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Greg Brown, Iowa’s contribution to folk music mythology, reflects before retirement

The term roots is often used to describe unadorned country and folk music — though it is sometimes invoked without much thought about its deeper, more resonant connotations. But by examining the life of Iowa’s most well-known purveyor of this tradition, Greg Brown, we can better understand how it is ingrained in history, culture and […]

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Interview: Pieta Brown on ‘Postcards,’ pen pals and Flat Black

The songs for Pieta Brown’s latest album, Postcards, were written while she was on a solo tour. The isolation and distance and the challenge to stay connected inspired the songs. When it came time to assemble them into an album she compiled a list of her dream collaborators and sent them “musical postcards.” The credits for the album read like a who’s who of American folk, and those familiar with her career will see some notable musicians she’s worked with or toured with including Calexico, Mark Knopfler, Carrie Rodriguez and the Pines.

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Three November shows to warm your cold, cold heart

If you’re in the mood for something decidedly more fast-paced, and potentially seizure inducing, head over to the Blue Moose for a full evening of melodic death metal and thrash revival. Known for experimenting with the genres of Scandinavian-style death metal and metalcore, The Black Dahlia Murder have been growling their way into the hearts of metal fans for well over a decade. Their latest LP Everblack features strobelight paced rhythms, frenetic key changes and maniacal growling. The album’s lyrics are brimming with horror film based imagery and as a whole is reminiscent of death metal pioneers Cannibal Corpse, with whom they have tour

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