There’s so much to say about Deer Tick‘s John McCauley: his voice channels the ghosts of the best country singers, the soul of the best rock n’ rollers, and the charm of the best leading men. His Deer Tick project has steadily been turning heads with the release of last year’s War Elephant, an album [...]

Some folks are destined to make beautiful music. Singer / Songwriter Cass McCombs falls into this category. For several years he has steadily been at work, crafting wonderful albums filled with his eclectic ideas and his intimate and haunting voice. His fourth record, Catacombs (via Domino Records) is another quiet masterpiece marked by daring and [...]

This fact bears repeating: Old Panther‘s new record is going to be awesome. A couple of us had the pleasure of going up to Future Appletree Too (where the bulk of the record was cut) and listening to some of the tracks. The latter part of the album was done at Flatblack Studios in Iowa [...]

This just hurts. Our favorite Bay Area / NYC garage rockers have broken up! Yes, it’s true: the kings and queen of minimal hooks and maximum sweat have called it a day, reportedly on account of tambourinist / percussionist JDK Blacker wanting to move on to new art projects. All in all, everyone is parting [...]

Dude, remember 2006 when Death Ships were the indie pop giants of Iowa City? They were our very own banner rock n’ roll band having dropped their seductive first album Seeds of Devastation and supporting ex-Wilco member Jay Bennett on tour. Everyone was rooting for these guys and with good reason: they blended elements of [...]

Ha Ha Tonka is bringing their proper energetic rock to the Mill tonight… for free. Hailing from Springfield, MO the home of those other indie rockers Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Ha Ha Tonka excels in songwriting and fervent live shows where SSLYBY has perhaps waned in recent years. They come off like a [...]

Things are gonna get dirty and Southern-fried on Sunday night at the Mill. The Deep Vibration is rolling through town with their vibrant mix of classic rock, alt. country, and deep Southern soul. If this sounds like it could be something like the Black Crowes, well it should, ’cause these guys are set to rock [...]

Ah Des Moines, our fine state capitol. You should go visit it sometime, you know? And what better weekend than Independence Day weekend? Des Moines’ two-day music festival, 80/35, returns for a second year of fun in the sun, featuring a little of something for everybody, from indie rock to hip-hop to AOR to electronica. [...]

The music of the Bowerbirds is synonymous with beauty. This antique trio, anchored by the songwriting duo of Beth Tacular and Phil Moore, crafts fine, almost gothic, folk songs. Their sound is of aged acoustic guitars, sighing fiddles, and rich upright basses. The lyrics unfold like modern myths told by the creatures in Southern forests [...]

Next week is busy with shows but this week’s no slouch, what with Crystal Stilts / Woods and Handsome Furs all fresh from SXSW and ready to tear up Iowa City. Handsome Furs ain’t til Saturday but Crystal Stilts and Woods are tonight. Playing alongside locals Wet Hair and Baronic Wall, we can only describe [...]