Big in Iowa

In 1996, Big in Iowa put their sound on display for all to hear, releasing their self-titled debut album, Big in Iowa. Re-released in 1999, once the band had a little more traction thanks to their second CD, Twisted, Big in Iowa serves as a snapshot of an upstart band with defining characteristics of drive, talent and energy. Unhindered by the cutthroat music industry that disillusions so many artists later in their careers, you can hear the excitement on each and every track, seemingly bursting at the seems to take their music to a wider audience. No, Big in Iowa is not Big in Iowa’s most polished production, nor is it their defining sound, but it is an integral part of the band’s identity and history. Flawed like any new group’s debut album, yes, but Big in Iowa is a collection of songs full of heart, an announcement to the world, “hey, we are here and we have something to say” better yet, something to sing about. Only fitting, the first song on the album is entitled “Start My Life,” but little did the original band members realize exactly how much their lives would change over the course of the next few years. Though not a particularly smooth track list from start to finish, what the album does to is proudly display a wide variety of sounds, all of which come across as both capable and confident, indicating bigger (pardon the pun) and brighter things in the band’s future, as we would see come to fruition with their collective maturation. Here’s a look at the track list from the group’s first distributed recording, though first only released locally throughout Cincinnati/North Kentucky, some songs you may remember, some of which you may have forgotten about:Track Song Title1.Start My Life 2.Soul Searching 3.South of Soho 4.Engine 5.Happy Song 6.Big Daddy 7.Mother Nature 8.Nothing to Gain 9.Cindy 10.Mr. Becky 11.Guppy