IMSC Ep 29 - Song 1: "Messenger" by Dylan Sires & Neighbors (SIRES)

The band when they came out with this song went by "Dylan Sires & Neighbors". But they now go by SIRES.

"A band that grows smarter and better with each song, each release, is a band worth celebrating & knowing. 15 plus years into their musical collaboration, childhood friends and SIRES band members Dylan Sires, Ross Klemz & Graham Howland have never sounded so fresh, so alive and so ready to put it all on the line, that they have titled their new album 'Soul for Sale'. Is it a brash 'come and get it' to the world at large or a tongue in cheek jab at our music culture all together? Regardless, in a 'look at me now' world, music this subtle and seductive is a Godsend.

"SIRES is a bit of an anomaly in these modern times. They stand toe to toe with the most cutting edge bands in Indie Rock today, while remaining deeply rooted in the pre-Beatles American songbook. Timeless melodies so pure and sweet, you could swear you've heard them before, floating from a crackling radio tuned to a dying AM oldies station, until the band swells powerfully behind a 3 part harmony and you're sure an airplane is landing on your roof and it becomes clear. This band is of the moment. This band is happening now and creating some of the most intensely beautiful music in the world today."
- from their Facebook page

"Since having seen Dylan Sires and Neighbors at 80/35 last summer – they have slowly become a favorite of mine in my musical rotation. The 3 piece band brings a lyrical energetic sense to their music. They are a cross between a 50’s feeling and Muse…and it oddly works!

"The members each bring their own persona to the band as well – Dylan Sires is the lyrical songster, Graham Howland, his ginger-haired companion, drives the songs forward with his bass work and the stylish Ross Klemz is on drums. To watch them on stage is adventure and just pure fun…which is what it looks like they have on stage. Chemistry between band members is evident in every song." - from Jill Dykstra at the Des Moines Music Coalition (DMMC) website

"There is a simple (and striking) beauty in the harmonies of Dylan Sires and Neighbors and they clearly know it; it’s central in every one of their songs With the porcelain voice of an early ’60s crooner, Sires is joined by the complimentary coos of Klemz and Howland that sigh so softly yet so spot on that it aspires to the highly regarded counter-melody-classes of, say, the Beach Boys or Everly Brothers. But there are also bongos and surfy guitars, warm pianos and subtle drum fills to strike a more energized pop/rock vibe for the crescendos."
- from Jeff Milo from the Paste Magazine website

Lineup:
Dylan Sires - guitar, piano, percussion, keyboard, vox
Graham Howland - bass, percussion, keys, vox
Ross Klemz - drums, percussion, vox

https://www.facebook.com/SIRESband/photos/
pb.231645633546308.-2207520000.1463455909.
/1142218059155723/?type=3&theater

Home page:

http://www.dylansiresandneighbors.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SIRESband

BandCamp:

https://siresband.bandcamp.com/

Labels: 2010s, 2013, Dylan Sires, Dylan Sires & Neighbors (band), Ep 029, Graham Howland, Guest Producer Craig Hlas, guest producers, indie (genre), Messenger (song), SIRES (band), Waterloo, Waterloo/Cedar Falls area

Ep 29 - Song 2: "Madrid" by Chase Garrett

"Chase Garrett, voted 'Best Local Act' in Iowa City, IA by the Daily Iowan in 2011, began playing piano professionally at age seventeen and within a few years was performing at blues and boogie woogie festivals across the U.S. and Europe. Having been heavily influenced by artists such as Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Otis Spann and Meade “Lux” Lewis, his style has grown into an infectious and diverse mix of boogie woogie, blues, swing and stride that is sure to satisfy any audience. Chase has dedicated himself to the piano not only as a pianist, but also as a technician, an instructor, an event organizer and a producer. He has brought world class pianists to the Englert Theatre in Iowa City, IA for his annual Blues & Boogie Woogie Piano Stomp concert series and has taught master classes and piano performance at colleges, blues weeks and swing camps across the U.S. Chase currently resides in Iowa City, IA.

"Audiences can expect to hear a mixture of Chicago blues and boogie woogie, Kansas City Swing and some Classic Jazz from New York City.",br/> - from his home page

“Chase’s playing is truly phenomenal. He has such a command of the piano. When he plays the blues you can’t help but lose yourself and when you hear his boogie woogie all you can do is smile and try not to be the last person without a dance partner."
— David Maxwell, Legendary Blues Pianist, on Chase Garrett's home page

Lineup:
Chase Garrett - piano

https://www.facebook.com/ChaseGarrett23/
photos/pb.269427453404.-2207520000.1463453954./
10153855445603405/?type=3&theater

Home page:

http://chasegarrett.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ChaseGarrett23/

