The Atari Star is an indie rock band based in the Wicker Park area of Chicago.
The band was begun in 1999 and released their fourth full-length cd "Aniseed"
on Johann's Face Records in May 2007. The record was recorded at Steve Albini's famed Electrical Audio Studios by Greg Norman, whose credits include work on records by Built to Spill, Pelican, Shellac and The 90 Day Men. Their music is bittersweet, literate, and ranges from noisy aggressive rock to pastoral, atmospheric soundscapes to sweet indiepop.
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Critical Praise for "Aniseed"
"If the words "indie pop" merely bore you, it's because faceless hordes
lacking requisite desperation, zeal, and full-throttle hunger‹or
critical talent‹inundate the arena. I find that ex-punks make most of
its genuinely great stuff, and ergo, these consistent Chicago vets are
led by one, ex-No Empathy (themselves a fine punk act) frontman Marc
Ruvolo. (He and nimble drummer Davey Houle also operate the
long-running Johan's Face, displaying still more commitment.) This is
the Ataris' fourth LP, and each is crisp and teeming with life.
Whereas plenty bands kick up a racket and think they've finished the
job, Ruvolo and sextet hone the initial energy into sharpened
knife-edged riffs, wired guitars, atmospheric organs, and the kicker,
an underlying urgency that lifts the LP off its feet (a feat). Next,
they turn on a dime on a quartet of gracious orchestral pop acoustic
'n' keyboard songs that scratch an entirely 'nother itch: swoon city.
One always looks forward to Atari Star records, and never do they let
you down." -Jack Rabid/The Big Takeover
"This is the record that Atari Star was meant to make all along...pristine, powerful, pop rock." -Tom Lynch/New City
"Surprisingly direct and unaffected melodic guitar pop. Atari Star is led by Marc Ruvolo and Davey Houle who also run the Johann's Face label. Upon spinning Aniseed, the first thing that struck us was how this music doesn't really fit into any particular hipster categories. It isn't emo nor is it power pop or anything that can be easily labeled. Ruvolo and Houle seem to be writing music that comes straight from their hearts. As such, these pop tunes have a nice, genuine, sincere quality that is timeless and rather classic in nature. Some of the tunes are upbeat and catchy...while others are somber and thoughtful. This is a short album clocking in at just over 35 minutes. But in that length of time, these fellows and their associates manage to come up with some truly meaty tunes with real substance. Keen cuts include "This Is Where I Often Pause," "The Be All End All," "Serpentine" (our favorite), and "Letter to Ernst." Good stuff." -Babysue.com
"Yet another line in the proof that shows Chicago is, without question, the center of the musical universe. And while I'm not sure that the Atari Star is yet a member of the estimable Chicago pantheon, it boasts a single songwriter and a cast of eight...lots of different sounds blending into raucously catchy tunes. One of the members specializes in handclaps, which ought to tell you all you need to know.
All the disparate elements flow together almost seamlessly, borne along by the nearly ecstatic energy flow. These songs don't rush, but they never flag, either. Even the more contemplative of the bunch have an insistent internal clock.
There's a lot going on here, and that lends a welcome complexity to these songs. It took me a few minutes to really get into what I was hearing, but once there I didn't want to leave." -Aidabet.com
"Lead singer and guitarist Marc Ruvolo is a mature, thoughtful songwriter and imaginative lyricist. If you spend enough time following the current hype bands, it's easy to forget that sincerity and experience usually lead to better music than trend-following does - let this album serve as a reminder." -Owlmag.com
"Perfect alarm clock music to wake up to on those groggy weekdays, or excellent summer dance party music to get those lazy, sunburned kids moving. It’s reminiscent of a folksier Spoon: perfect pop for languid back-porch singalongs, it’s infectiously upbeat and rollicking." -Sparkplugg.com
I hope you dont mind... I was on 88.7 WLUW last night being interviewed for my own band etc etc... and then they let me be the guest dj for two hours!!! so I was going through their cds and I noticed THE ATARI STAR woooo hooo. so I had them play a song called something like Invisible Summer? I gave you some sweet shout outs and how cool Marc Ruvolo is haha!!! and they steamed it live all across the net! and yes I had them play Hoboken, Chubby Cherub and Skibas band... what are they called again? we settled on Clavicle... and ummm Some Naked Raygun. I threw some Brendan im sorries out there too haha.. and we settled on 100 resolutions or something? and of course some Screeching Weasel about being a high school pychopath or some shit like that... and then I threw in your favorite band Fall Out Boy haha. and some Knockout and some Spitalfield, some Academy is... some Hangout stuff... ummm hmmm Blue Meanies were all the same on the inside... hmmm what else? you like the STREET BRATS? I guess Marlos got a band now or they call him King Ugly now haha. but he is a King!!! ummm some TUESDAY please come home... I didnt even swear either!!! arent you at least proud of that one? okay I gotta go try to get off this thing and maybe even get something else off hahahaaaaaaaaa.
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