Album Notes

Arm was a Minneapolis three-piece rock machine that, in five years, became one of the most beloved acts in the area's proud punk/indie history. Formed in 1992 in Minneapolis' northwest suburbs by high schoolers Mark Sorvari, Bob Drake, and Nathan Grumdahl, and unable to get a show in standard rock clubs, Arm almost exclusively played basements in the first two years of their existence. In 1994, they entered Am Rep Studios and recorded the "Suddenly Sorry" b/w "Anti-Hero" 7" single with house engineer Tim Mac. Arm started gaining recognition in the scene and were soon playing regularly with some of the Twin Cities' mid-90's elite (Cows, Babes In Toyland, Hammerhead, Guzzard, Run Westy Run). In 1995, Arm returned to Am Rep to record three more songs for the "Simple Victim" 7", released on Babes In Toyland drummer Lori Barbero's label Spanish Fly Records. The next year was spent touring (with the likes of Karate, Compound Red, and Guzzard), refining their sound, and only stopping at Sleepless Nights Studio in Madison, Wisconsin to record a full-length with future Pele guitarist Chris Rosenau. Arm's eponymous debut LP, a self-released vinyl-only effort, was a new benchmark in Twin Cities punk. While the band could still pack a sonic wallop to match "the AmRep sound" that dominated that era of Minneapolis music, Arm also showcased a hypnotic beauty that was more comparable to bands like Unwound, Slint and circa-Red Medicine Fugazi (or, the types of sounds that would eventually be known as "post-hardcore" and "emo").

Wonderful as the record was, it was still no match for Arm's live show. The focal point of the show was always Mark, standing still with his eyes closed and face red, beautifully screaming while his arms flailed away at his Rickenbacker, cutting through the bombastic rhythm that Bob and Nate were creating. Mesmerizing. In May 1997, Arm re-entered the studio to record a five song EP. The songs were electrifying, and it was evident Arm had finally fully captured the essence of their live show on record. But, sadly, Arm would break up before the EP could be released.

Now, six years after the fact (and after over two years of delays), Heart of a Champion is thrilled to release Universal Standard Time. It is not Arm's complete recordings, as the band felt the early singles did not accurately represent their true sound, but it includes the long out-of-print Arm album (on CD for the first time) as well as the first ever release of those five final songs.

Arm is a rare band whose popularity has only grown since their demise. Through Nathan's work in Selby Tigers, Sean Na Na, and his brand new band Monarques (also feauturing former members of Cadillac Blindside, The Book of Dead Names, Grotto, and The Hidden Chord) and Bob's work in End Transmission, the band members have remained prominent in the Twin Cities scene. And with a whole new generation ready to discover Arm's sound, it is very exciting to have this music available again.