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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1998)
Pumpkin's solo debut stands out By Jim Zavodny Staff Reporter The collection of albums coming out today is a lackluster group com pared to weeks past. The solo debut of Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha is the only new major label release that stands out in the lot. The “Boss” Bruce Springsteen offered Joe Gruschecky and the Houserockers some help with their new album, “Coming Home,” by co writing four of the tracks on the record. RCA releases more material from Elvis Presley this week, a six-LP box set on four compact discs originally put out in 1984. Jazz enthusiasts ought to check out Universal’s “Priceless Jazz Sampler Volume 2,” which includes music from Gil Evans, Duke Ellington and Ramsey Lewis. ncicaaes; reo. iv Bedhead: “Transaction de Novo” (Trance Syndicate) Come: “Gently, Down the Stream” (Matador) The Diggers: “Mount Everest” (Big Deal) Joe Grufchecky and the Houserockers: “Coming Home” (Viceroy) James Iha: “Let It Come Down” (Virgin) Elvis Presley: “Golden Celebration” (RCA) Various Artists: “Priceless Jazz Sampler: Volume 2” (Universal) Sugarsmack: “Tank Top City” (Sire) Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers: “Switching Gears” (Blindpig) James Iha “Let It Come Down” Virgin Records Grade: C The sensitive side of Smashing Pumpkins guitarist and singer-song writer James Iha comes out in his solo debut, titled “Let It Come Down.” Most of the songs on the album convey Iha’s feelings of love and well being, backed by an acoustic guitar and his soft, gentle voice. Produced by Iha and Jim Scott, who has worked with Tom Petty and Jewel in the past, “Let It Come Down” also includes cameos from Pumpkins’ bassist D’Arcy, Veruca Salt’s Nina Gordon and Fountain of Wayne’s Adam Schelsinger. The songs on “Let It Come Down” sound like some of the Pumpkins’ slower tunes, especially the song “Blew Away” from the album “Pisces Ischariot,” one of the few songs Iha has written that Corgan allowed on an album. But despite the supporting cast and Iha’s experiences with the Pumpkins, all of the tracks on the record basically sound the same. It doesn’t break any new musical ground, and Iha should have stayed with the hard-driven rock sound that he is more familiar with instead of the country twang found on the album. - Jim Zavodny o n d Screen actors bring poetry to Kimball Hall From Staff Reports Two film and screen actors have joined their love of acting with their passion for poetry in a touring poetry-reading performance. Veteran actors Anthony Zerbe and Roscoe Lee Browne bring “Poetry in Motion: Beyond the Broken Words,” an eclectic reading of modern and post-modern poetry to Kimball Hall tonight for an 8 o’clock performance. Zerbe, a career film actor, appeared in the beloved Western “Cool Hand Luke,” Stephen King’s “Dead Zone” and “Papillion,” along with feature appearances in “Mission Impossible” and “Murder, She Wrote.” Primarily a television star, Browne won an Emmy for his work on “The Cosby Show” and was nominated for another for “Barney Miller.” Recently, he narrated the critically acclaimed film about the precocious little pig, “Babe.” Browne, whose love of poetry comes from his parents, participated in a poetry-education program in Los Angeles 20 years ago. He revised the pro gram when he teamed up with Zerbe to create “Poetry in Motion*” The performance includes readings of pieces by Edna St. Vincent Millay, W.H. Auden, T.S. Eliot, e.e. cummings and Dylan Thomas. Tickets are $ 18 and $ 14, half price for students. Grad assistant starts choir for clarinetists New series aims to raise IQs for arts Generally speaking, it’s the last section you’ll read in the Daily Nebraskan. Depending on your inter ests, you may not read it at all. But starting today, the Daily Nebraskan’s Arts and Entertainment section is providing something new. — This something is a weekly series called “In Appreciation Of... ” It will run every Tuesday for the remainder of the semester on the Daily Nebraskan’s back page, and it is intended to be a starter’s guide to appreciating different kinds of art. Some of these art forms - rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop and television - are relatively common. Others - opera, dance and classical music - aren’t. But we at the Daily Nebraskan hope each week’s installment will provide some sort of insight regarding art forms that you haven’t experienced or understood. This week marks the debut of “In Appreciation Of...with an entire page dedicated to architecture. Dubbed by many as the inescapable art, architecture has a place in Lincoln that can go unrecognized by the untrained eye. But upon further __L X*__J At_A At_r_t^A