Will Whitmore grew up in Lee County Iowa near the shore of the Mississippi River. He makes a living singing for people, accompanying himself on guitar and banjo. He writes simple songs, in the American acoustic folk music idiom. Field Songs is his latest record and comprises eight songs that say what they have to […]
Album Reviews
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Album Review – Billy Raygun/Lipstick Homicide: Split LP
Lipstick Homicide (Kate Kane, Rachel Feldman and Lucas Ferguson) have been making a big noise in Iowa City for six years or so, starting out at West High School. If you haven’t seen them play live, then you don’t get out much–and you’ve missed out. Their live sound is an exquisitely textured roar made up […]
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Album Review – Finnders and Youngberg: FY5
It’s tempting to classify Finnders and Youngberg as a bluegrass band based on the mastery of the fiddle, banjo and mandolin on display in FY5. But those aren’t the only ingredients in this recipe. “It’s definitely more of a country outfit than what Amy and I were doing… but probably where I was heading all […]
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Little Village's Top Ten Local Albums of 2011 (Thus Far)
If you find yourself marking the calender just waiting for the big regional and national acts to pass through (or near), you may be missing all the wonderful music right under your very nose. Consider this a primer.
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Album Review – Ed Gray: Old Bending River
Ed Gray Old Bending River It’s impossible for me to be objective about Ed Gray. I’ve seen him play more shows than I can count and I still don’t know what to expect. I’ve been at his house when he comes home from his shit janitor job and mixes a drink to wash the taste […]
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Album Review – Dream Thieves: Ocean Spell
Dream Thieves Ocean Spell While Americans were going nuts for Blondie, The Cars and a plethora of other skinny tie bands in the New Wave ‘80s, an underground scene sprang up in the U.S. and Europe, centered around the use of the then-new synthesizers and drum machines. Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and New Order were […]
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Album Review – Wet Hair: In Vogue Spirit
Wet Hair In Vogue Spirit On Wet Hair’s third full-length LP (11th release overall), In Vogue Spirit, the band has embraced many of the same sun-baked sounds of their peers. Where contemporaries like Peaking Lights came at Reggae and dub through the backdoor of drone and noise, Wet Hair has found the middle ground between […]
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Album Review – The River Monks: Jovials
The River Monks Jovials The River Monks take their name from a literal translation of “Des Moines,” their home town. At first, their music seems as straightforward as their name but, as I kept listening, nothing about it stayed simple. The River Monks are a trio with Ryan Stier as the primary songwriter for the […]
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Album Review – Alex Body: Cutting Down Camelot
Alex Body Cutting Down Camelot self-released Since emerging in January 2010, from Twelve Canons’ indefinite hiatus with a self-released CD-r called Just Say Yes, Alex Body has quickly carved out a new shiny identity for himself. His sixth release in under 18 months, Cutting Down Camelot, finds Body heir-apparent to Iowa City’s lo-fi pop throne—watch […]
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Album Review – Kerosene Circuit: EP
Kerosene Circuit EP The romance of the long-haul trucker is born in the dust and roar of the engine and the kerosene smell of diesel fuel. The bleary hypnosis from the engine’s roaring roadsong, the buzzy florescent refuge of the 24-hour truckstop, faded coffee rings on the driver’s daily log books, permanent grease lodged in […]
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Album Review – Greg Brown: Freak Flag
Greg Brown Freak Flag My first time in a bar, underage, was for a Bo Ramsey and the Sliders show at Potter’s Mill in Bellevue, IA. From then on, I caught as many shows as I could until I moved to Minnesota for work. When I later moved back to Iowa, one reason I was […]
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Album Review – The Mountain Goats : All Eternals Deck
“Let the truth spring free Like a jack-in-the-box Like a hundred thousand cuckoo clocks From the Oregon corners to the Iowa corn To the rooms with heat lamps Where the snakes get born” – “Birth of Serpents” My first exposure to paranoia came as a child. I only saw my uncle at birthday parties and […]
