Posted September 24, 2014in Sound Circuit
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
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
“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
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
Read More →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.
Read More →Mighty Shady — vocalist Eric McCoy, guitarists Chris Freier and Jared Murphy, bassist Joel Schwichtenberg and drummer Keenen McBroom — has always carried around the label of “jam band.” To be sure, its sound is certainly reggae-tinged, which nowadays is almost synonymous with jam, but the guys have always felt
Read More →The biggest factor that makes The High Crest great — and make no mistake, the duo of Kat Darling and Aaron Earl Short is great — is their ability to be unflinchingly, and at times uncomfortably, honest. There’s a simplicity to the pair’s writing style that can make it easy
Read More →Even if you don’t know Seth Anderson personally, you’ve probably witnessed the fruits of some of his efforts. Originally born in Nebraska, Anderson’s trekked around the country, with stops in Kansas and Chicago most notably before settling down here in Des Moines. Now Anderson busies himself with a litany of
Read More →It doesn’t matter what profession you’re talking about, whether it’s sports or roofing or writing or sales, every successful person can be broken down into two categories: those who became successful because they flat-out worked harder then everyone around, and those who seem to pick things up naturally — the
Read More →Paige Harpin’s story begins like many girls’ humble beginnings. “I’ve sang since I was a child,” the now-30-year-old said. “I used to be obsessed with Whitney Houston. Then, as I got older, I started getting interested in jazz.” Being blessed from the get-go with the kind of voice that turns
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