Aloha

Founded: 1997

Headquarters: started in Bowling Green, OH

Website Link(s): http://www.musicofaloha.com/

Label(s)

 * Polyvinyl

Genre(s)

 * Indie-Rock
 * Indie-Pop
 * Post-Rock
 * Prog-Rock

RIYL

 * The Sea & Cake
 * Karate
 * Sam Prekop

Band Members

 * Tony Cavallario
 * Matthew Gengler
 * Cale Parks
 * Eric Koltnow
 * T.J. Lipple (joined 2003)

Band Biography
Aloha’s penchant for steering their sound in between an unlikely combination of genres has both garnished critical attention as well as the unwanted residue of precariousness. Infusing elements post-rock, jazz, anthemic prog, indie-pop and fusion, the experimental rock quartet signed to Polyvinyl Records solely based on their demo tape in the late 90s. A series of EPs were released with moderate success before catching the ears of indie rock critics everywhere with 2000’s That's Your Fire. Anchored by the ubiquitous vibraphone of Eric Koltnow and Cale Parks’ unrelenting post-rock drumming, Aloha’s sound, while always similar in style, has evolved with each succeeding album. Early outings found the band creating more sprawling and ethereal compositions made up of abstract pop, free jazz and Weather Report inspired fusion. 2002’s Sugar saw the quartet establishing a more aggressive and anthemic sound with more of a song-oriented frame of mind. Also on this album, Tony Cavallario’s soft-spoken vocals take on a more prominent role in the mix invoking a much more indie pop feeling with his fondness of earnest lyrics. For 2004’s Here Comes Everyone, along with addition of percussionist T.J. Lipple, Aloha continued down their path into more traditional pop settings, letting the sprawling free jazz improvisations completely take a back seat to the singer/songwriter tendencies of Cavallario. The music is by no means less potent, just more structured and focused than previously, and to much acclaim. Aloha’s latest outing, Some Echoes, is due out in mid-April.

=Discography=

Albums

 * The Great Communicators, the Interpreters, the Nonbelievers 1999 (Polyvinyl)
 * That's Your Fire 2000 (Polyvinyl)
 * Sugar 2002 (Polyvinyl)
 * Here Comes Everyone 2004 (Polyvinyl)
 * Some Echoes 2006 (Polyvinyl)

EPs

 * Aloha 1999 (Polyvinyl)
 * Lub Bud Da 1999 (Westside Audio Labratories)

Singles

 * Aloha/Lovesick Split 7" 2002 (Polyvinyl)
 * Boys in the Bathtub 2004 (Polyvinyl)