The Aluminum Group is an American

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

band from Chicago, Illinois centered on brothers John and Frank Navin. The band has released eight albums, on various record labels including Minty Fresh, Hefty, Wishing Tree, and P-Vine.

History

The Navin brothers grew up in Detroit, moving to Chicago in 1979.Margasak, Peter (1998)
A Minty Fresh Start: Aluminum Group/Sweetness and Bite
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Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...

'', August 6, 1998, retrieved 2012-01-09 In Chicago, they formed their first band in 1982, the hardcore punk band Women In Love.Amorosi, A.D. (1999)
Tin Men
", '' Philadelphia Citypaper'', December 2–9, 1999, retrieved 2012-01-09McLeod, Kembrew (1998)
Aluminum Group Making Beautiful Music Together
,

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...

, 12.10.1998, retrieved 2012-01-09 In 1985, they left the band, increasingly becoming interested in softer pop music. They formed a new performance art group together, Bleak House, and in 1989 started working together on what would evolve into The Aluminum Group. The band's name is taken from a line of furniture by Charles and Ray Eames.Walters, Barry (1999)
Sibling Revelry
, ''

The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * ''The Advocate'' (LGBT magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States *''The Harvard Advocate'', a literary magazin ...

'', October 12, 1999, p. 67-8, retrieved 2012-01-08 The early line-up of the band included Eddie Carlson ( Poi Dog Pondering) on bass and Liz Conant on keyboards. The band took inspiration from British groups of the early 1980s such as Everything but the Girl, Marine Girls and The Monochrome Set, as well as The Carpenters and Claudine Longet. The brothers self-released their debut album, ''Wonder Boy'', in 1995, described by Allmusic writer Stewart Mason as "a soft pop gem". Their second album, ''Plano'', was produced by

Dave Trumfio David Trumfio (born August 16, 1968) is an American record producer, mixer, engineer and musician, best known for his production work with artists such as Wilco and his recordings with his own band The Pulsars. Production work Trumfio grew u ...

, and in the view of Jason Ankeny "resonates with a timeless and heartbreaking beauty".Richards, David (1999)
Minty Fresh's Floraline Gives '80s-Style Pop a New Spin for the Present
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Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', May 1, 1999, p. 16, retrieved 2012-01-08 The album featured guitarist John Ridenour and their former Women in Love bandmate, drummer John Blaha, as well as guest appearances from musicians including Sally Timms. The album was released by the Minty Fresh label, who would also release the band's next album. For the band's third album, ''Pedals'' on Minty Fresh, they worked with

Jim O'Rourke James O'Rourke may refer to: Sports * Jim O'Rourke (baseball) (1850–1919), American baseball player and Hall of Fame inductee * Jimmy O'Rourke (baseball) (1883–1955), American baseball player, son of the Hall of Fame inductee * James O'Rourk ...

, the album also featuring Timms and Sean O'Hagan. .Porter, Christopher (2000)
Old New Romantics
, ''Washington Citypaper'', November 24, 2000, retrieved 2012-01-09 In 2002, the brothers contributed to the album ''The Executioners Last Songs'', in aid of Artists Against the Death Penalty and the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty.Morris, Chris (2002)
Declarations Of Independents
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'', February 16, 2002, p. 56, retrieved 2012-01-08 On their fourth album ''Pelo'' they worked with producer John Herndon, and introduced more electronic elements to the band's sound.Ankeny, Jason
''Pelo'' Review
, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-08 The band's fifth album, ''Happyness'' (2002), was the first in a trilogy, and was described as "postmodernist pop music that sounds simultaneously cutting edge, retro, and utterly timeless".Ankeny, Jason
''Happyness'' Review
, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-08 The second in the series, ''Morehappyness'' (2003), included contributions from members of Tortoise and The Sea & Cake.Loftus, Johnny
''Morehappyness'' Review
, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-08Paoletta, Michael (2004)
The Aluminum Group MoreHappyness
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'', February 7, 2004, p. 38, retrieved 2012-01-09 The trilogy was completed with ''Little Happyness'' (2008).Tangari, Joe (2008)
The Aluminum Group ''Little Happyness''
, Pitchfork Media, March 5, 2008, retrieved 2012-01-08 The brothers and the band are the subject of Patrick McGuinn's documentary film ''The Pursuit of Happyness''. In April 2022, the band released their first album in 14 years, a self-titled album. According to their Bandcamp profile, as well as recent social media posts, the Navin brothers have returned to Detroit.

Musical style

The band's music has been described as "indie pop",Incoming
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SPIN Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

'', October 1998, p. 46, retrieved 2012-01-08 "bliss-pop"/"chamber pop",Ankeny, Jason
Aluminum Group Biography
, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-08Mason, Stewart
''Wonder Boy'' Review
, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-08Hermann, Andy (2003)
The Aluminum Group: Happyness
, PopMatters, January 31, 2003, retrieved 2012-01-08 "lounge tunes with a new wave bent", and "space pop".Walters, Barry (2000)
Aluminum Group ''Pelo''
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Out Out may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 * ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander * ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...

'', December 2000, p. 32, retrieved 2012-01-08 with comparisons being made with Eric Matthews,

Belle & Sebastian Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released eleven albums. They are often compared with acts such as The Smiths and Nick Drake. The name "Belle and Sebastian" comes ...

Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tra ...

, The Divine Comedy, The Magnetic Fields, and Stereolab.Zupko, Sarah
The Aluminum Group: Plano
, PopMatters, retrieved 2012-01-08"CD Reviews: Aluminum Group Shows its Mastery of Curveball", ''The Virginian-Pilot'', January 20, 2000, p. E12 The ''Riverfront Times'' described the band's music as "a potent cocktail of atmospheric electronica, slinky soul and old-school easy-listening".Spencer Saller, Renato (2001)
Brother Act
, '' Riverfront Times'', October 10, 2001, retrieved 2012-01-08 ''

'', reviewing ''Pedals'', identified elements of

lounge music Lounge music is a type of easy listening music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It may be meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place, usually with a tranquil theme, such as a jungle, an island paradise or outer space. The rang ...

bossa nova Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...

, and yé yé.The Aluminum Group ''Pedals''
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'', December 1999, retrieved 2012-01-08 Both Navin brothers are gay, and this is reflected in the band's lyrical themes.Ankeny, Jason
''Plano'' Review
, Allmusic, retrieved 2012-01-08Bruno, Franklin (2003)
The Aluminum Group ''More Happyness''
, '' CMJ New Music Monthly'', November 2003, p. 58, retrieved 2012-01-08Amorosi, A.D. (1999)
The Aluminum Group ''Pedals''
", ''Philadelphia Citypaper'', September 9–16, 1999, retrieved 2012-01-08

Discography

Albums

*''Wonder Boy'' (1995), Aluminum Group - reissued as ''Wonder Boy Plus'' (1999), Minty Fresh with bonus tracks *''Plano'' (1998), Minty Fresh *''Pedals'' (1999), Minty Fresh *''Pelo'' (2000), Hefty *''Happyness'' (2002), Wishing Tree *''Morehappyness'' (2003), Wishing Tree *''Little Happyness'' (2008), Minty Fresh/ P-Vine *''The Aluminum Group'' (2022), self-released ;Compilations: *''Introducing...'' (2000),

Marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...

*''The Best of Minty Fresh Years'', VSC

Singles, EPs

*Untitled EP (2005), En/Of *"If You've Got A Lover, You've Got A Life" (2006), Hefty *"Drag Yourself" (2020)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aluminum Group American pop music groups