6B = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
ENTERTAINMENT
---
Owls album escapes garage-rock nest for more mature, progressive edge
Andy Gassaway Jayplay writer
They made their first foray into rock with the screamingly emo band Cap'n Jazz while still in high school, then metamorphosed into the now-defunct loan of Arc.
Now, vocalist Tim Kinsella and company continue to rock the free world under the moniker Owls, unleashing a self-titled LP on Jade Tree Records that is exploratory, puzzling and guaranteed to be the perfect soundtrack to your next post-punk pity party.
The complex, atmospheric sound of Owls, although clearly keeping one foot in the garage, ventures into territory that brings to mind some of the more tolerable aspects of '70s progressive rock.
Don't panic — this album is completely devoid of 10-minute guitar solos and songs about hobbits and mountainsides. It's definitely not like Yes or King Crimson, and as far as I know, Owls do not hatch from pods in concert.
But, like the progressive bands of old, the band jettisons out of the parameters of conventional rock by using dramatic musical technique.
The real treat in listening to Owls is the top-notch musicianship. Victor Villareal's squeakyclean guitar work is relentless and noodling complemented by Samuel Zurick's bass phasing effect. Mike Kinsella's math-rock drumming takes multiple twists in each song.
Above it all, Tim Kinsella mumbles, moans and screams bizarre lyrical collages which,
profound or not, are delivered with unabashed off-key conviction.
Even so, Owls make it painfully obvious that the band doesn't take itself too seriously. Despite the majestic desperation these songs seem to project, they still have titles like "Life In the Hair Salon-Themed Bar on the Island."
Owlls is similar to a musical serial novel. Clocking in at more than a half-hour, the album is best when enjoyed in its entirety. Each of the eight hook-free songs has its own personality. They retain a similar tempo from song to song, which may prove tedious for impatient listeners.
Also, when Tim Kinsella happens to string together a lyric that he finds particularly moving, he tends to strangle it to death by
screaming it repeatedly. The songs never quite reach any kind of climax until the multi-layered vocal montage that closes the record.
Most importantly, Owls creates a mood that remains in tact from beginning to end. Granted, it's an introspective bummer of a mood despite the record's sarcasm, but its consistency is nonetheless engaging.
It's not perfect, but therein lies the appeal of Owls. Hearing a band create music of this breadth within the guitar-bass-drums confines of traditional rock 'n' roll is uplifting, even if the general feel of the record is not.
Contact Gassaway at 864-4810
All alone, Folds still has what it takes
By Lauren Beatty Jayplay writer
What once was five (but really three) is now just one.
Ben Folds, former lead singer and songwriter of the trio Ben Folds Five has recently released a solo album.
Titled Rockin' the Suburbs, the album is full of upbeat, funky tunes, jazzy swing numbers and pretty ballads.
Rockin' the Suburbs was released Sept. 11. Folds played all of the instruments himself.
The highlight of the album is the title track, "Rockin' the Suburbs." Fans may notice a
The album sounds a lot like a Ben Folds Five album, so fans of the band will remain fans of Folds since the band has parted ways.
harder edge to the song. But Ben Folds Five fans, don't worry — it's just a guitar.
It's rare for Folds to use a guitar; his former band consisted of just a drum, a bass and a piano.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 27, 2001
The addition of a guitar to Folds' falsetto is a good one, and he should use it more often.
In "Rockin' the Suburbs," Folds sings about being male, middle-class and white, and he sarcastically tells about the hardships it brings.
Humor is evident throughout the album, just as it was in Ben Folds Five's music.
The song is easily the best on the album and Folds knows it.
The video for the song has played on MTV and parodies other angry white-boy rappers like Limp Bizkit.
It's a reflection of his own life. Since Bend Folds Five broke up,
Fans were no doubt disappointed when the band broke up,but Folds' solo record will win them over eventually.
Folds has married and become a father of twins.
"Annie Waits" is the first song on the album and another winner. It's catchy right from the start. The song has a happy, sing-a-long beat complete with rhythmic hand claps.
Many of the other songs have the same kind of upbeat tempo, but the album is never boring.
Folds makes sure to vary the lengths of songs and breaks up the novelty feel of the CD with sad ballads.
"Fred Jones Part 2" is one of
those ballads. Folds sounds melancholy and the piano is subdued. Cello, which is the only instrument Folds did not play, can be heard in the background.
The song is simple and ends with Folds singing, "I'm sorry, Mr. Jones." As he croons, he really does sound sorry.
Overall, Rockin' the Suburbs is good fun. All of the tracks are catchy and humorous. The la-la la choruses and dancebeats will hook listeners at the beginning and keep them listening until the end.
In the ballads, the piano solos are fantastic and Folds makes the most of them.
Fans were no doubt disappointed when the band broke up, but Folds' solo record will win them over eventually.
And if the sold-out show at the Granada last night is any indication, Ben Folds will be just as popular solo as he was as a member of his former band.
