Album Release Show for I Thought I Saw You

The album “I thought I saw you” by Deb Talan (distributed by ONErpm in February, 2025) is a collection of lush, songwriter folk-pop gems. It was recorded by Deb and Bryan Vanderpool (the Well Pennies, Golden Bear Studios) over 18 months, and supported by many local Iowa musicians, most notably Dan Padley (guitars, keys) and Jay Foote (bass.) From the gorgeous pean to moving-on of the opening song “A Glimmer in the Grass,” to the quirky sparkling looking-for-love of “Just Another Unicorn,” Deb’s voice and writing urge the listener to lean into the whole range of feelings involved in making and accepting big life changes. Informed by her 2020 divorce from her long-time Weepies partner, these songs of loss, longing, uncertainty and daily joy, point a way towards fully claiming one’s own life, including the hope for new love, when everything feels like it’s fallen apart. In “A Glimmer in the Grass” she sings, “now, find home again.” And it feels like she has.

About Crystal City:

Crystal City is fronted by Sam Drella Helmer and Dave Helmer, a Midwestern singer/songwriter with blue-collar roots. Influenced by Paul Westerberg, Tom Petty, John Prine, and Townes Van Zandt, Helmer’s songs are relatable, with themes of love and loss, being good to each other, and celebrating life.

Crystal City’s most recent release ‘Three-Dimensionality’ shows off a more mature side of Helmer’s songwriting, blending rock, pop, Americana, and jazz. Bringing together some of Iowa’s finest musicians, ‘Three-Dimensionality’ showcases a more complex and thought-provoking side of Crystal City that’s sure to please.