According to AJR's official website, “there is no band, no song, no video, no sound, that is more ‘now’ than AJR.”
When AJR popped onto the scene in 2013 with their single “I’m Ready,” the pop world unanimously perked their ears up to listen. The song feature a “Spongebob Squarepants” sample, a unique choice that made it an earworm. This fact, mixed with the distorted voices, dubstep-style breakdown, and feel-good lyrics, made “I’m Ready” a hit on the radio and on iTunes. However, the band’s subsequent releases and incredible debut album “Living Room” went largely undiscovered.
AJR stands for Adam, Jack, and Ryan — the three biological brothers who form the band. When Jack, the youngest, was 8 years old, the trio performed on the streets of their native home, New York City.
According to an interview with the radio show “Zach Sang and the Gang,” the brothers used the money that they received street performing, approximately $150 an hour, to buy their own equipment. As they grew up, they began to use sample machines and Pro Tools to create their own compositions, all inspired by an extremely eclectic taste in music (including 50s Doo-Wop and Kanye West).
“I’m Ready” came about when Jack made the suggestion that a famous DJ should sample SpongeBob. When the brothers suggested that they do it themselves, they built the song around that sample.
AJR's "I'm Ready" video.
The middle brother, Ryan, suggested they tweet the song link to celebrities, and ended up sharing the link with over 80 singers and songwriters. On the first day of this media blast, the band received a message from Australian star Sia, who asked to meet with them and ultimately set them up with management. After the massive success of “I’m Ready,” they released an EP, “Infinity,” and then released their album “Living Room” — named so because they create all their music completely in their living room.
Though it failed to make the impact that its lead single made, “Living Room” is one of the most inventive pop albums in a long time. Not only does each song sound like two or three genres slyly mashed together, but also any song that sounds at all typical immediately throws you into an unexpected beat or tempo change. No song sounds exactly like the next, and, perhaps, due to the extensive work that went into each track, no song sounds like a filler track that was meant to fill in space. The album is jam packed full of inventive hits, and their musical talent (two of the brothers attended Columbia) is undeniable — including an opening track that’s an “Overture” for the album.
As of late, AJR has released “Let the Games Begin,” which is presumably the lead single from their second album. It’s been anchored by a hilarious music video and a modest chart performance so far. Their fame is still in its opening stages, meaning they are able to connect with their fans in a relatively easy way and they have real talent that reveals itself during the group’s live performances. Hopefully, AJR’s time is coming. In a time when pop music is synonymous with “generic” and “uninspired,” this band of brothers is a welcome breath of fresh air.
