Quad Cities trio Chrash premieres a video today with the tune that wrapped up its latest album of songs about things frontman Chris Bernat’s friends say: the catchy, chugging, uptempo “Didn’t We Have History Together?” “It was picked for its ambiguous title,” Bernat says. “‘Didn’t we have history together,’ it asks, as if to say, […]
Michael Roeder
Michael Roeder is a self-proclaimed “music savant.” When he’s not writing for Little Village he blogs at playbsides.com.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Album Review: Chrash — Things My Friends Say
Chrash Things My Friends Say www.cartoucherecords.com/chrash Chrash is a Quad Cities trio made up of Kim Murray and Paul Bloomquist from the Winter Blanket, and Chris Bernat from ’90s alternative rock band Tripmaster Monkey (who enjoyed a brief moment in the sun when they were signed to Sire Records). Chrash (pronounced “Crash”) had four releases […]
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Interview: Ray Wylie Hubbard on storytelling and second chances
Ray Wylie Hubbard The Mill — Sunday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. Ray Wylie Hubbard is a Texas singer and songwriter probably best known for penning the song “Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother,” made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker. That song represents a different time for Hubbard — one before he reclaimed his music, […]
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Exploring music venue Codfish Hollow Barnstormers ahead of its first festival
GARP Codfish Hollow Barnstormers — Friday, Sept. 9-11 In 2009, Sean Moeller of Daytrotter had the idea of bringing his favorite up-and-coming bands to barns in the Midwest (initially) as a kind of a road show, similar to the “Caravan of Stars” tours of the early 1960s. The Daytrotter Barnstormers brought notable bands like Dawes, […]
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Album Review: Bo Ramsey — Wildwood Calling
Bo Ramsey Wildwood Calling www.boramsey.com There is an adage in guitar circles that says, “Tone is in the hands.” In other words, the unique sound of a guitarist comes from how they play and not the gear they use. Nowhere is this more evident than with Bo Ramsey’s very distinctive guitar tone and sound — […]
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Album Review: Devin Frank — The Vanishing Blues
Devin Frank The Vanishing Blues www.facebook.com/thevanishingblues Poison Control Center’s hiatus in 2011 gave Devin Frank time to explore new projects. He formed Mantis Pincers with Jordan Mayland and Eric Moffitt of Volcano Boys and released one cassette. He moved to Columbia, MO in 2012 and, while writing a bunch of songs and demos, he joined […]
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Photos: American icon Dolly Parton plays Cedar Rapids
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Tuesday, July 19, country music legend Dolly Parton brought her 60-city tour in support of her upcoming album Pure & Simple With Dolly’s Biggest Hits (out Aug. 19) to a packed U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. The revue (which spanned two and a half hours) was a very polished (and glittery) survey of […]
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Album Review: MAIDS — These Days EP
MAIDS These Days EP www.thisismaids.com Danny Heggen and Mickey Davis are the Des Moines electronic pop band MAIDS. They’ve been collaborating since 2012 on singles and some inspired remixes for bands including Iowa artists Land of Blood and Sunshine and the Envy Corps. MAIDS latest release, a 5-track EP titled These Days, serves as a […]
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Album Review: TWINS — Square America
TWINS Square America www.facebook.com/Twinstheband Iowa’s very own princes of guitar pop are back with another slab of black vinyl densely grooved with their trademark harmonies and chugging guitars. Their 2014 album Tomboys on Parade was a smart collection of guitar pop that I described in my Little Village review as being a “survey of power […]
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Album Review: Max Jury – Self-titled
Max Jury Max Jury www.maxjury.com A series of strong singles in 2014 established West Des Moines native Max Jury as able to craft instantly-classic songs influenced by laid back seventies West Coast singer-songwriters. These singles, which included the tongue-in-cheek “Black Metal,” started the snowball of acclaim and fueled expectation of his self-titled debut album, out […]
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The dual personae of the Jayhawks
The Jayhawks at the Book it to Iowa City Bash Main stage (Clinton Street and Iowa Avenue) — Friday, July 27 at 8:15 p.m. Note: This story was originally published before a 2016 Jayhawks performance at the Englert Theatre. 2016 marks 30 years since the release of the Jayhawks’ self-titled debut album. Formed in 1985, […]
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Album review: Christopher the Conquered – I’m Giving Up on Rock & Roll
Listening to Christopher the Conquered’s new album I’m Giving Up On Rock & Roll, I can’t help but compare the epic, theatrical sound of the album to Springsteen’s Born to Run and Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell. The pilgrimage that Christopher and producer Patrick Tape Fleming (of Poison Control Center) took to Memphis, to divine some of the magic that comes from the legendary Ardent Studios (where many of the hot Stax Records came from) brought forth a well of R&B gold.
