Aloha to new album ‘Light Works’

Indie rock quartet Aloha have come out with the perfect segue into the holiday season with a seven-song EP entitled “Light Works,” out Dec. 4.

Past Aloha recordings, particularly those done earlier on in the band’s history, have been heavy on instrumentation, with so much going on that an untrained ear might become overwhelmed. On first listen, “Light Works” might uphold itself as slimmed down, but on the contrary; the amount of thought and innovation put into each song is vast as only Aloha know how to make it.

Where jazz influences were once, almost transparently, the trademark sound of Aloha, they have now been replaced by woven layers of acoustic guitar backed by the gentle, deep bottom of the bass. Add to that the embellishments of keys, marimba, vibes and various other percussion instruments, and what you’ve got is a brilliant patchwork of songs, complex in character but palatable as ever.

The golden thread which ties it all together comes in the form of the soft, gauzy voice of guitarist Tony Cavallario. His stripped-down vocals are clear, smooth and more vulnerable than ever before.

Although it consists of seven tracks, “Light Works” is only an EP in name because of its long, windy passages of sound that creep into the room and subtly take over, so much so the listener is disarmed and swept away in the music.

The album consists of intricate, floating, repetitive guitar lines – which labelmate Joan of Arc is famous for – incorporated into the post-rock jazz structures the band has mastered, with swells and cadences adding tension and character throughout.

“The state of mind was like, ‘Let’s make something nice that stands out, with a very specific atmosphere – something warm the people will have a use for this time of year,’” Cavallario said.

And so it stands – the perfect soundtrack for winter, which emanates quiet passion through the use of simple lines and unpredictable turns.

“Body Buzz” comfortably begins the album like a letter to an old friend, with a sound reminiscent to the Aloha of recent years. The momentum then slows, leading into “Broken Light,” where the melody wanders in whimsical patterns of tonality and texture, never settling on anything too familiar.

“The End” marks the midway point through the album and is a lively, gaiting piece with a straightforward tune and a folky, strummed chorus boasting vocals not dissimilar to The Shins’ singer James Mercer.

The stand-out gem of the album is “Passengers” in which Cavallario lightly treads upon his words as he sweetly sings “you’re a growing presence in my ever-shrinking universe” above the echelons of the song.

The music on “Light Works” emulates the geographical tendencies of the band members. Although the four are spread throughout three states, they have moved closer, distance-wise, to one another in the past year and it’s evident in “Light Works,” as they have created something much more cohesive and intimate than ever before.

“In my mind, it is fitting that we would release songs of this nature, now,” bassist Matthew Gengler said. “It makes perfect sense to me.”

The band, which is planning on releasing a full length in early 2008, threw a kink into its track record of bi-annual album releases since 2000 by sneaking this EP in at the close of the year. The reason could be boiled down to a simple defiance of the norm.

“We could have just recorded a single for the forthcoming LP,” Cavallario said. “But we wanted to do something outside the cycle of tour/album/tour/album.”

As a whole, Aloha are incredibly focused and detailed about their craft. Ask any member of the band what makes a good show and they will most likely all answer “sound check.” So it makes sense that particular attention to the intricacies of the music is central to their album presentation.

It’s not evident which works more in their favor: their relevant backgrounds, the meshing of the respective members, or perhaps a little bit of both, but it seems as if this quartet was born to make music together and each person functions as a separate but equally important part.

While each band member contributes substantially to the overall composition and sound, lyric-writing duties are the responsibility of Cavallario, the resident journalist. Gengler, who recently completed his masters in library information and science, has taken up creating the song titles, a job which he says suits him.

Percussionist Cale Parks, who earned his degree in percussion jazz studies from Bowling Green State University, shares duties of drums and other ambient instruments with the band’s newest member, TJ Lipple, who has been with the group since they began writing 2004’s “Here Comes Everyone.”

They approached the album in a much more minimalist way than past years, but their use of silence interspersed throughout communicates volumes.

“The instruments are lighter, but the words are heavier,” Lipple said.

He also added his own special touch, as he and engineer Nick Anderson recorded the album at Arlington, Va.-based Inner Ear Studios. It was then mixed, mastered and produced by Silver Sonya, Lipple’s own entrepreneurial venture housed within Inner Ear.

“I love this band and am honored to work with the music in every capacity,” Lipple said. “Whether it’s helping write, deciding what mic to put on the beater head of the kick, or deciding how much silence to enter between the songs.”

Aloha have been with the Illinois-based indie label Polyvinyl Records since they first began sending out demos in the late ’90s. Along those lines, the quartet is typically unfaltering in style and sound but still manages to come out with something new and more evolved with every step.

The trick Aloha have mastered – and other bands should take note – is the ability to expand on their sound and make each new release a step up from the last. The band’s sound has clearly evolved, but the influence of its older music still persists.

“The way this band works is very fluid and confusing,” Lipple said. “Things rarely happen the same way twice. I don’t know what instrument I play. I love it.”

“Light Works” is one of those albums that starts out at the highest point possible and only exceeds expectations from then on. These four boys from the East have made their most delicate, honest album to date, certain to carve its own special niche into the listener’s heart.

(Originally published in The State Hornet on December 4, 2007)

American Steel solidifies again

After what can only be described as a five year definite break, Oakland punk rockers American Steel have surprised fans by unexpectedly reuniting to release their fourth full-length, “Destroy Their Future,” which came out Oct. 2 on Fat Wreck Chords.

