November 30, 2009
ALO REVEALS MAN OF THE WORLD ON FEBRUARY 9 AND TOURS THE WEST COAST
New Album From Brushfire Records Produced By Jack Johnson
On February 9, 2010 Brushfire Recording Artist ALO will release Man of the World. The 11-song collection captures the sound of ALO flexing their considerable creative powers to craft their finest album yet and is the sound of four players who have truly found their groove together. On Man of the World, the band strips down to their most organic and pure to create a tight, cohesive and energetic album.
Man of the World was engineered by the band’s frequent studio partner Dave Simon-Baker and produced by musical collaborator and longtime friend, Jack Johnson. “Jack functioned like a fifth member of the band,” says keyboardist Zach Gill. “At times, Jack was involved in everything from lyric writing to tambourine playing.” Adds Dan Lebowitz, ALO’s guitarist, “Most of us in the band have been playing together since we were 13 and over the years we’ve fallen into patterns. Jack shook things up in a really great way and got us to rethink how we record our music.”
For Man of the World, the band abandoned the traditional studio recording approach to build songs up track by track. ALO went for a raw, more organic route, recording as a group and letting their instruments bleed into each other. “I’ve always felt that you can hear the difference in recordings made this way,” says Gill. “You actually get to hear the sound of people in a room making something together.” Recording at Jack’s studio on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii also lent to the natural feel of the album. “Hawaii feels very pure and laid-back,” recalls drummer Dave Brogan, “it’s an easy place to get centered and feel inspired.”
Songs that sprang out of the band’s new recording approach span the sonic spectrum in classic ALO fashion. The album’s lead track “Suspended,” was recorded live in one take and exemplifies the musical freedom of the project. “Recording it was like an exhale” says Gill of the seven-minute anthem. Adds bassist Steve Adams, “on the last note we all looked up and smiled knowing we’d just recorded something very cool and special.” The album also features “Big Appetite,” a warm-hearted track with a probing message centered around a slow-burning groove and pedal steel accents, and “Man of the World,” a raw and simple rock ‘n’ roll stomp. “I Love Music,” already well loved by live audiences, and “Time and Heat,” which is considered a rare cult favorite, are included as well.
ALO thrives in the live environment and can’t wait to get out on the road to share the tracks from Man of the World with old and new fans. “We are the eternal tinkerers,” reflects Lebo. “There is no way that these songs will stay the same for long.” West coast fans will have the first opportunity to see the new songs live when ALO rings in the New Year in Oakland, CA with Brett Dennen and SambaDa. Continuing in the holiday spirit of giving, ALO will be setting out on their fourth annual Tour d’Amour on February 10-21. A portion of proceeds from the Tour d’Amour will be donated to Bay Area-based Music in Schools Today, a non-profit organization that supports music education for over 10,000 youth annually. ALO then joins Galactic for select dates through the end of the month.
ALO New Year’s Show with Brett Dennen and SambaDa:
12/31/2010 Oakland, CA — The Fox Theater
ALO Tour d’Amour IV itinerary:
2/10/2010 Long Beach, CA — Fingerprints Record Store
2/11/2010 Solana Beach, CA — Belly Up Tavern
2/12/2010 Hermosa Beach, CA — Saint Rocke
2/13/2010 West Hollywood, CA — Troubadour
2/14/2010 Santa Barbara, CA — Soho Restaurant & Music Club
2/18/2010 Santa Cruz, CA — Moe’s Alley
2/19/2010 Crystal Bay, NV — The Crystal Bay Club/Crown Room
2/21/2010 Arcata, CA — Humboldt Brews
ALO on tour with Galactic itinerary:
2/24/2010 Bellingham, WA — The Nightlight
2/25/2010 Whistler, BC — Whistler Live! (Vancouver 2010 Olympics)
2/26/2010 Seattle, WA — Showbox
2/27/2010 Portland, OR — Roseland Theater
http://www.alomusic.com