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amateur radio operator

Buy the record here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/aro

About Me

Somewhere between memory and echo lies the stories and sounds of ARO, living in the silence between the big parts; the reverb after the snare hit, the sound after the fall of a building, or wind through big big trees.We chase the ghosts stories of work, old dogs, broken radios, industrial rivers, rust, and death by knocking on the tops old guitars and rusty snare drums with a Big Muff running through eight seconds of delay.What others are saying:“It doesn’t take any longer than a few chords of Sirens of Titan’s opening track…to realize that you’re going to be in for quite a treat…” -music-critic.ca"For weary travelers and forlorn dreamers, this record makes perfect late night, candle lit listening but be warned its not for the faint hearted or easily spooked. 'Watershed' kicks of the albums' un-easy listening feel in a track reminicent of REMs 'Country Feedback'. Dead Air (Sirens of Titan) sees enigmatic shimmering noises crash like waves onto its shores. 'Milo' has great pillars of guitar framing a fragile tale. A gloriously flowing number reminicent of Gish era Smashing Pumpkins, only cooler." - Americana-UK"Johnson's singing is complimented by the rest of ARO: musicians who succeed not only in creating a great record, but also in crafting a sense of space. At no point in Sirens of Titan does the sound stumble or become awkward. Every snare beat is exactly where it should be, and the harmonies created between guitar, bass, and cello are enough to make the dark footprints and water towers seem like more than remnants. Verdict : Recommended for those who like walking in the dark" -Duck and Cover“No Depression readers hear plenty of Alt. Country, but nothing like this!” - Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover Issue 61“ARO’s world is an empty, dilapidated cityscape but with hope and care they seek to find meaning through musical connections mined from the rusty metal and broken cement of the modern world.” - Stereo Subversion“Amateur Radio Operator might make you look-over-your-shoulder edgy. It’s tense, dark, vaguely sinister” - Seattle Times“Feel good album of the year? Maybe not, but it’s the first album you’ll want to reach for this winter on a cold rainy day.” - Mish-Mash“Haunted, dark and beautiful.” - Left Hip“…an addicting mix of musical depth.” - The Celebrity CaféSend a request to KEXP 90.3FM or KEXP.org at [email protected] if you would like to hear us over the airwaves.Buy Sirens of Titan here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/aro

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/22/2005
Band Website: aromusic.net
Band Members: mark johnson - guitars and words * kevin suggs-pedal steel and engineering * john faryar-guitar and noises * mike bayer - drums, backing vocals, and percussion * chris early - bass * german neustro - bass (recordings) * jenna conrad - cello
Influences: empty spaces, doc boggs, robert johnson, water towers, bill frisell, johnny cash, oliver byrd, joe strummer, uncle tupelo, forests, etta james, walking in the dark, papa m, wind, woody guthrie, abandoned buildings, footprints, carter family, water, rusty snare drums, louvin brothers, plan b, minor threat/fugazi, devendra banhart, old guitars, smithsonian folkways recordings...
Sounds Like: trees talking through tin cans and twine

Record Label: looking...
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Seattle Sound magazine review

Thanks to Mark Baumgarten and Seattle Sound Magazine for the review and story in the February edition of the mag.  Take a read if you get a chance - copies are at newstands and onl...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:54:00 PST

Run free and prosper, little ones...

It is today with much happiness and relief that we release our debut record Sirens of Titan.  We are very proud of it, with artwork from our friend Joshua Distler, and a host of stories past and ...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:12:00 PST

ARO on the radio near you...

Our new record, Sirens of Titan is available for request in radio markets aross the US and Canada.  Check out if ARO is on a radio station near you - and if so, make a request!  thanks!...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 11:49:00 PST

Reviews: the lonesome plight of inventors...

From our friends at Duck & Cover: The lonesome plight of inventors: weeks spent turning dials, tweaking switchboards; adjusting the signal so that the constant buzzing stream hits a pocket, and, ...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:22:00 PST

Promo

Well, the CDs are printed, packaged and in our happy little hands.  We will spend the next few months in promo mode with the fine folks at Nice Promotions in Portland, Oregon (www.nicep...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 03:18:00 PST

ARO in Seattle Times today

"Lonesome sound" stripped to the basicsFull story: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2003608 326_nite090.htmlBy Tom ScanlonSeattle Times staff reporterAmateur Radio Operator might ma...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Fri, 09 Mar 2007 08:26:00 PST

mastered

Well, our record 'Sirens of Titan' is mastered.  Coming in at nine songs and 43:11, it is truly the result of many hands - nad it sounds killer. Special thanks to Kevin Suggs at Imperial Roo...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:57:00 PST

ARO on KEXP

We had a blast last week playing on the air at KEXP 90.3.  Thanks to Sean Nelson for keeping us on our toes.  It is very strange to play in that environment; the Tractor show on Monday was a...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 02:15:00 PST

New Photos by Jimmy Clarke

Take a look at the new shots by our good friend Jimmy Clarke.  You may recognize his killer style from his days working in the snow.  He didn't need a helicopter to get these pics... Ch...
Posted by amateur radio operator on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 02:08:00 PST

ARO is in the Variety top 90.3 on KEXP

Feel free to request us on KEXP at [email protected] http://www.kexp.org/programming/charts.asp we are #55 on the chart.  thanks....
Posted by amateur radio operator on Thu, 31 Aug 2006 01:41:00 PST