House of Large Sizes

at the Middle East Cafe
by Scott Hefflon

Not to cop a phrase, but “quirky yet straight-forward powerpop” fits just fine. A punky three piece from Iowa whaling away at the Middle East on a Sunday night to, oh, about two dozen people. Guitarist/singer, Dave Deiber, whines like a suburban mall brat and does a spoken/sung narrative that’s down-home personal. It’s like he was playing in your living room. Barb the bassist has a fat and furry bass sound and cute-as-hell pigtails. House of Large Sizes doesn’t bother with gimmicky effects or laser light shows; they strip it down to catchy, sneering, country twang-gone-wacky pop. An interesting band with a unique blend of styles and an honest, no frills presentation that’s refreshing in an age of over-hyped mega bands.