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Try Googling “Army Navy” and most of what you'll find is information on the armed services and a certain college football rivalry.
That hasn't stopped the Los Angeles-based band from getting its songs into the movie “Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist” or making an appearance on “The Tonight Show.”
Sunny pop rock songs from the band, which performs Saturday at the Maha Music Festival, are often compared to bands like Teenage Fanclub. Singer and guitarist Justin Kennedy admitted to being heavily influenced by that band as well as groups like Pulp, Blur, Oasis, the Smiths and Jesus and Mary Chain.
Knowing a few people in the film industry, they were able to get two tracks into “Nick and Norah.” The movie soundtrack and their album release led them to a spot on Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show, which was a dream come true for the band. They also got time to talk to O'Brien about vintage guitars before the show's taping.
All of this success has happened despite the band forgoing the traditional route of signing with a record label. The band releases its music on its own imprint.
“It makes as much sense for us to put it out ourselves,” Kennedy said. “We know as much as a lot of labels out there do, and we have a great team of people that we've hired to work for us. Unless some amazing deal comes along, we're happy to do it ourselves.”
Army Navy released a self-titled album in June, but the band is already working on new material, which they plan to record soon. Kennedy expects to play a few new tracks Saturday at the Maha Music Festival, including one called “Ode to Janice Melt.”
“It's fun to play new material,” Kennedy said. “It keeps the other songs fresh, really. It keeps things exciting.”
Kennedy said he and the rest of the band are looking forward to the outdoor show.
“Outdoor shows are really fun,” he said. “Being able to play outside and see people's faces, I end up being a lot more smiley and having a better time with it than at a club. It's kind of a community thing. The vibe is really positive and fun.”
Contact the writer:
444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com
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