Contact Beatty at 864-4810
IMPERIAL GARDEN WHERE QUALITY COMES FIRST 2907 W.6th St. 841-1698-841-3370 Open 11-3 and 5-9 everyday BEST BUFFET IN LAWRENCE!
11:30-2:00
$6.75 all you can eat
Homestyle Enchiladas
Sliced pork, rice and
beans,
Cheese and onion
flour enchilladas
We Buy, Sell & Trade USED & NEW Sports Equipment
PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS
10% OFF For take-out and delivery
WINTER AND
SPRING BREAK
BEACH & SKI TRIPS
On Sale Now!
www.sunchase.com
1-800-SUNCHASE
OPEN FOR DINNER
Tues-Sat 5:00-9:30
841-PLAY
1029 Massachusetts
$1.00 OFF
Dinner
Buffet
for 2 or
more people
DINE IN ONLY
50¢ OFF
Lunch Buffet
for 2 or more people
DINE IN ONLY
446 Locust St.
841-3837
Serving Lawrence for almost 50 years.
Weekly Specials
Tear this out and pin it up all week so you'll never miss a special
Country Western Bar
ASTROS
$2.50 16oz. dom. bottles
CADILLAC RANCH
Coco Loco
EMERSON BIGGINS
HARBOUR LIGHTS
$1 big beers &
$1double wells
$2.50 16oz. dom. bottles
$3.75 pitchers
$2 bloody marys/screwdrivers
$2.25 Dos Equis pints Messiahmyass
$1 anything
$3 premium draft,
$3.50 frozen Margaritas
$2 domestic bottles.
JACK FLANIGANS
JET LAG LOUNGE
$4.75 Biggin's size margarita on the rocks
$1.50 Miller High Life bottles,
$3.00 22oz. Rolling Rocks
$2 Wells
$.75 draws, $1.50 dom liters,
$2.25 almost anything.
RAOUL'S VELVET ROOM
SET EM UP JACK'S
2 for 1 margaritas Great Specials
World Class Dance Party World Class Dance Party
All flavors of Pete's Wicked Ale 6 pk $4.99
$3.00 Coronas
HIRD LIQUOR
$1.50 u-call-it, DJ & dancing, 1/2 price burgers
$1 Capt. Morgans, Retro Dance, $2.50 big beers
$2.00 well drinks
$3 Biggin's size Labatts draws
Martboro racing promotion 9-2 win a free trip to racing school
2 for 1 margaritas Vespers & Ghostie
$3.00 Biggin's size Shiner Bock
Red Stripe 6 pk $5.99
$2.00 Boulevards
$1.50 Bud / Lt bottles,
$2.00 180 & Bacardi
OLD CHICAGO
$2.99 big beers
$1 Busch & Miller Hi Life cans, $1.50
walls, $2.75 doubles, live music
THE OCTOBERFESTS ARE IN:
$3 Stoll drinks, 105.9
Lazer Dance Party
Ride the bus to all KU
home games
Home football games
$2.00 Boulevard draft pins
$2 Smirnoff ice / Twisters
DJ Bobby Keys
$2.50 Jackarita, $3.50 S
Hurricanes, DJ/Dancing
$1.50 import drafts
$2.50 imports
$1.50 Bud/Bud LT.pints
$1 dom draws, $1.50 micro draws
$1.75 premium draws
$3 Biggin's size
Bud Lt.
$1 anything
No Cover for Ladies
Sam Adams Octoberfest 6pk $5.99
$1.75 dom. bottles, $3.25 micro beer liters, $3.75 premium liters
$2.75 Long Island Ice Tea, free pool
Karaokel
WineSpecials!
Pete's Octoberfest 6pk $4.99
NASCAR party during race, $2 16oz draws Bud/Lt
$2 Mexican Beers
$2.00 house wines, wells,
domestic beers
$2 Margaritas & Coronas,
$1.50 25 oz. big beers
$2.50 20 oz. Coors Lt
$5 pitchers, choose winning team = free dinner buffet
$2.50 16oz Bud & Bud Lt bottles
$3.00 Martinis / Cosmopolitans
$2.50 20 oz. Miller Lt
$6.95 margarita pitchers
$2 Coronas, $.50 tacos
$5 pitchers Bud & Bud Lt
2 for 1 burgers and $2.00 domestic big beers
2 for 1 on most drinks
$3 premium bottles, $2.75 call drinks, $4 double calls
$2.00 pints domestic and micros
Import night $2.00 import and micro beers
10% off all cases of wine and liquor $2 big beers $.25 wings
$2.00 Boulevard pints
$4 32oz Bud & Bud Lt,
$2.25 Rolling Rock and
Captain Morgan drinks
$2.00 double calls,
DJ Jerett
$2.00 domestic bottles,
$.30 wings
Check out Kansan.com for more drink, food and entertainment specials with profiles of Lawrence's bars and restaurants.
---