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The Maytags rebrand soul for the Midwest

In this episode of IPR Studio One's "Java Blend," host Ben Kieffer welcomes Iowa's own hot new soul group The Maytags. 

Listen in to the podcast below to hear the group's unhurried, inconspicuous brand of soul music that is putting the genre back on the map in the Midwest. 

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. Their easy-­going style leaves room for an audience to help set the tone of each live performance. The musicians take cues from each other, finding sweet spots during shows and running with them, making each show its own dynamic experience. With this new EP under their belts and a slew of fall tour dates to show it off, The Maytags are poised to make audiences reconsider soul’s relationship to the Midwest.  

Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River