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As the spotlight of the cynical Grunge movement began
to fade, there emerged a new and fresh sound which combined
the angst-ridden ambience of its darker predecessor
with an Emo, Punk Pop quality that was playful, quirky
and cheerful. Bands such as Weezer, Greenday and Supergrass
were quickly becoming the alternative to the gloominess
of Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder. While the press was
quick to label the new genre as Punk Revival, in reality
the only thing that was “Punk” about these groups was
the use of three chord progressions and rapid fire tempo’s.
Lyrically, none of the nerd rockers were singing about
anarchy, fascism or death and destruction. Moreover,
these groups often combined three part harmonies and
sensitive terminology within a song.
Name after Arlo Aldahl, the sound man at the groups’
favorite watering hole, Mr. T's Bowl, in Highland Park,
California, Arlo formed using this blueprint for power
pop in 1993. Originally named Otto, the band played
almost every club in LA in one form or another. Founding
members Nate Greely and Sean Spillane met in college.
Having an equal fondness to cannabis, the two guitar
players became fast friends and quickly formed a band.
From the Post-Punk sounds of the Pixies to classic rockers
The Who and the Stones, the duo were listening to an
array of musical styles as they crafted their sound.
“My first record was Tattoo You by the Rolling Stones
and really set the tone for my later music path. CCR,
The Who, the Kinks, Fugazi, GBV and Dr. Teeth and the
Electric Mayhem were all very positive influences on
me over the years. The Beatles and Beach Boys gave me
a love for vocal melodies and harmonies”, explains Sean
about his own, as well as the band’s influences.
As Nate and Sean began to blossom into a top draw in
LA, even putting out a split 7” for Glimmerfed Records,
the two seemed to have a hard time keeping a solid rhythm
section in tact. After the third combo left, the boys
met up with two old friends, Soup and Shmedley, who
were fronting a rival band, Holliston Stops. When the
two joined Otto, Soup switched to drums, and Shmedley
picked up the bass. After a name change, the guys signed
with Sub Pop and released a 7” featuring ‘Sitin’ On
The Aces’ and ‘Skyscraper’ in 2000. Though the band
has been compared to Weezer, it hasn’t been intentional,
“I didn't listen to Weezer until Pinkerton came out.
I loved the way they made that record- it felt perfectly
dirty and dangerous yet super catchy. I think sometimes
though, that people lump us into the Weezer category
just because they really don't know where else to put
us. I think we're more like the early Tom Petty and
the Heartbreakers”, explains Sean. In 2001 Arlo released
their first full length recording, Up High In The Night,
to critical acclaim. While the disc was recorded in
a home studio, Arlo enlisted the help of friend/musician
Ben Vaughn and engineer Mark Linnett (who had previously
worked with Jane’s Addiction and the Beach Boys) to
mix the album.
Despite another line-up change as Tom Sanford replaced
Soup as drummer, Arlo emerged from the studio in 2002
with the impressive follow-up ~Stab The Unstoppable
Hero~. Staying with their proven formula, the disc is
upbeat, guitar driven power pop and is already receiving
stellar reviews, “All the reviews I've seen have been
amazing, especially when the reviewer is female, which
feels great. I don't know why, but it just seems to
be the case. However, for some reason we haven't been
reviewed in anywhere near as many publications this
time around. This record really is a different record
in many ways than the first one. Maybe since the economy
went into the shitter and a lot of the internet music
sites died, there's just not as many chances to have
a record reviewed as there was just a year ago. It doesn't
really matter because a good record does its own work
by word of mouth. The best reviews are from friends
whose taste in music you admire and trust”, said Spillane.
By bringing back Mark Linnett to mix the record, the
music hasn’t changed dramatically, however, the production
is much sharper. “We really did a much better job of
recording the drums with the indispensable help of Mark
Linnett who engineers all of Brian Wilson's live stuff,
and he also remixed Pet Sounds for the Beach Boy's Box
Set. Mark mixed our last album along with Ben Vaughn.