ReverbNation:

https://www.reverbnation.com/chasegarrett9

Labels: 2010s, 2011, blues, boogie woogie, Chase Garrett, Ep 029, Guest Producer Craig Hlas, guest producers, Iowa City, Iowa City area, jazz, Madrid (song), New York City (New York)

IMSC Ep 29 - Song 3: "Make It Stop" by The Envy Corps

"The Envy Corps are an American alternative rock band from Ames, Iowa. The band are known for their atmospheric-meets-pop sound, attracting comparisons to Radiohead, Doves, New Order, Dinosaur Jr., and Modest Mouse. Its members are Brandon Darner (guitar), Micah Natera (keyboards, guitar), Luke Pettipoole (vocals, guitar, piano) and Scott Yoshimura (drums).

In a review of their critically acclaimed 2011 release It Culls You, Christina Smart of Examiner.com called the Envy Corps 'the best band you've never heard of.'"
- from their Wikipedia entry

"The Envy Corps’ indie quasi-anthems, filled with galvanizing arrangements and elasticized melodies have garnered the Des Moines band the affection of the attentive Midwest and fans internationally."
- from their Facebook page

"The best part about any art is when you can see someone succeed with honesty and reckless abandon. Like, they don’t care what the world thinks and they’re just going to make the art they know they can make. The best writers are the ones who can be completely honest with themselves and their thoughts (which is something I struggle with on occasion), the best actors are the ones who can engulf themselves fully in the character they want to portray, and the best musicians are the ones who can say this is the sound I want to make and I will make it."
- from Dave Murphy on the Des Moines Is Not Boring website

Lineup:
Luke Pettipoole - vocals, bass
Brandon Darner - guitar
Micah Natera - synthesizer, guitar
Scott Yoshimura - drums

http://theenvycorps.com/tec/assets/envycorps2011_11.jpg

Home page:
http://theenvycorps.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theenvycorps/

Labels: 2010s, 2011, Brandon Darner, Des Moines, Des Moines area, Envy Corps (band), Ep 029, Guest Producer Craig Hlas, guest producers, indie (genre), Luke Pettipoole, Make It Stop (song), Micah Natera,Scott Yoshimura

IMSC Ep 29 - Song 4: "Keep On" by The Maytags

https://www.facebook.com/themaytags/photos/
pb.1432720033652703.-2207520000.1463203690./
1644838992440805/?type=3&theater

"Iowa might not be the first place that comes to mind when music fans think of classic soul and rock and roll, but that might change once they hear The Maytags."
- from Waylon Sternhagen in the the Iowa State Daily article "Shining bright: The Maytags release 'Nova""

"Detroit. Memphis. Philly. These are the cities that are usually affiliated with soul music. But soul comes with all kinds of accents, Midwestern ones included. And in Des Moines, Dustin Smith and his band, The Maytags, are making a brand of soul that’s all their own."
- from their BandCamp page

"The members of the Maytags — Dustin Smith, Andy Poppen, Tim Sanders, Nick Leo, Ben Chappell, Daniel Kreipke, Sam Mogerman — have been playing together off-and-on, in various iterations, for years, and you can tell...

"The Maytags are known for a new spin on soul, or as their website says, 'making a brand of soul that’s all their own.' Smith attributes that to a sense of freedom he finds in playing soul and jazz in the Midwest. 'I spent some time out in New York,' he says. 'I went to school out there and studied music … Being in Des Moines, and being in Iowa in general, there’s a sense of having an open canvas … not bound to as many expectations.'"
- from Genevieve Heinrich in the Little Village article "The Maytags finally make it to Iowa City"

IMSC Ep 29 - Song 5: "Another Fine Day" by Bryce Janey

"Bryce Janey began his career at the age of 13 in his hometown of Marion, IA in a blues-rock trio called The Janey’s. With his mother on drums and his father BillyLee on guitar, The Janey’s played regionally and nationally from Chicago to Los Angeles. They shared the stage with over 50 national acts, including Buddy Guy, Delbert McClinton, Blues Traveler, Johnny Winter, Elvin Bishop and the late great "Queen of the blues" Koko Taylor!!

"While still in The Janey’s, Bryce began a solo career and released his first CD, Practice What You Preach in 1995. Since then, he has released 7 more CDs. These early CD's have gained national attention, five stars from Blues Access magazine and great reviews from Blues Revue and Living Blues, among others. Since 2011 Bryce has released 4 solo Electric CD's On Grooveyard Records featuring this outstanding blues/rock axe slinger from Iowa. Phenomenal, top-shelf, world-class, soul-powered, retro-70s bluesy heavy guitar "six string mojo" that truly delivers on all levels of greatness.

