We are drunk sometimes, maybe we smoke too much or are pissed about bullies, or thunder when it's too far away. So we sit together and hum all the time. Play electric guitars totally distorted. And beats. Let our hearts break and scream (when we are all courage). This is our full expression of forgiveness or the lack of it…
Group of the Altos (altos) are a twelve piece avant-garde rock band from Milwaukee, featuring Volcano Choir’s Daniel Spack. Starting life as a five, born to explore the world of sound, altos has grown from five to twelve in an attempt to increase the instrumental density and volume of their work through quantity and quality of musician rather than simple use of effects. This honest approach to creation sits well with their ethos; to explore, as Spack says, “why sound sounds that way, and how two sounds sound together”.
Having come together originally in 2006 the release of one record to date; 2012’s ‘Altos’, may come as surprisingly sparse output. However, the bringing together of twelve individual musicians, with a variety of musical projects on the go at any one time, is no mean feat. When they do get together under the one musical banner, something magical happens. Something that requires love, nurture and time to grow and take shape. The output may be sparse but the most beautiful things in life are worth waiting for.
‘R U Person or Not’ is the first full length release from the group and continues their exploration of the world of sound with the creation of a dynamic, alternative record packed with intensity, intrigue and an undeniable sense of cool. Where their debut EP used vocals sparingly, focusing more on instrumental compositions, ‘R U Person or Not’ fully embraces the vocal as an instrumental tool, creating a record that spans genres with cohesion and skill. The record highlights perfectly the coming together of the twelve different musical worlds within the group, showcasing their skills and setting them apart from their contemporaries with a bold statement about the most difficult of life skills, for without a wound, there can be no forgiveness. Without forgiveness, there can be no peace.
PRESS
"R U Person or Not delivers a delicious headfuck. Buried deep within the layers of this remarkable record is poetry; poetry and courage, and an innate ability to connect at a deep and very human level."
4/5 The Skinny
"what Altos achieve is a remarkable texture of sound"
8/10 Whisperin & Hollerin
"an undeniably interesting listen" Echoes & Dust
"Such a display of so many styles, from track-to-track, makes it an enigmatic record as a whole, with certain portions resonating at different sittings" NEMM
"This is a sort of Poundland Led Zeppelin which at times sounds like Bowie is doing guest vocals, but as I like Led Zeppelin and Bowie and I LOVE Poundland, this is right up my street." Collective Zine
"an unusual album full of twists and turns" Beach Sloth
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