Lucius Pham

Halfloves has been one of the most ascendant Iowa indie bands of the last decade. The Iowa City five-piece — comprised of lead vocalist Jeff Roalson, drummer Zach Zeimer and synth player Trevor Polk, with Nate Cooper and Lucas Adolphson swapping guitar and bass duties — pools together their disparate tastes into refreshing and layered rock. Within the quintet, personal preferences range from classical and heavy metal to emo and hip-hop.

Japanese organizational guru Marie Kondo became famous for asking readers to focus on identifying and keeping only the things that spark joy. This, too, is the motto for one wacky Des Moines band — with an electrical fixation. Jinnouchi Power Electric Company, often shortened to Jinnouchi Power (sometimes simply JPWR), has been a musical force in the area since 2017.

Brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum go together like peas and carrots. As The Cactus Blossoms, one of the Twin Cities’ most prominent indie acts, the pair harken back to an earlier time in country music, when simplicity was king and vocal harmonies were the cat’s pajamas. But don’t call them stuck in the past. The Cactus Blossoms perform at xBk on Jan. 20, 2024.