Weighing in at five tracks and 18 minutes, In It With You, the newest EP from Iowa artist Jim Swim, is difficult to pigeonhole in terms of genre. If pressed, I would describe it as a blend of hip hop, Nick Drake bootlegs, a book of poems by Rumi and a cold Arnold Palmer spiked with a little bit of whiskey. […]
Articles by Luke Benson
Album Review: Blake Shaw — Listen Hear

Blake Shaw Listen Hear www.blakeshawbass.com Listen Hear is the latest release from Iowa City composer/musician Blake Shaw. Recorded at Flat Black Studios, Listen Hear is an incredibly accessible jazz album featuring a strong quintet of players with Shaw on the upright bass, Dan Padley on guitar, Nolan Schroeder and Ryan Smith on respective woodwinds and […]
Riding the Organ Trail: A family faces tragedy by building a tradition of hope and giving

Organ Trail bike ride Starting Point: 390 Herky St., North Liberty — Sat., May 14 at 10 a.m., $40 On Saturday, May 14, beginning at 10 a.m. in North Liberty, Pedal for Life will host its second annual Organ Trail bike ride. Registration is $40. The event will have all the standard trappings of a […]
Interview: Henry Rollins on fame, reinvention and the pink locker rooms
Tuesday at The Mill: Comedians Josh Fadem and Johnny Pemberton take the stage
Interview: Paul Ingram sheds light on his new book and talks about his rhyming verbal tick
Interview: Paula Poundstone on her comedic origins, the nature of curse words and life on the road
Minor indulgences: Scrooge gets an attitude adjustment

“Eat, drink and be merry” is a familiar holiday toast, but did you know that there’s a second, somewhat morbid half to the saying that explains the reason why we should imbibe and rejoice? In case you were unaware, the phrase in total goes: “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” So there: Put that in your holiday pipe and smoke it.
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On the Table: Take a bloody break

Here’s the conundrum: I’ve found myself at an unpleasant crossroads. I’m in my 30s, have high blood pressure and need to lose weight; but I am, by nature, an epicure. Until a little while ago, this joie de vivre served me relatively well—but I had a health scare recently and have been forced to question […]
On the Table: Taking in Iowa City’s best minor indulgences

Post-holidays can be a tricky time and it seems like every year I eat a little more, drink a little longer and exercise a little less.
Having noticed my expanding waistline, my health-centric-physically-fit-yogi-fiancé decided to take drastic measures and put us on a three-week health kick called the “Crazy Sexy Diet.” […]