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.
Album Reviews
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Wax Cannon — ‘Teeth’
TEETH by Wax Cannon In Eliza Gilkyson’s “Solitary Singer,” she croons, “He sings his best when nobody’s listening.” Wax Cannon reminds me of that song. A housepainter (David Murray) and a hospital pharmacy worker (Jay Miller) have been making music together for a quarter century, to no particular acclaim, except from their friends in the […]
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Album Review: Salt Fox — ‘Miss You, Kyle/Love Ya, Boys!’
In January 2024, the Cedar Falls indie pop trio Salt Fox found themselves heading to Texas for a gig. Right before departing, Kyle, a friend of a friend that the band had never met, showed up to be the roadie for the trip and became the inspiration for the title of the band’s new album. […]
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Album Review: Early Girl — ‘Do I Even Cross Your Mind?’
If every song is a sort of conceptual collage of sound, with its layered instruments and vocal harmonies, then Early Girl’s EP Do I Even Cross Your Mind? feels like both an auditory and physical collage. It’s a lovingly flipped-through scrapbook of grunge and throwback, capturing the grittiness of hand-cut paper, rough ripped edges and even a smattering of glitter.
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Album Review: Running Man — ‘Running Man’
Quad Cities’ Running Man are the local antithesis to aging out. These guys have been steady putting work into the QC DIY scene, playing in bands like Meth & Goats, Lord Green, Tambourine, The Multiple Cat, Mondo Drag and more.
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Album Review: Curtis Taylor — ‘Taylor Made’
For those unfamiliar, Curtis Taylor is an award-winning trumpeter and recording artist. He is also Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Iowa School of Music. The fact that a talent like this resides in our community is worth celebrating.
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Album Review: Dickie — ‘Headful of Hiss’ EP
Headful of Hiss By Dickie In April 2023, Dick Prall brought a string quartet to CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids. Billed as Dickie and the Cask Strength Quartet, the evening was a setlist of stringed versions of songs from Prall’s career to that point. Towards the end of the evening, he announced that he wanted […]
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Album Review: Teller Bank$ — ‘The Pride & Glory’
Denver-born and Des Moines-based emcee Teller Bank$ brandishes a bit of verbal gunplay at the tail end of The Pride & Glory, the latest collaborative album with producer Ed Glorious, that reminded me of the movie John Wick.
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Album review: KL!NG — ‘5 SONG SWEETIE PIE!’ EP
During the last gasps of August, KL!NG’s first EP came into the world, grew legs, and personified itself into a fun house. Think buckets of neon green paint, a ball pit, a wall-to-wall mirrored metallic bathroom and a projector dedicated to running continuous episodes of Twin Peaks.
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Album Review: Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops — ‘Live at the Lift’
Equal parts sweat and excitement hang thick in the air after a full day of performances at the 80/35 music fest. It’s July 8, 2023, and it’s Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops’ festival afterparty at The LiFt in Des Moines.
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Album Review: Munk Rivers — ‘Practice Room’ EP
Most of the press around Des Moines band Munk Rivers mentions their self-declared genre “yearncore.” While obviously somewhat tongue-in-cheek, it speaks to the very human emotions that weave through the lyrics of lead singer and frontperson Charlotte Judkins. Siblings Charlotte and Tucker Judkins started performing as Munk Rivers last summer after they relocated to Des […]
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Album Review: The House Flies — ‘Mannequin Deposit’
Mannequin Deposit by The House Flies My favorite time of year is here: cool autumn air, hoodies, bonfires, long-sleeve band T-shirts and of course, Halloween. While you can catch me in all black clothes most any time of the year, spooky season is the time of year I feel most at home. That feeling requires […]
