Techno originated in Belleville, Mich., and was invented by middle-class black teenagers with ties to Detroit. Techno brought together the influences of disco, James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic and combined them with the paler European electronic styles of Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, which embraced a dreamy futurism born out of comic books and science fiction paperbacks.
local music
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Peas and Carrot – Big Girl Shoes
When Iowa Public Radio asked Peas and Carrot lead singer and guitarist Audrey Robinson who her vocal influences were during a recent in-studio interview, she snapped back, “NOT Janis Joplin!” “Janis Joplin” is too often used as shorthand for any female singer who has a raw, bluesy edge, but Robinson’s sound is less hoarse belting and more dynamic rock and soul reminiscent of vocalists like Linda Perry, PJ Harvey and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Unknown Component – Arbitrary Ambiguity
Keith Lynch (a.k.a. Unknown Component) doesn’t have a band—he produces his music at home and plays all the parts. He uses a group name, though it’s just him. And while he’s a guitar-playing singer-songwriter, his albums are full of electronic sounds.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: The Great American Cattle Barons – Lavish Lies of the Holy Corpse
The Great American Cattle Barons is actually yet another ‘band’ instigated by Iowa City’s profligate purveyor of bummer rock, Samuel Locke Ward, this time…
Posted inAlbum Reviews, Arts & Entertainment
Album Review: Foul Tip – Heaven Now
Reviewing the latest EP from Foul Tip is, well, sort of a challenge. The duo’s second release, Heaven Now, has a bit of an identity crisis. Four of the cuts on the cassette are propulsive, evocative chunks of post-punk and three of the tracks are goofy, but still mostly hard hitting. However, two of the songs are so successful, it really doesn’t bear mentioning the remaining five in such a short write-up.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Show Recap: Adobanga, Songbird Bethann, River Glen @ Blue Moose Tap House 10/1/2011
Three Iowa groups performed Saturday, October 1, at the Blue Moose Tap House: River Glen (River Breitbach) of Iowa City, Songbird Bethann (Bethann Gavin) and Zaplin Vermie of Iowa City, and Cedar Rapids’ Adobanga.
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Show Preview/Album Review: The Wandering Bears at The Mill, 9/24/11
The Wandering Bears will play this Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Mill, sharing a fantastic bill with Iowa City’s Datagun and opening for Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps. The Wandering Bears craft smart, unique pop tunes with substance and catchy hooks. Their songs are about men and women and the stupid things we do to each other, but with a mix of sweet reminiscence, real heartbreak, and…
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Show Preview: The Fez at the Blue Moose – 9/16/11
I attended the Fez’s breakout debut in April, and have rarely been so blown away, so surprised and impressed by a musical experience. Steely Dan’s music is epic, and The Fez recreates that giant, smooth sound with authenticity and authority.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Show Review: Taj Weekes & Adowa, Tribal Momentum – Yacht Club 8/12/11
As demonstrated by all the funky shops, restaurants, and people around town, Iowa City has multicultural tastes. Our local bands are interesting, and our clubs bring in acts from far-flung places to meet those tastes. St. Lucia is 2600 miles away from IC, so that qualifies as far-flung in my atlas. Taj Weekes & Adowa brought some of the culture of St. Lucia all the way to Iowa, and Tribal Momentum showed off a bit of Iowa City’s own crazy culture.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Show Review: Carnival Hearts & Arts Parade @ White Lightning Wherehouse — 5/21/2011
Carnival Hearts & Arts Collective, a local collective of artists, held their biannual “parade” on Saturday. However, imminent rain forced the event out of the adorable Happy Hollow park and into the White Lightning Wherehouse. Vendors line the walls of this rambling, cavernous space. The event has the feel of a souq, of a community market in the ancient kasbah of Tangier, or of the mystery of London’s Borough market. The Carnival Hearts & Arts collective has an authentic–and almost ethnic–subcultural atmosphere, a collective of tattoos, funky chic, librarian eyeglasses, and wry smiles.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Show Review: Tribal Momentum, Eugene Kelley, and Hannah Drollinger – 5/17/2011
In preparation for their upcoming show at the Yacht Club, members of the new Iowa City band, Tribal Momentum, hosted a house party and concert Tuesday night. The event evoked the feel of a hidden carnival or a Gypsy fireside, where musicians wander through delighting the assembled. There were artists of music as well as artists of munchies; the wonderful Claire made gourmet treats to complement Hannah’s tasty sangria punch. Everyone there seemed to know half of the crowd, and the convivial atmosphere helped them meet the other half before the night ended.
This show was exciting and friendly, daring yet comfortable, prepared yet extemporaneous, which pretty much sums up the personalities of the artists who hosted. I’d like to thank them for their hospitality, but I’d really like to thank them for sharing some phenomenal music.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Show Review: Cave Singers, Grand Tetons @ Blue Moose Tap House – 4/12/2011
You probably decided to spend Tuesday evening outside, enjoying the gorgeous spring weather on your porch or in your backyard, surrounded by friends and cool beverages. However, you should have come see the Cave Singers and Grand Tetons play some great front porch Americana music upstairs at the Blue Moose Taphouse.
