Arm’s Length – There’s A Whole World Out There (Cloudy Oxblood) Vinyl New

Theres a song on Theres A Whole World Out There, the second album by Canadian four-piece Arms Length, called Palinopsia. Derived from the Greek for again (palin) and seeing (opsia), its a visual phenomenon marked by the persistent image of something thats no longer actually there.

Singer and lyricist Allen Steinberg wrote the song about pure devotion or love towards someone that may no longer be a part of your life, but it also applies to the record as a whole. Throughout this albums 12 songs, Steinberg wrestles with the part of life thats been and gone. Yet theres a noticeable difference between the person who wrote this record and the one who wrote Arms Lengths 2022 debut, Never Before Seen, Never Again Found.

This record speaks more to my life at the moment than the past, Steinberg explains, even though theres still a good amount of past on it. But its how Im dealing with it now, as opposed to being enveloped in it – theres more a sense of being on the other side of it, of seeing it with hindsight. The tone has shifted a little. Im probably just a bit more mature, as my frontal lobe is developing as we speak.

Produced by Anton DeLost – who worked with the band on Never Before Seen, Never Again Found and 2021s EP Everything Nice – Theres A Whole World Out There does indeed expand Arms Lengths horizons in accordance with Steinbergs developing frontal lobe, presenting him as more self-reflective and contemplative than he was before.

He wrote the parts for all the instruments, as well as the vast majority of the lyrics, alone in his room, and then brought those initial sketches, recorded as voice memos, to drummer Jeff Whyte, who added percussion to Steinbergs song skeletons. While the majority of the creative process was in Steinbergs hands, it was only when these songs were recorded as a full band with Jeremy Whyte, who played bass on the record, and Ben Greenblatt that their full potential was realized.

The result is that the feelings driving these songs burst and bloom with full force, building on the incredible foundations set by the bands previous recorded output.

Tracklist:

1. The World
2. Fatal Flaw
3. Funny Face
4. The Weight
5. Palinopsia
6. The Wound
7. You Ominously End
8. Early Onset
9. Genetic Lottery
10. Attic
11. Halley
12. Morning Person