Arlo Aldo “House and Home” Album Review

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Arlo Aldo
“House and Home”
Released February 26, 2016

Arlo Aldo’s “House and Home” is a slow, soulful slice of heaven. Every sound is explored in full, each pound of the drum, every guitar riff, with the honeyed vocals serving as the heart of the album. Their deliberate thoughtful tempos alongside their rich full choruses recall early Low albums imbued with a lot more optimism. Impeccable in delivery the lyricism recalls the best of the Red House Painters where Mark Kozelek’s lyricism was at its absolute height. Balance is of the utmost importance as these are delicate fragile pieces of work.

Melodies simply shine through every moment thanks to the band’s restraint and sense of play. David Manchester’s strong powerful voice guides the sound along as every player further embellishes the sound. This means that the simple steady yet oddly emotional percussion courtesy of Brandon Forbes emphasizes the sound’s welcoming spirit. Ariel Nieland Forbes works wonders, covering a wide plethora of instruments with her vocals intermingling with Susanna Meyer’s elegant bass and vocal work. Adding little flourishes throughout the collection is Jessica Hoffman’s viola which is of the utmost importance on songs like the tenderness of “Civil War Bride.”

By far the highlight of the album is the expansive sweetness of the epic sound of “Addi.” A stripped down more acoustic inclined sound dominates on the intimate “House & Home.” Cinematic in sound is the gorgeous sound of “Wolves” where the guitar and viola work intermingle perfectly. Dreaminess pervades over the reflective “Sleep” where they reach the pinnacle of Low’s best work. Ending things on a high note is the sense of community created on “Sway to Swing.”

Faithfully adhering to the traditions of Americana while carefully building upon it, Arlo Aldo’s “House and Home” is a generous comforting kind of album.

Celebrate the release of “House and Home,” Saturday, February 27 at Commonwealth Press Warehouse at 7PM with special guests Marriage Blanc and a DJ set by Total Trash.