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Posted October 29, 2014in Sound Circuit

Lake effect

Their band name is ridiculous. Their EP is being recorded in another band’s practice space and produced by a guy they met on Omegle. This is the unconventional, unexpected world of Lake of Fat Kids. Started in 2011, Lake of Fat Kids is primarily comprised of guitarists Joel Smith and

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Posted October 22, 2014in Sound Circuit

Far afield

Evelyn Taylor moved to Nashville from Des Moines two years ago. After spending 22 years in Des Moines, the Iowa girl felt that the Music City was the best place for her to explore her own sound and elevate her music to a new level. “You’re surrounded by so many

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Posted October 15, 2014in Sound Circuit

The rich, meandering life of Abbie Sawyer

Abbie Sawyer is a child of music. Raised in church choirs by parents who loved all kinds of sounds, music is as much a part of Sawyer’s DNA as the color of her eyes. Sawyer enrolled in college fully intent on studying music; it seemed the obvious choice. “But then

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Posted October 08, 2014in Sound Circuit

This machine kills facades

Prettygirlhatemachine — a Des Moines hip-hop trio consisting of MCs Toby Diligent and D Average and DJ J Fresh — started as a Diligent’s solo project in 2005. Eventually Diligent and D Average met and started collaborating in the studio. “For the longest time, we didn’t play live shows,” Diligent

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Posted October 01, 2014in Sound Circuit

One of us

BeJae Fleming wasn’t born in Iowa. She doesn’t currently live here. But Fleming stands shoulder to shoulder with names like Joe Price, Bo Ramsey and Greg Brown as part of a group that was indispensable in creating the Iowa Sound: the Trailer Records artists. “I am not from Iowa,” Fleming

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Posted September 24, 2014in Sound Circuit

Removing the dirt

Viva Montesa is having an identity problem. Not with their live act; in person, the duo of Ted and Gary Schwick are every bit as fun and talented as they’ve always been. But when it comes time to translate that vitality to a recorded medium, issues arise. The band’s debut

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Posted September 17, 2014in Sound Circuit

Good pets

Music, or so they tell me, is supposed to be fun. If it turns out that’s actually the case, then it’s safe to say that Pets With Human Names are doing it correctly. The band, a Des Moines power trio consisting of guitarist Alex Nickerson, bassist Andrew Pierson and drummer

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Posted September 10, 2014in Sound Circuit

This is rockabilly

“It’s good to meet people for the first time who don’t know anything about (our sound),” said Rumble Seat Riot upright bassist Larry Kaster. “They hear us play and are like, ‘Wow, what is this?’ This is Rockabilly.” Rumble Seat Riot is an act that seems to have better luck

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Posted September 03, 2014in Sound Circuit

Not the same old song and dance

Often times the casual observer will hear “open mic” and conjure image of amateurs and beginning musicians lining up at some bar or coffee shop for the chance at getting their music heard by anyone outside of their immediate family. But for most musicians — and for most music scenes

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Posted August 27, 2014in Sound Circuit

Digging In

Foxholes — the Des Moines-based five-piece consisting of Trevor Holt, Jessica Villegas, Ben Barndollar, Kyle Folvag and Craig Bowers — is working on a new album of material. In the ebb and flow of a band’s natural life cycle, it seems like a natural time for it to be happening.

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