I really liked the sadly short-lived Fox show The Chicago Code. And this little ditty from Des Moines band, Parlours was a fitting capstone to the Season One (and series) finale. Need to get these guys to Clinton or the Maquoketa Barn ASAP. Off to Chicago with the family for the day tomorrow. YAY!!
Read More »

Unless you are say, late 30′s, mid 40′s (like me) then for you REM is some sort of oldies band; a few recent hits, but kind of like the Rolling Stones were for anyone my age. They were just there and not particularly relevant. But one has to remember that in 1983 these guys...
Read More »

The 4 On The Floor are a Minneapolis blues/rock band that has been through the area a couple of times in the last year, most recently last Saurday at Codfish Hollow.
Read More »

I really hate the commercial aspect of Christmas. I don’t do Black Friday and I usually wait to do my Christmas shopping until… now. I like the frisson of fear that my online gifts won’t make it in time. It takes some snow and some Christmas carols to get me in the mood. Being...
Read More »

Futurebirds are from Athens, GA. Saw these guys at up at Codfish Hollow in the Biehl’s basement on Tuesday along with Johnny Corndawg. Loved the Neil Young meets Allman Brothers meets Flaming Lips sound. Super nice guys too.
Read More »

Titus Andronicus hails from Glen Rock, NJ (note the Springteen shout-out early in the below clip). This is the lead track from their second album, The Monitor, a bit of a Civil War concept album. But, don’t let that dissuade you from the straight-up rock and roll on this record. In the lead in...
Read More »

Ra Ra Riot are a six-piece from Syracuse, NY. I recently got to see them at the Daytrotter Barnstormer III gig in Maquoketa. They are great live too.
Read More »

Do you like 80′s pop? Do you like jazz and lounge music? Well, meet Nouvelle Vague. Score another point for French culture. Novell Vague is on heavy rotation in our kitchen on family cooking nights.
Read More »

Indie meets Hindi. H/T my Director of Market Intelligence.
Read More »

Been a busy week. The Flaming Lips have been around since forever. I remember seeing them at the now-gone but legendary Crow’s Nest in Iowa City in the early 1980′s when they were just a moderatly interesting, albeit fun alt-rock band. When I worked at KRUI, they cut a cool faux-rap station ID. They...
Read More »