This is how it started: Software-type person: "You've never seen Evil Dead?!!" (laughter ensues). Me: "Have you ever seen 8 1/2?" Software-type person: "Uhm...no." Me: "By Fellini?" Software-type person: "Who?" Me: "You've never seen 8 1/2?!!!!!!" (much laughter ensues). This was just some chatter at the start of a project meeting at work. I'd had a conversation with one of [...]
Pieta Brown is kicking of the 2013 year of shows with a return to CSPS on Friday, January 18th. She's bringing with her The Sawdust Collective which is her regular collaborators Bo Ramsey on guitars and backing vocals and Jon Penner on bass. The last time I saw Pieta at CSPS was during the Acoustic Cafe show in January of last year along with Kelly Joe Phelps and Carrie Rodriguez ( my pictures here ). Since then, both Pieta and Bo contributed songs to the Iowa City Song Project album- a local-artists tribute to the [...]
Some people have sex in unusual places. Tony Dekker, mastermind behind Canadian country folksters Great Lake Swimmers , makes music in such locations, trying to capture their energy and acoustics – churches, subway stations, castles, tiny islands named Just Room Enough or, well, a grain silo. That’s probably why Tony’s music is about as sexy as Hank Williams’ clothbrush. It’s tender though, calm and serene, alternative country all the ruggedly sensitive way. In that sense, The Great Lake Swimmers’ recent album New Wild Everywhere is surely neither new nor wild, but a respectable one, recorded for the first time [...]
Part of the appeal of out-of-town music festivals (like SXSW and Soundtown) is seeing local acts in front of crowds who aren't nearly as familiar with them as we are in the Twin Cities. Having to w
Ms. Pieta Brown is bringing her "artist in residence" show called "This Land Is Your Music" back to The Mill Restaurant in Iowa City on April 14th, 2012. In a similar fashion to the last two the show will feature Pieta as the headliner with other artists with local ties opening and a gallery exhibit. This year, the event has been condensed into one show- but it is a powerhouse bill shared with The Pines and is a weekend show. Pieta's set will be with a backing band that she is calling The [...]
This is from the album House on Fire, Vol. 1: An Urban Folk Collection. It commemorates the 10th anniversary of Red House Records .
2011 was another year of musical discovery for me. Clocking in highest on the discovery meter were San Francisco's Girls ; but right up there with Girls were two bands that can't technically qualify for my best of 2011 album list: Delta Spirit and Titus Andronicus . Their latest albums - History from Below and The Monitor (respectively) - were both released in 2010, but I didn't hear them until this year. Overall, when I think of 2011, these three [...]
Greg Brown, "On Records the Sound Just Fades Away" (1982) get it on One Night Who in god's name is Greg Brown? Hell if I know. His wikipedia page states that he is signed to little Red House Records, a label I respect, and that 25 years ago he recorded a song cycle to complement William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience, a project so pretentious-sounding that it might be fabulous. The truth is, [...]
I thought this Greg Brown song perfect to celebrate Bill Morrissey ' s life and mourn his passing. Bill Morrissey passed away on July 23, 2011.
Over the long weekend, I was hoping to get in on some of the sales that were going on- specifically Guitar Center in Cedar Rapids, and the full-weekend 20% sale at Half-Price Books. While I didn't actually get over to Guitar Center, I did hit HPB, but also managed to see David Lowery and Johnny Hickman tape a Java Blend session in Iowa City with my friend Erik , which also resulted in a great trip to The Record Collector. I also visited Moondog Music in Dubuque on Thursday and picked up some "missing titles" and hit a Half [...]
I’ve been completely floored – I mean profoundly impacted – by Greg Brown’s Freak Flag . From the first notes of “Someday House” to the last delicate notes of “Tenderhearted Child”, the album flows with beauty and wisdom and grace, all delivered in Greg’s low-low-lowdown baritone. He’s always been one of a kind, this folk singing troubadour from southeast Iowa. Now in his early 60’s, he’s managed to take a look at the world around him and write some of the most heartfelt and genuine songs around. Whether it's singing of love for a [...]
We love these songs. The words become a part of us. Does that mean we "know" the artist? When Bruce Springsteen appeared on VH12s Storytellers, a fan asked him that very same question. Bruce's response was a resounding (and laughter-infused) "Nope!" It makes sense really , because the sum total of an artist's output might show us his interests and
To celebrate today’s crop of releases, here are new mp3s from Arc In Round, Asobi Seksu, Greg Brown, Brown Bird, Peter Case, the Clutters, EMA, Gang Gang Dance, Gardens, Howe Gelb & A Band Of Gypsies, Kyp Harness, Helado Negro, Here We Go Magic, Inzinzac, Joan Of Arc, Daniel Knox, Liturgy, Man Man, Jared Mees [...]
Greg Brown - As straight, true and long-running as a deserted prairie highway, the prolific songwriter has practically invented the alt-folk and Americana genre over three decades and two dozen albums...known for his gruff, leathery baritone and stinging blues-inflected guitar, Brown is also husband to Iris Dement and father to Pieta Brown -- each of whom contribute a song to his first album in four years // Release : Freak Flag (May 10, Yep Roc) // Sounds like : longtime collaborator Bo Ramsey's production captures a sound that puts Brown's voice front and [...]
Looks like 5-10 is going to mean spending BIG BUCKS for The Duke. You've got The Felice Brothers, Ben Sollee, Priscilla Ahn, Okkervil River and now Greg Brown. Greg is my all-time favorite singer-songwriter. His new record - Freak Flag - will be released by Yep Roc and includes his long-time musical buddy Bo Ramsey. Can't wait for this one.
![[Album Review] – Anaïs Mitchell – “Hadestown”](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/3361337_lg.jpg)
This album review comes from Sam over at the wonderous-yet-under-appreciate d Middle Class White Noise blog. Subscribe to his blog and follow him on Twitter . No Seriously, do it. Anaïs Mitchell's Hadestown came out over a year ago, so this might seem redundant, but the album seemed to fly entirely under the radar. Considering it boasts a guest list that includes an indie darling like Bon Iver 's Justin Vernon, it's a little surprising. Considering how gorgeous and unique her sound is, as well as the breadth and success of this project, it's almost [...]
It's been a weird week, one saved by a few completely unrelated events. Saved from what? Let's call it a dark mood, one that threatened to completely shut down my creative channels. It was a close call, as those channels haven't exactly been gushing with ideas as of late. So it didn't seem like it would take much to push
I hope everyone caught the Dessa special last night, but if you didn't, I'll be posting the video to download here tomorrow, along with some other videos that didn't air on television, so be sure to check back then. Here are this week's Picks Of The Week (a day late, sorry). West Monroe-Pieta Brown China-Greg Brown Wayfaring Stranger-Eva Cassidy The Other Hours-Harry Connick, Jr. Protocol-K. Raydio [...]
Something Else! Reviews
Time to play b-sides
Filles Sourires
City Pages - Gimme Noise
Keep the Coffee Coming
IckMusic
Naive Harmonies
MAGNET
Direct Current
The Late Greats
Listen Before You Buy
Music For Humans
Boards of Canada – Reach For The Dead
Macklemore + Ryan Lewis – Can’t Hold Us (Major Lazer Remix)
L D R U – The Tropics