“Destroy Their Future” is characterized by the same gritty guitar style and grating vocals that first caught the attention of the Easy Bay scene in 1995. It features 12 new tracks in a clean, but not overly produced, 35-minute package.

Unfortunately, it seems with these boys, the arrival of something good always comes with a cost – in this case, the sacrifice of another great band. When American Steel first called in quits in 2002, the result was a new band, Communique, which boasted three of the members and figured in a couple new faces.

Since American Steel’s reunion in the first half of 2007, the Moog-ish, new wave sounding Communique has been set on the back burner. In both cases, singer/guitarist Rory Henderson had realized the songs he was writing for the respective bands just didn’t fit. While starting a new band to fit a new sound might inspire accusations of selling out, Henderson felt the need to distinguish between the two styles by creating a clear boundary between them.

What has come about as a result of splitting creativity between the bands is instead a brilliant meshing of the two. American Steel is still American Steel, but there is no denying a certain Communique-esque influence which carried over into the new incarnation.

In spite of what a loyalist might say, this is a good thing; it would have been disappointing if the reunion of a band didn’t really give the fans anything different or new.

The basic elements are the same. Lead singer and guitarist Henderson’s voice can take the most serene moments and inspire you to take action – whether it’s punching someone in the face or changing the world. Guitarist Ryan Massey is capable of jarring even the most agreeable tune. Bassist John Peck skillfully drives the songs and drummer Scott Healy carries the band through with his solid, unwavering punk rock beat.

Following a rowdy introduction to their new sound in the opener “Sons of Avarice,” the album evolves into a piece of work which successfully attempts to branch out and diversify on each track while remaining heavy in both sound and substance.

The dark, discordant progressions of “Razorblades” are certain to provoke deep thought, as Henderson attacks right wing Christians. Yet even in the midst of his anger, there is a certain amount of respect due because Henderson is intellectually capable of differentiating between Christians who are respectful and those who are zealots.

Pop sensibility is not lost on these boys, but neither is the ability to dish out the rock ‘n’ roll. In “To the Sea,” American Steel’s sound crashes head-on with Communique, seamlessly but miraculously, without any bloodshed or broken glass.

“Old Croy Road” begins with a muted, garage-rock vibe, which explodes without hesitation into an energetic dance-inducing piece, boasting an up beat guitar riff and vocals reminiscent of an American Joe Strummer.

Finally, toward the end of the album, “Hurtlin’” takes a different approach, boasting an acoustic folk-inspired feel, clad with – is that a tambourine or accordion I hear? It also provides the listener with a rare opportunity to witness the stripped down, tender and vulnerable side of Henderson, both vocally and lyrically.

The overall tone of the album is somewhat similar to the controversial 2001 release, “Jagged Thoughts,” which received negative criticism for its abrupt and somewhat aimless style shift. However, unlike its predecessor, “Destroy Their Future” comes across much more purposeful, while still managing to be a notch up on the unpolished scale. At the same time, it also moves and feels similar to 1999’s “Rogue’s March” which makes it a perfect middle-ground between the two releases.

Overall, “Destroy Their Future” is a buffet consisting of the musical ideas that have been housed in the minds of Henderson, Massey, Peck and Healy the last half of a decade. The songs are punchy and driven, and the choruses and refrains run like melodic fight songs bound to get stuck in your head all day. For newcomers to the American Steel, it is certain to find a place in the collection of Against Me! and Alkaline Trio fans. For the old-school, die-hards, it will naturally fall into place in the discography of the band, as though it were the previously undiscovered, newly released, American Steel album of 2000.

When it comes to American Steel, one thing has always been clear: This is a band with a mission. The only question that remains is whether or not this is simply a reunion tour or something with lasting power. Let’s hope it’s the latter, and if “Destroy Their Future” is any indication, American Steel has a long run ahead.

(Originally published in The State Hornet on November 7, 2007)

Excited about this album

The self-titled debut album from this dancecore band is still, as of yet, an undiscovered jewel in the underground indie rock scene.

The album’s opening track, “Overture,” introduces a nineteen second world of cacophonic chaos which explodes into “2nd Gun,” a hip-shaking blast of melody.

The remaining fourteen tracks follow in a similar fashion, making it clear that this Texan and New York hybrid three piece isn’t afraid to experiment with fun.

One of the highlights is “New Brad”, a song which paints a picture of a distraught ex-lover regretting his actions, calling to mind images of John Cusack in “High Fidelity,” with lines such as “I‘m breaking inside your window / Won‘t you open like you promised? / I‘ll turn into that guy / They told me this would happen when I broke up with you“.

Another charmer is the driven “Fisticuffs,” which is heavy on harmonics, double bass drum, and plenty of Casio organ.

The album follows a somewhat predictable pattern of pieces that utilize chord suspension and resolution to create a tension that all but falls apart, before scooping up the pieces and throwing them back in your face. This seemingly conventional method is juxtaposed by the interlocking tempo changes throughout the tracks and within the individual songs themselves. The beautifully spoken piano interludes contribute to this end, turning the standard into something much more capricious.

In the end, a complete listen gives the feeling that this is not so much an album as it is a continuous stream of a light conscious bliss. If I could sum this masterpiece up in three words, I would call it Pure Aural Jubilance. It is perhaps one of the most refreshing releases to come out of its genre in quite some time.

Volcano, I’m Still Excited!! leaves the listener with feelings of wonderment over all that has been crammed into a 40 minute and 5 second listening experience. More so, it instills an excitement that, true to the band’s name, lasts up until, and through, the next listen.

(Written in Fall 2004)