The Vernal Equinox EP by Nadalands Nadalands are back with another meditative EP: The Vernal Equinox. Each song truly reflects the title’s meaning: shining light on the ways of the new world. This five-track treasure features vocals from well-known local […]
brain gamez by Penny Peach 2021 is the year of reinvention, and Penny Peach’s Brain Gamez is the perfect soundtrack. Penny Peach is the multi-talented Elly Hofmaier. The singer, writer and recent University of Iowa grad released this carefully crafted […]
Not Great by Mt. Umbra You can find the umbra of anything by searching for the innermost, and darkest, part of its shadow. There’s secrets to be found there, but only if you can bring them back out into the […]
Coyotes tend to howl to locate each other and establish their territory, not only for the sake of those around, but also for themselves. It seems prudent then that Iowa alt-country singer-songwriter Logan Springer titled his full-length debut, Coyote- “kī-yōte”. […]
Roots of Rhythm by Elizabeth Zimmerman The first song on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Roots Of Rhythm, “The Journey,” is just her voice and piano. It brings Judee Sill immediately to mind. It combines pleasant, subtly modulated vocal style with an intricately […]
Better Times (Are A Comin') by Steve Grismore If the music collection in your head includes the work of the late Ornette Coleman, there is a reasonable chance you have it filed under “weird” or “difficult” or even “unlistenable.” That […]
David Huckfelt’s 2021 Room Enough, Time Enough gets its title from the name the Navajo used to describe their ancestral homeland, near where Huckfelt recorded the album in Tucson, Arizona. Its rocky landscape influenced the Western themes of the record. […]
The Awful Purdies’ new release, The Great Unraveling is a defining statement for these accomplished musicians who combine their strengths, with wearied joy, to perform miracles. The songs are timely and timeless. The album is proud but not boastful, strong […]
The Truth: An Acoustic EP by SoultruTerrance “Soultru” Banks has been blending pop, R&B and hip-hop for years. For The Truth, the Davenport singer’s latest EP, he’s taken an unexpected step back: peeling back the production and sitting down for […]
Glacial Gods by Twin Wizard After a messy split from Dubuque stoner-metal powerhouse Telekinetic Yeti, drummer Anthony Dreyer forged a trans-Mississippi partnership with axeman Brad Van, a member of Madison kindred spirits Droids Attack. The result is Twin Wizard, whose […]
Caught Under Glass by Stephanie Catlett Stephanie Catlett surprised listeners with her 2019 EP Meet Me in the Dream, and fans of her initial work will be delighted to know that her 2020 LP Caught Under Glass (available today, Dec. […]
Liz Moen’s origin story, as relayed to me by Luke Tweedy of Flat Black Studios, begins before she recorded a single note. He said she decided to record an album of her own songs, and in short order she was […]
