In creating its newest compilation album, Aquabear Legion chose a total of 38 Ohio bands to be involved. Each of the 38 bands has one of their songs featured on the two-disc album titled Volume Four.
Aquabear Legion is an Athens-based organization dedicated to promoting artists and musicians from Ohio and creating a community for those artists. It often puts together shows for bands, such as their annual Aquabear Legion county fair.
Aquabear Legion has released seven compilation albums to date, with Volume Four as its latest — and most expansive — undertaking yet.
“We commissioned art specifically for it; we screen-printed them. It’s obviously much bigger than before,” said Brian Koscho, co-founder of Aquabear Legion.
Jed Collins, an artist from Athens who lives in New York City, created the artwork for the album.
Since it started in 2004, Aquabear Legion has worked with more than 150 bands throughout Ohio. The compilation albums are simply another means the collective uses to uphold their mission of promoting and fostering a community for Ohio artists.
“It serves what we do pretty well in a few areas: One is that it gets the music out there … but it also generates some excitement,” Koscho said.
Koscho said it was important for Aquabear Legion to include different typesof Ohio bands on Volume Four, not just well-known bands.
The compilation does include songs from bigger touring bands such as Buffalo Killers and local favorite Southeast Engine, but it also involves songs from smaller bands just getting started.
“The trick is to get a really nice representation of all the different bands that Aquabear works with and all the different bands that are making awesome music all around the state,” Koscho said.
He added that including a variety of genres is also important but not particularly challenging considering Ohio hosts almost every genre of music.
“I wanted to do as much as I could to have a range of music,” Koscho said. “So, you have everything from harder rock stuff to acoustic and folkier things to experimental stuff.”
Volume Four will be available to order online or as a digital download on aquabearlegion.com during the coming weeks. Koscho also hopes to make it available at record stores throughout Ohio. In the meantime, limited copies are available at Haffa’s Records, 15 W Union St.
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