Ben helped with the arrangements and we relied on his
professional ears to guide us in the studio. Having
Tom Sanford, our new drummer helped immensely- he gave
the album a groove and is my favorite drummer in the
world. Rich Mauser mixed the record and really worked
the right amount of magic in taking what we recorded
and making it fly out of the speakers without losing
sight of what we were trying to do. I feel that all
these factors came together to make a very honest album”,
explains Sean.
The first single, ‘Runaround’, a jumping tune with an
early Elvis Costello and the Attractions vibe, has been
receiving a fair amount of college radio play but has
yet to break into corporate sponsored radio. “We're
doing well on college radio but frankly, I'm a bit disappointed
in the lack of radio play this record is getting. I
don't think Radio is in a good place at the moment.
Conglomeration of commercial radio is killing music.
It doesn't allow for the regional musical dialects,
so to speak, to flourish. Like when the blues and jazz
were becoming the most powerful forms of music during
the 20th century you had Delta blues, Chicago blues,
Dixie land jazz, East and West coast be-bop. Now you
can only be alternative or rap or country. Hell, why
isn't there at least a classic country station like
the classic rock stations that repeatedly blast the
same 5 songs every 20 minutes”, states Sean with disgust.
The buzz on Arlo is growing at a rapid pace while the
group is currently on a US tour in support of ~Stab
The Unstoppable Hero~ and playing to capacity filled
rooms. Most definitely one of the new bands on Sub Pop
to keep an eye on as a hot bidding war of major labels
will be inevitable.
Tony Engelhart for Crud Magazine© 2002
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| 04/02 1 Giant Leap - My Culture
04/02 Elfpower Interview - Andrew Rieger - Creatures
04/02 Frou Frou Interview - Guy Sigsworth/Imogen Heap
04/02 Gomez Interview - Ian Ball
04/02 Idlewild - Live - London Astoria
04/02 K's Choice Interview
04/02 Leaves - Live - Camden Dingwall
04/02 Longwave Interview - Exit
04/02 Lucy Mongrel Interview
04/02 Oasis - The Hindu Times
04/02 Phantom Planet - Interview
04/02 Unwritten Law - Interview
04/02 VUE - Coordinates Interview
05/02 BRMC - LIve - Kentish Town, London
05/02 Breeders - Title K
05/02 FC Kahuna - Machine Says Yes
05/02 Moco - Live - London Monarch
05/02 Need New Body - Interview
05/02 The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Live - Soundhause, Northampton
05/02 The Bellrays - Meet The Bellrays
06/02 Fleadh Festival - Finsbury Park
06/02 Frou Frou Coordinates Interview
06/02 Incubus - Interview - Mark Einziger
06/02 North Mississippi Allstars - Interview
06/02 Papa Roach - She Loves Me Not
06/02 Proud Mary - Live - Northampton, Soundhaus
06/02 Pulp - Live - Sherwood Pines, Edwinstowe
06/02 Reindeer section - You Are My Joy
06/02 Silverchair - Diorama
|  | 06/02 Something Corporate - Leaving Through The Window
06/02 Soinc Youth - Interview
06/02 The Burn - The Smiling Face
06/02 The Coral - Live - Roadmender, Northampton
06/02 The LIbertines - Live - The Social, Nottingham
06/02 The Vines, Sheffield Leadmill
06/02 Trik Turner - Interview
06/02 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live, Soundhaus, Northampton
07/02 12 Stones Interview
07/02 Arolo -Interview
07/02 Buy To Let Doncaster - Anti Social Behaviour
07/02 Cassius - Interview
07/02 Farrah - Interview
07/02 Glassjaw - Interview
07/02 Neil Michael Haggerty - Interview
07/02 Hoobastank - Running Away
07/02 Leaves - Interview
07/02 LL Cool Jay Interview
07/02 Oasis - Live - Finsbury Park, London
07/02 Polyphonic Spree - Live - Camden Monarch
07/02 Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
07/02 Super Furry Animals - Interview
07/02 The Beatings - Live - Metro Club London
07/02 The Bellrays + The D4 - Virgin Megastore, Oxford Street London
January 2001
July - August 2001
September - October 2001
November - December 2001
January - March 2002
April - July 2002
August - December 2002 | |
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