"Punk rock, meet your new superman." -- Aversion.com
"amid bleak melodies and sawed-off songs lies a calculated yet passionate songcraft that sounds totally timeless." -- The Onion
"Arthur is a captivating live performer" -- Albuquerque Tribune
"Iron", the second solo album by Chicagobased multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/engineer Che Arthur (formerly of the quartet Atombombpocketknife), was released in March 2007 on Sick Room Records (www.sickroomrecords.com) . The album is the culmination of almost three years of writing, recording and touring since the release of Che's debut solo record "All Of Your Tomorrows Were Decided Today" (2003, Flameshovel Records).
Recorded mostly by himself and featuring Arthur on most of the instruments, "Iron" displays a musical depth, range and fierce individualism only hinted at on "Tomorrows". Some of the lyrical themes touched on that first LP are revisited - but if anything, this time the feelings behind those words are laid even more bare. This is truly the most detailed map of Che Arthur's often-dark emotional landscape to date.
A native of Alabama, Che Arthur moved to Chicago in the mid-1990s, while he was guitarist, singer and main songwriter in the respected (if underexposed) Chicago-by-way-of-Alabama band Universal Life And Accident. U.L.&A. released an EP and toured sporadically around the U.S., calling it quits in early 2000. Arthur soon joined Atombombpocketknife, appearing on that band's second and third LPs, "God Save The ABPK" (2001, Southern Records) and "Lack and Pattern" (2004, File-13 Records)...
Che's "day job" is sound engineering and tour management; in addition to having been a house engineer at Chicago venues such as the Empty Bottle and Lounge Ax, he's toured with a long list of indie rock luminaries - Shellac, Don Caballero, The Black Heart Procession, Pelican, and Jets To Brazil, to name a few.
