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Old Worlds

By Reyan Ali

Aaron Sturgill invests much thought when considering the sound of Old Worlds. When asked a question about how the ambitious nature of post-rock - a genre that eschews verse-chorus-verse songwriting for overgrown instrumental scapes - affects his own writing process, he paused for a few moments. "It makes it more difficult," said the guitarist/vocalist. He immediately corrected himself, "It's easier because we are not focused on writing a hook. We're not really concerned with a marketable success as much as we are with expressing something tangible that hopefully a lot of people can relate to. That may sound a little dubious but all I'm concerned with is getting a story across - an idea - through instrumental music. In that way, it's easier because we write what we want."

Old Worlds produces the complex, roaming kind of sound such an answer deserves. First using the Old Worlds name late last year as a solo project, Sturgill was approached by Mike Poston at a concert. After the pair jammed, Poston joined the project as a drummer and the duo kept the moniker Sturgill used. Then, Brian Maxwell - a friend of Poston's - joined as a bassist in the same manner. The group is not entirely complete, notes Sturgill. "We're talking to a couple of people about additional members," he said. "We're very excited about fleshing out the project into a real collaboration and not just a project of my basement songs plus a drummer and bass player."

It was post-rock that originally brought Sturgill and Poston together as friends about five years ago. "We listened to the same bands and started going to some shows together, doing various things while listening to this music," recalls the front man. "When he joined the band, it didn't even need to be stated. He was so on board with late '90s/early 2000s math rock and post-rock that I didn't have to tell him."

Sturgill said likes the group's vast sound to the output crafted by the likes of Minus The Bear, repeating an observation made by someone else that is a particularly apt account of the Old Worlds' dynamic, "We split the difference between Battles and Explosions in the Sky. Lots of rhythmic complexity, but at the same time we shoot for some wide-screen instrumental projects too." He champions two elements that play a crucial part in the group's music: "very close harmonies on the guitar" and "very tight rhythmic changes." The guitarist noted, "I like big riffs, but I don't like power chords."

The reason Old Worlds crafts their work in this lesser-heard style is as much because of sonic preferences as it is something more innate. "I embrace that style because it takes the emotional distress of emo and puts it in an adult perspective where life goes on and you have to become a better person to deal with the issues of youth," mentioned Sturgill. "The post-rock we do expresses the issues of youth, but also promotes a solution as far as growth and maturity. It doesn't just dwell in the pain and distress of the issues."

Currently, the group's only release is a self-titled demo available from a few outlets. "We recorded a live demo at a place called The Barn with James Allison. He runs The Outer Sounds," said Sturgill. "We cut four tracks in about an hour and a half. It's pretty rough but it's the only official release we have. You can download it for free. You can't buy it in stores but we're giving it away at shows." There's more material on the way/ "We're hoping for a spring release of a new EP," he said.

Aside from the songs, Sturgill and company plan to sink a significant chunk of time into live shows, to build a reputation for Old Worlds. "I've started looking at DIY tours," he says. "We're hoping to get out of the state in the spring and possibly out of the Midwest in the summer or fall of 2010. For a band that's not gearing towards radio play, ambitious touring is the only thing that I could see gaining us any exposure. We're saving money and talking to new people and trying to make as many contacts as we can all over the country."

Old Worlds will perform at Bernie's Distillery (1896 N. High St.) and the Ravari Room (2661 N. High St.) on Nov. 7, Ruby Tuesday (1978 Summit St.) on Nov. 13, and the Ravari Room on Nov. 28. For more information, visit myspace.com/oldworlds.

Originally Published: November 4, 2009

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