"This is Bryce Janey's finest hour and he stands tall in the supreme blues/rock guitar world. Highly recommended to fans of Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, Billy Gibbons & ZZ Top, Johnny Winter, SRV & Doyle Bramhall II. Bryce won the Iowa Blues Challenge Winner 2011. And in 2012 was an IBC Semi-Finalist in Memphis,TN. Bryce has performed at many Major Festivals over the years including Kansas City Jazz & Blues Festival, Buddy Guy's Blues Fest(Chicago Blues Fest 1990) Mississippi Valley Blues Festival 2012. Bryce's latest Electric CD Delta Road(2015) is available now on Grooveyard Records and his latest acoustic self-release 'Organic Man' 2016 is out now. With a band or solo, Bryce is currently performing and booking tour dates for 2016."
- from his home page

Lineup:
Bryce Janey: Guitars and Vocals
DJ Johnson: Bass guitar
Eric Douglas: Drums
Tommy T-Bone Giblin-B3

Mississippi Valley Blues Festival  Davenport, IA 2012
http://www.thejaneys.com/bio--pics.html

Home page:

http://www.thejaneys.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Bryce-Janey-168197936533914

ReverbNation:

https://www.reverbnation.com/brycejaney

Labels: 2010, 2010s, Another Fine Day (song), blues, Blues in My Soul (album), blues rock, Bryce Janey,Cedar Rapids area, Ep 029, Guest Producer Craig Hlas, guest producers, Marion (town), singer/songwriter

IMSC Ep 29 - Song 6: "Babe City" by TWINS

"From the bowels of the pop universe a band of true misfits rise from the ash of the rock and roll tradition. Guided by the ghosts of Lennon & McCartney, Chilton & Bell and the Davies Brothers, this group has taken it upon themselves to stand as the torchbearers of the teenage wasteland, the point men of power pop, the pied piper's of the entire guitar rock and roll institution!! TWINS expertly cherry-pick and meld premium influences: the torchy swing of ’50s rock pioneers, the harmonies and well-crafted hooks of the Beatles, the garage-y jangle of British Invasion stalwarts, glam’s swagger and flashy riffs, Midwest power-pop and punk’s primal energy. Surrender to TWINS."
- from their Facebook page

"TWINS is a family band, rooted generations deep in the rich history of Iowa music. Brothers Harper and Joel Sires handle the songwriting and vocal duties, along with their cousin Luke Sires on drums. Devin Ferguson — bass guitar and vocals — has been playing with the Sires brothers since he was 16 years old and rounds out this rock & roll quartet’s uniquely American sound...

"With all the swagger, hooks and wild abandon a music fan could ask for, TWINS has stood up to carry the traditions on its shoulders, while steering its music in new directions and away from the indie rock mainstream.

"Formed in early 2012, the band has found success appealing to the crate digging, record collecting music fan who feels set adrift by the reverb drenched, cotton ball sound of today’s 'Rock and Roll.'”
- from their home page

"There’s a stigma that rock needs to be rugged, unhinged, off-kilter; that harmonies are for the realm of chivalric doo-wop throwbacks. This quartet prove that perfection can still have some punch. The drums pummel down on you along with wickedly whipped guitars at the bursting opening bars of “Runaway,” one of the more grittier and garage-scuffed songs from their recently released full length Tomboys On Parade, though even this track is garnished by their finely honed harmonization and tight guitar hooks. Power-pop can be empowering, if a band embraces it as fully and as assiduously as Twins."
- from Jeff Milo's "12 Iowa Bands You Should Listen To Now" on the Paste magazine website

"The Iowa band TWINS — led by the Sires boys Luke, Harper and Joel, along with bassist Devin Ferguson — seem to shotgun a minimum of two tallboys before they do anything. They work up a sweat just thinking about how much damned fun they’re going to try to get themselves into that night and the night after. They think about girls (harmonizing prettily about them, actually) and turning their amplifiers up as loud as they can go, thereby achieving small fractions of epic nights. Some of them are married men and yet, there’s no stopping their boyish thoughts and fantasies about women and rock and roll."
- from the Daytrotter website

Lineup:
LUKE SIRES: drums, vocals, business
HARPER SIRES: guitar, vocals, pencil art
JOEL SIRES: guitar, vocals, moods
DEVIN FERGUSON: bass, vocals, smile

https://www.facebook.com/Twinstheband/photos/
pb.217074865049581.-2207520000.1462737724./
996994457057614/?type=3&theater

Home page:
http://twinstheband.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Twinstheband/

Bandcamp:
https://twinstheband.bandcamp.com/

Labels: 2010s, 2014, Babe City (song), Devin Ferguson, Ep 029, Guest Producer Craig Hlas, guest producers,Harper Sires, Joel Sires, Luke Sires, pop music, pop rock, rock music, Tomboys on Parade (album), TWINS (band)