By Barb Churchill Assignment Reporter Michelle Hall has a challenge for the students of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hall, a graduate teaching assistant in clarinet, wants all available clarinet players to join the universi ty’s newest ensemble - the UNL Clarinet Choir. Hall, the organizer and director of the Clarinet Choir, said she wants the ensemble’s lineup to go beyond the walls of Westbrook Music Building. “A school this size should be able to offer this ensemble, even though there are only 12 to 18 available clarinet majors in the music school, because there are plenty of people who played clarinet in their high school bands, marching bands or in the available area junior symphonies,” she said. “All of these people would probably love to play in a friendly, cordial atmosphere. I can’t believe these folks wouldn’t want to continue playing.” Hall is looking forward to directing the UNL Clarinet Choir, because she used to direct several clar inet choirs and even a few symphonic bands in Ohio. “Conducting in front of a bigger group is nice, because it gives me an opportunity to be in front of an ensemble,” Hall said, “and as a professional musician and conductor, I need to do this.” And Hall is starting this ensemble even though her schedule would discourage most people from taking even the slightest extra responsibility. Hall is married, has three grown children, is taking 13 graduate credits, teaches clarinet methods class, teaches all the clarinet minors on campus, practices her clarinet if she has a few free moments and takes a few minutes daily to prepare for her two upcoming recitals. But to Hall, starting the ensemble was a no-brainer. “There are no other like-instrument ensembles at UNL. The clarinet choir is one of the primary instru ii I think its a great opportunity for us to play literature we wouldn’t otherwise be able to play” AlainaWood UNL Clarinet Choir member mental groups, and it does more to reinforce many aspects of playing, she said. “Teaching people to play music, to sight-read music and play it musically the first time out reinforces good habits that will carry over into any other ensemble they’re doing.” Several clarinet majors attended the first rehearsal of the Clarinet Choir on Monday. Many said they were pleased with the idea of this new group. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us to play litera ture we wouldn’t otherwise be able to play,” said Alaina Wood, clarinetist and graduate teaching assistant in music education. “And it’s a good opportunity for peo ple who played in high school to play their clarinets again.” Dan Wilson, a senior music major in clarinet per formance, agreed. “I think it’s a good chance for all these clarinet players to come out and have a good time without the pressure of grades or performance,” Wilson said. The new UNL Clarinet Choir meets every Monday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 in Room 104 of Westbrook Music Building. Music is provided, and instruments and lockers are available. For further information, con tact Hall at whall@acad2.dana.edu or Diane Cawein, assistant professor of clarinet, at (402) 472-0582. Noise tno to perform at Knickerbockers From Staff Reports For everyone in Lincoln who enjoys punishment and torture through music, tonight is your night. Unsane, a noise-rock trio from New York City’s gritty underground rock scene, is appearing at Knickerbockers, 901 O St., tonight with Today is the Day and Armatron. The show is in support of Unsane’s latest release “Occupational Hazard” on the bands' new label, Relapse Records. The band has been together for the past 10 years and some say “Occupational Hazard,” is their heaviest and most punishing release yet. Hard grooves, deep bass and immense vocal hostility character ize the band's killer sound. Unsane is probably best known by the sur prisingly popular video for their song “Scrape,” which features a series of painful-looking skate board wrecks. After touring with the likes of Neurosis, Entombed, Cows, Orange 9mm and Slayer, the band was ready to embark on a grueling tour of their own with labelmates Today is the Day. The show starts at about 10:30 p.m. For more information call Knickerbockers at 476-6865. ivtivaivuy ttv iuiuiu utoi utviv o a tut more to tiie Star City than strip malls and fast-food restaurants. Read on, and hopefully you will, too. As this series plods along, I encourage readers’ feedback, both positive and negative. And even if we don’t hear from you, the mighty fine folks at the Daily Nebraskan hope you can put at least a few install ments of this series to good use - other than the bird cage, that is. Randall is a junior news-editori al major and the Daily Nebraskan arts and entertainment editor.