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'' ( ...

band from

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

centered on brothers John and Frank Navin. The band has released eight albums, on various record labels including

Minty Fresh Minty Fresh is a Chicago-based record label, founded in 1993 by Jim Powers with Anthony Musiala. The label is known for launching the careers of Veruca Salt. They also gave the Swedish band The Cardigans their first US release and released the d ...

, Hefty, Wishing Tree, and

P-Vine P-Vine Records is an independent record label based in Tokyo, Japan. History It was started in 1976 by Blues Interactions, a firm founded in 1975 by Yasufumi Higurashi and Akira Kochi, as a record label focused on black music. The label name c ...

History

The Navin brothers grew up in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

, moving to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

in 1979.Margasak, Peter (1998)
A Minty Fresh Start: Aluminum Group/Sweetness and Bite
, ''

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 ...

'', August 6, 1998, retrieved 2012-01-09 In Chicago, they formed their first band in 1982, the

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...

band Women In Love.Amorosi, A.D. (1999)
Tin Men
", ''

Philadelphia Citypaper Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since 1 ...

'', December 2–9, 1999, retrieved 2012-01-09McLeod, Kembrew (1998)
Aluminum Group Making Beautiful Music Together
, VH1, 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 Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...

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 Charles Eames ( Charles Eames, Jr) and Ray Eames ( Ray-Bernice Eames) were an American married couple of industrial designers who made significant historical contributions to the development of modern architecture and furniture through the work of ...

.Walters, Barry (1999)
Sibling Revelry
, '' The Advocate'', October 12, 1999, p. 67-8, retrieved 2012-01-08 The early line-up of the band included Eddie Carlson (

Poi Dog Pondering Poi Dog Pondering is an American musical group which is noted for its cross-pollination of diverse musical genres, including various forms of acoustic and electronic music. Frank Orrall founded the band in Hawaii in 1984, initially as a solo pr ...

) on bass and Liz Conant on keyboards. The band took inspiration from British groups of the early 1980s such as

Everything but the Girl Everything but the Girl (occasionally referred to as EBTG) are an English musical duo formed in Kingston upon Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, producer and singer Ben Wat ...

Marine Girls Marine Girls were an English post-punk group from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. The group was formed in 1980, by two sixth form schoolfriends; Tracey Thorn and Gina Hartman. Originally, Thorn just played guitar and Hartman was the lead voca ...

and

The Monochrome Set The Monochrome Set are an English post-punk/ new wave band, originally formed in London in January 1978. The most recent line-up consists of Bid, Andy Warren, Athen Ayren and Stephen Gilchrist. History Original band: 1978–1985 The Monoc ...

, as well as

The Carpenters The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct, soft, musical style, combining Karen's contr ...

and

Claudine Longet Claudine Georgette Longet (born 29 January 1942) is a Franco-American singer, actress, dancer, and recording artist popular during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Paris, France, Longet was married to American singer and television entertainer Andy ...

. The brothers self-released their debut album, ''Wonder Boy'', in 1995, described by

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

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
, ''

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 adverti ...

'', 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 Sally Timms (born 29 November 1959) is an English singer and lyricist. Timms is best known for her long involvement with The Mekons whom she joined in 1985.Sally Timmsat Allmusic Career Born in Leeds, in 1959,Wallenfeldt, Jeffthe Mekons in ...

. The album was released by the

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, the album also featuring Timms and

Sean O'Hagan Sean O'Hagan (born 1959) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and arranger who leads the avant-pop band the High Llamas, which he founded in 1992. He is also known for being one half of the songwriting duo (with Cathal Coughlan) in Microdisney and ...

. .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
, ''

'', 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
,

, 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
,

, retrieved 2012-01-08 The second in the series, ''Morehappyness'' (2003), included contributions from members of

Tortoise Tortoises () are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin: ''tortoise''). Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like oth ...

and The Sea & Cake.Loftus, Johnny
''Morehappyness'' Review
,

, retrieved 2012-01-08Paoletta, Michael (2004)
The Aluminum Group MoreHappyness
, ''

'', 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 ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

, 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
, ''

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 ...

'', October 1998, p. 46, retrieved 2012-01-08 "bliss-pop"/"chamber pop",Ankeny, Jason
Aluminum Group Biography
,

, retrieved 2012-01-08Mason, Stewart
''Wonder Boy'' Review
,

, retrieved 2012-01-08Hermann, Andy (2003)
The Aluminum Group: Happyness
,

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

, January 31, 2003, retrieved 2012-01-08 "lounge tunes with a new wave bent", and "space pop".Walters, Barry (2000)
Aluminum Group ''Pelo''
, ''

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 t ...

The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature an ...

The Magnetic Fields The Magnetic Fields (named after the André Breton/Philippe Soupault novel '' Les Champs Magnétiques'') are an American band founded and led by Stephin Merritt. Merritt is the group's primary songwriter, producer, and vocalist, as well as fr ...

, and

Stereolab Stereolab are an Anglo- French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repeti ...

.Zupko, Sarah
The Aluminum Group: Plano
,

, 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 The ''Riverfront Times'' (''RFT'') is a free progressive weekly newspaper in St. Louis, in the U.S. state of Missouri, that consists of local politics, music, arts, and dining news in the print edition, and daily updates to blogs and photo gall ...

'', 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 innovat ...

, and yé yé.The Aluminum Group ''Pedals''
, ''

'', 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
,

, retrieved 2012-01-08Bruno, Franklin (2003)
The Aluminum Group ''More Happyness''
, ''

CMJ New Music Monthly CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...

'', 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),

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/

*''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 or ...

*''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