Spring Break
O.A.R. brings jam rock to Barnhill
Listen Up!
Brian Washburn
Issue date: 11/10/08 Section: Lifestyles
Of A Revolution, better known as simply O.A.R., found their musical niche with college students years ago. Their jam band sound mixed with playful lyrics sparked the attention of fraternities, sororities, wannabe-hippies and other college students around the nation.
But with a new album and a tighter sound, the Maryland six-piece band is reaching even higher for the stars and for the radio airwaves.
"The writing process has been different over the last few years because some of the main songwriters in the band [vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge and guitarist Richard On] reached out to some outside songwriters to hone the craft," said drummer Chris Culos in a phone interview. "We used to be turned off to song writers because we thought it was a bunch of guys handing music to perform, but it wasn't like that. They would just bounce ideas off the songwriters and get great results. This experience helped them in their writing."
The result of the Roberge and On's songwriting process is the band's sixth studio album titled All Sides. While it still features the signature playful jam sound of previous O.A.R. efforts, more radio-friendly songs were added, including the current hit single "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)."
"We spent more time working on the song writing on this album with songs written for the radio, which is a deliberate attempt to get some more exposure," Culos said. "But the rest of the album is stuff that we love doing and are extended O.A.R. songs."
O.A.R., made up of Roberge, Culos, On, bassist Benj Gershman, saxophonist Jerry DePizzo, and guitarist Mikel Paris, began their careers more than 12 years ago in Culos's basement and later relocated to Ohio when Roberge and Culos decided to attend Ohio State University. What shot the band to the ears of students, however, was the downloading revolution of the late '90s, specifically Napster.
"When we first started [the band], Napster was exploding and we were freshmen in the dorms and downloading left and right and that's how you found out about music," Culos said.
But with a new album and a tighter sound, the Maryland six-piece band is reaching even higher for the stars and for the radio airwaves.
"The writing process has been different over the last few years because some of the main songwriters in the band [vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge and guitarist Richard On] reached out to some outside songwriters to hone the craft," said drummer Chris Culos in a phone interview. "We used to be turned off to song writers because we thought it was a bunch of guys handing music to perform, but it wasn't like that. They would just bounce ideas off the songwriters and get great results. This experience helped them in their writing."
The result of the Roberge and On's songwriting process is the band's sixth studio album titled All Sides. While it still features the signature playful jam sound of previous O.A.R. efforts, more radio-friendly songs were added, including the current hit single "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)."
"We spent more time working on the song writing on this album with songs written for the radio, which is a deliberate attempt to get some more exposure," Culos said. "But the rest of the album is stuff that we love doing and are extended O.A.R. songs."
O.A.R., made up of Roberge, Culos, On, bassist Benj Gershman, saxophonist Jerry DePizzo, and guitarist Mikel Paris, began their careers more than 12 years ago in Culos's basement and later relocated to Ohio when Roberge and Culos decided to attend Ohio State University. What shot the band to the ears of students, however, was the downloading revolution of the late '90s, specifically Napster.
"When we first started [the band], Napster was exploding and we were freshmen in the dorms and downloading left and right and that's how you found out about music," Culos said.
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