Posted July 31, 2013in The Sound
The capital city’s music festival season — a period that unofficially runs from April to November — is remarkable in its diversity. From the hard rock of Lazerfest to Little BIG Fest’s eclectic jam/Americana/country mix to 80/35’s celebration of all things indie, if you’re interested in music in this town,
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Posted July 24, 2013in The Sound
You can’t keep a good girl down. Jen Allen’s a good girl. Through very solid songwriting, a stable of talented musicians and some relentless promotion via social media, Allen’s band Hath No Fury — then a five piece — capped off a productive start to 2012 by playing April’s Gross
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Posted July 17, 2013in The Sound
They say that to watch Brad Engledinger play the drums was a transformative experience. “I was lucky enough to catch (former Iowa City act) High and Lonesome when they first started playing Des Moines,” said Des Moines guitarist John Price. “There were nights when I’d just sit and watch Brad
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Posted July 10, 2013in The Sound
Big Things were in the offing for Roxi Copland when we last spoke. Thirteen months ago, Copland was on the cusp of relocating from Vancouver, B.C., back to the Midwest (this time trading the pastoral vistas of Iowa for the unkempt wilds of Wisconsin). She was also in the process
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Posted July 03, 2013in The Sound
The book on Brandi Carlile stops and starts with one thing: that voice. From the soft, delicate notes that waft out like a lullaby, to the raw, cracking, gut-wrenching highs when she’s really belting, it’s that singular voice that has put Carlile at the forefront of folk rock in America.
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Posted June 26, 2013in The Sound
It’s easy to close your eyes, conjure up the mental image of a local metal show and see a lead singer leaning over the front of the stage, foot on the monitor, neck bulging with effort as he screams and howls his way through the set. And to be sure,
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Posted June 19, 2013in The Sound
September’s been snake-bitten of late. Last fall the interpersonal strife within the band — most notably between vocalist Lucas Brighton and keyboardist Joey Vice — reached a breaking point, and September split. “I quit,” Brighton confessed. “We had six people in the band, all with their own personalities. It was
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Posted June 12, 2013in The Sound
When talking to Randy Burk, it’s impossible not to be struck by his workmanlike demeanor. A plain-spoken man, Burk’s music is a reflection of where he’s come from. You can hear his Atlantic, Iowa, roots in every track, and Burk wouldn’t have it any other way. “I write songs about
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Posted June 05, 2013in The Sound
Keith Lynch is frustrated. As the sole perpetrator behind dream pop act Unknown Component, Lynch one of the few musicians around who not only handles every aspect of his music — from songwriting to album production — but he does so with enough success to call music his full-time profession.
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Posted May 29, 2013in The Sound
Cirrus Minor is about as complete a band as you could wish for in a local scene. One could argue that there are bands around that do this or that specific thing better, but you’re not likely to find anyone willing to argue that any band in town does everything
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