Iowa City band the Lost Tracks is on the cusp of a period of big creative output. Their new album, ‘Capitanos,’ is the first of three releases coming out just this year.
Michael Roeder
Michael Roeder is a self-proclaimed “music savant.” When he’s not writing for Little Village he blogs at playbsides.com.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Lissie — Castles
Lissie’s 2016 album “My Wild West” centered around being homesick for the Midwest. But now that she’s living here in northeast Iowa on her own “40 acres in the sun” (to quote that album’s “Hero”), she’s apparently having boyfriend issues on her latest, “Castles.”
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Koplant No — Elker
The opening track “Before We Go” on the reunited Koplant No’s new album “Elker” is a compound of skittering synth decay and dripping percussion flitting around a lone trumpet carrying a mournful melody. It’s a track that would fit perfectly on a Jack Lion record — which seems obvious when you consider that fellow Iowa City group Jack Lion shares Brian Lewis Smith on trumpet and Drew Morton on bass.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Dick’s Tap and Shake opens up their Shake Room music venue
Located in what used to be a trophy shop next door to Dick’s Tap, the front door of the Shake Room has had a sign announcing the coming arrival of the performance venue since the end of last year. In the last few months there has been a flurry of activity getting ready for the opening.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Halfloves team up with Exile Brewing at the Blue Moose
The band started recording at Magic Barn this week and will continue working on the album throughout the year. This Friday, March 30, Halfloves will be at the Blue Moose. The show kicks off at 8 p.m.; tickets are $10.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Middle Western — When Your Demons are Underground and You’ve Got to Dig Them Up
When long-time Iowa City scene staple Dave Zollo and Lee County troubadour William Elliott Whitmore started performing together a couple years ago as Middle Western with members of Zollo’s band The Body Electric and Chicago guitarist Stevie Doyle, it seemed a natural fit.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: BEES — Shady Lady EP
The early 1970s was a dynamic time for country music. The old guard of ’50s and ’60s country artists started taking a backseat to the rise of artists crossing over with rock and R&B who took over the Top 40: artists like Glen Campbell, Mac Davis, John Denver, Elvis in his post-’68 Comeback period, Jerry Reed and J.J. Cale.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Extravision — Waking Up
If you’re familiar with Ryan Stier’s work, it’s probably from regular plays of the theme music for the Iowa Public Radio shows River To River and Talk Of Iowa that his band the River Monks composed. That band enjoyed acclaim particularly for their 2014 album Home Is The House.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Treesreach — Some Night You Will Hear Me Crowing
Some Night You Will Hear Me Crowing, the debut album from Cedar Rapids trio treesreach, uses the story of Peter Pan as a thread joining the musical squares in a large double album quilt in the form of symphonic interstitial pieces. Taken by themselves, the rock songs are not directly Peter Pan-themed, but they evoke a sense of melancholy similar to Peter Pan’s afterthought.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Dan Tedesco chases the lightning to Cedar Rapids
Dan Tedesco will be at CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, Dec. 14. He’ll show the film, then hold a Q&A which will be followed by a short solo acoustic set. Tickets are $13 in advance and $16 at the door.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Gloom Balloon — Drying the Eyes of the Goddess of Gloom, Underneath the Stars and the Moon
The songs on Des Moines band/project Gloom Balloon’s sophomore album were inspired by life-changing events of falling in love and the birth of Patrick Tape Fleming’s son Nilsson (who makes an appearance on the opening track, “Password”).
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Colleen and treesreach bring new music to Groundswell
Two Cedar Rapids-based bands I’ve been following for over a year — treesreach and husband and wife duo Heather and Tyler Stück, who perform as Colleen — will be at Groundswell (201 Third Ave SW, Cedar Rapids) on Saturday night starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5.
