Miami University’s rock heroes, Oval Opus, will celebrate the release of its third album, “Red Sky Recovery,” tonight at Little Brother’s.
Influenced by the sound of popular college radio rockers like Live, U2 and Dave Matthew’s Band, Oval Opus dubs its music a mix between rock and pop.
“We’ve been influenced by a ton of different bands. A lot of people go to our shows and say, ‘They’re rock ‘n’ roll,’ but we are pop at the same time,” said drummer Dan Edmondson.
Oval Opus will perform seven songs from its new album for the first time tonight. Edmondson said he is confident “Red Sky Recovery” will change the way people think about Oval Opus.
“Our last record, ‘Oxygen,’ did a lot for us, but we went with a producer last time who was very demanding. He kind of molded us into a particular sound,” he said. “On the new record, we went with different producers, and it’s much more raw.”
Edmondson said the new album showcases singer Aaron Patrick’s vocals but also highlights the rest of the band.
“I think there’s a little more depth to the lyrics on this album,” Patrick said. “We’ve moved past the ‘here’s a song about a girl who pissed me off’ type of songwriting to types of songs that have more universal themes.”
Oval Opus has plans for a new tour next year that may include shows along the East Coast.
“We’re going to release the record this week, take the next week off, then go up to promote it in Michigan. After New Year’s we’ll have our new tour schedule,” Edmondson said.
Two months ago the band hired its own sound person, Matt Payne, to travel with them on tour.
“We look for consistency. When you’re on tour you can encounter venues with varied sound,” Payne said.
The band is excited about the increasing popularity of rock bands in popular music and thinks it is an opportunity to grow.
“Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys kind of gave pop a bad name. Bands like the Strokes, the White Stripes and the Hives are a completely different form of pop. I feel that even though we’re on the cleaner side of that type of rock, I definitely feel it helps us,” Edmondson said.
He should know – Dan Edmondson and his brother, guitarist Josh, have been involved with the music business all their lives. Their father, Carl Edmondson, is a producer and songwriter.
“My dad appreciates the fact that we’re into music. He influenced us a lot initially, but we tried to move away from that early on and start our own path,” he said.
Dan Edmondson insists there is no sibling rivalry with Josh.
“We grew up together. As far as the family of the band is concerned, he and I are definitely closer and agree more,” he said.
Wayne and Granian will open for Oval Opus tonight at Little Brother’s starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available through Ticketmaster or at the door.
