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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2000)
Listener’s attention wanders around | on House of Large Sizes’ new album | By Josh Krauter Staff writer Rock bands come in three flavors. The first flavor occurs when a handful of people get together, become a rock band and create a joy ful noise. This noise leaves the listen er’s ear, and makes the world a differ ent, better place than it was before. Purveyors of this noise manage to create something new and alive out of a few guitars and drums. Examples include the Who, the Clash and Pavement. A second, weaker flavor is born when people who never should have met perpetuate a boring, meandering and limited definition of rock ’n’ roll. The Eagles, the Steve Miller Band and Phish all belong to this school. Then there’s House of Large Sizes. The Iowa trio falls squarely in that third category of bands that are neither good nor bad, just mediocre. There is nothing particularly annoying or offensive about House of Large Sizes. The band has been play ing throughout the Midwest for years and has built up a sizable following. The music is a pleasant mix of hard rock riffs and punk energy. And the songs are relatively free of cheesy fake sincerity and meandering guitar solos. But HOLS is just adequate, cer tainly not mind blowing, and most of the time, not even exciting. Its music is an inessential part of anyone’s record collection. And now the inessential House of Large Sizes has released that most inessential of records: a live album. “Idiots Out Wandering Around” -I.O.W.A., get it? - collects 22 songs spanning the band’s career for nearly an hour of music. j ;; A few of die songs catch hold and snap the listener out of the rest of the album’s mundane feel, but mostly the songs all run together, one indistin guishable from the next. There are a few interesting moments, though. “Fingernail” rides along on a bouncy, catchy guitar riff reminiscent of the Pixies, amm “Octupuses” and has a brutal, concise punk sound. “Big Wet Fella” is a fat free blues deconstruction and “Lovely, But Deadly” gets its awe some riffage from early Cheap Trick (bonus points go to bassist Barb Schilf for her Cheap Trick T-shirt in the CD booklet). The rest of the album, though, is a chore to sit through. It’s music that punk-rock kids play in the back ground when they wash their dishes. Singer/guitarist Dave Deibler’s voice is underwhelming and nasal, moving back and forth from passable to irritating like a bored teeter-totter. The band is lpcked into its limited range, but unlike influences such as AC/DC and the Ramones, whose styles were part of a severe aesthetic, House of Large Sizes jpI TITLE: Idiots Out Wandering Around * LABEL: What Are | Records i GRADE: C FIVE WORDS: Regional I favorite’s live album I W1 bores. HOLS tries to expand its sound with weak results. “Glass Cockpit” slows the grind to a crawl and never seems to end. “Mean and Hateful” opens with an inspired cock-rock riff, then turns to generic indie mush. HOLS also can’t be forgiven for including two minutes of uninterrupt ed crowd noise, followed by an announcement of what band memo rabilia is on sale at a table in the back of the club late in the album. The album was edited together from five separate concerts. Why wasn’t all that edited out? Listening to “Idiots Out Wandering Around” is like watching an OK movie for the second time. You’ve seen it all before, and you’re just waiting for it to get over. i;!|:i!ilj j!i!|i;ljij^1'jM^^I'!:':'i;^!^^^I1.1 ^^^!:i:!'HB^BBgWWBH^BW^^^WBII|PWBiWPiP^P^ij||||l|||| ; I j|^^^^HIllHRH||OT||||H||||HKHIV1!7VVV7WHM|||^HH|! j: Harris Together, Wrte Making Live* Better 621 Rose Street, Lincoln www.mdsharris.corn/rcrt/recruithtm ' __ I I lifEfLLI1 i ■ Great Location •5 Stacks South of UNL Campus • Plenty of Street Parking i ■ free Parking w/ Paik'n Shop next door 1 in the Carriage Get a Free 10 ox. Redken Color Extend 1 C Shampoo (7.50 Value) with | any Perm when you come fen by February 25th, 2000. I 4 This offer b also good g| wMi any Color Service | “ Tuesday thru Friday only. I i i i All work Is performed by students under the supervision of professional instructors. No other offers apply. Coupon expires February 25th. 2000. r_7i with Hormel Foods. I We’re interviewing on campus: February 16, 2000 Food Service Sales, Grocery Products Sales, Meat Products Sales If you want to fully utilize your degree from University of Nebraska - Lincoln, take a look at the career opportunities with Hormel Foods. You can be a part of a fast-paced environ ment in an always-changing industry. A Hormel Representative will be available to answer your questions about Hormel Foods. Please contact your Career Services Center for additional information and interview times. dailyneb.com DON’T MESS WITH THE GREEK. _Z._* ___ KSuSo. C^J A CCTThTTTT^Q gags™ v^LAoMr iIjU^ dn@unl.edu Deadline: 3 p.m. weekday prior ■ ' !■■■■— - II. | ... ,. . 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Buy one bike, get 2nd at 1/2 price (see store for details), we service all brands. 3321 Pioneers Blvd. 488-2101. www.bluesbike.com. Pre-owned Levis at great prices. The Jean Outlet. 3241 S. 13th, Indian Village. 420-5151. Snowboards Never summer! Gnu Lib-tech, 30-40% off. Drake Tech-Nine Switch and Bent Metal bindings, 20-40% off. Northwave and Vans Boots, 20-40% off. Snowboard closing, 30% off. Cycle Works at the comer of 27th and Vine. ArcTeryx Backpack. Perfect for weekend backpacking, skiing, climbing. New condition. Pay $200 at Mooses Tooth. Asking $125 or best offer. 327-8318. Check out the Classifieds mJm at DailyNeb.com : I _I tAA couple seeks to adopt newborn. We can give your laby a beautiful home and the happy, secure future he tr she deserves. By working together we can help each ither through this stressful time. All medical and legal ixpenses paid. Can Lynn and BUI. 1-800-575-3590 Open Harvest Natural Foods /Wrote grain bakery! Fresh bread, muffins, bageis daily! 1618 South St. 475-9063. SHOTOKAN KARATE 3 week classes in traditional karate start on February 1. Ml levels and physical abilities welcome. Register at he Campus Recreation Center, Room 55,472-3467.