released in June, and in both its construction and its resultant music, this is a pandemic album through […]
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Album Review: HomeBrewed — ‘Devil In My Soul’
If you are planning a fundraiser in the CRANDIC area and are thinking about just putting on a Spotify playlist and calling it a day, please don’t. Ask HomeBrewed to play instead. HomeBrewed describes themselves as a “fun filled, mixed generational group, playing bluesy rock and roll and rockabilly.” The band performs primarily at benefit […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Album Review: Bella Moss — ‘Midwestern Daydreams’
Debut albums are always about moving boxes, and Bella Moss’ debut album Midwestern Daydreams is full of them. Throughout, this seven-song set feels like a “summer’s surely over” album delivered here at the blustery start of spring. “Change” is the not-so-secret word in these songs, and Bella Moss sings about loves losing their effect and […]
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Seth Avett — ‘Seth Avett Sings Greg Brown’
It will be a celebration when Greg Brown performs two retirement shows at the Englert this month. A lot of reverence will be there too, as a town gets the chance to pay tribute to one of its musical patron saints, hearing for a final time many beloved songs straight from their maker’s mouth. Seth […]
