The I & I by Teller Bank$ The album opener to The I & I by Teller Bank$ finds the Des Moines-based rapper reflecting on the practical value of processing his trauma through his art. In “Friends,” he comments on […]
Musician, guitarist and educator Allegra Hernandez returned to Des Moines in 2018 after their stint at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota was cut short when the school closed. That time afforded them a solid basis in […]
Distelfink by Chaircrusher Iowa City’s very own Chaircrusher (a.k.a. Kent Williams, a regular LV contributor) is back. By Chaircrusher’s frantic standards — four albums in 2021, three each in 2020 and 2019 — 2022 has constituted a hibernation of sorts; […]
Ecotones by Jarrett Purdy & Dan Padley When Dan Padley played at the Iowa City Farmer’s Market a few weeks ago, I was impressed (as always) by the liquid elegance of his playing on the jazz standard “All the things […]
“I suppose the new direction is another pandemic story,” Nick Fisher offers as the impetus for the recent pivot of the band formerly known as Hex Girls. “I had begun writing lyrics to songs that seemed to lend themselves to […]
In 2019, frequenters of Goosetown Café mingled with friends of John Rapson to delight in the new band he had assembled: MEKTOUB. It was a trio, initially — Rapson on the keys, Ryan Smith on woodwinds and Nielo Gaglione on […]
Discount Sacrifice At The Altar Of Bargains by BBJR + SLW I can’t stop thinking about this album. When it dropped in December of last year, I’d kind of resigned myself to not writing about it, just given the way […]
Outer Space, Iowa by Dean Gorman If we are truly living through the Great Resignation, I’m expecting that the coming months will hold a heavy release of “Future Endeavors” albums and straight-up “I Quit” albums. Early to the party is […]
Music has done a number on Luke Tweedy. He was a record store guy with a uniquely acerbic bedside manner. He taught himself electronics and audio engineering and built his recording studio, Flat Black, from scratch. He’s documented (in first-rate […]
The Parts I Dread by Pictoria Vark Nobody sounds like Pictoria Vark. She’s a classic punk balladeer and veritable witch of the North. Her melodies are cool and ethereal. It’s the lyrics that are warm, and when she sings, her […]
Iowa does such a great job at spewing out iconic, idealist and illuminous inspiration. Ahzia, a Quad Cities native, established his tone for the year with the release of his latest project, 2021’s Welcome to Nowhere, released in December. He’s […]
Stoopgoblin Suite – Live at Trumpet Blossom Cafe by Death Bag In Death Bag, Chris Wiersema (half of the ambient doom duo Lwa) plays electronics gizmos and Gabi Vanek, a veteran performer in the experimental live music scene who has […]
