The Orwells
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2009 in Elmhurst, Illinois, United States |
| Headquarters | Elmhurst , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, extended plays |
The Orwells are a rock group originating from Elmhurst, a western suburb of Chicago. The members consist of Mario Cuomo on vocals, Dominic Corso playing guitar, Grant Brinner handling bass duties, and Henry Brinner on drums. Their first album, Remember When, debuted in August 2012. The band rose to prominence with their track "Who Needs You," which was showcased on the Late Show with David Letterman and featured in an Apple advertisement for the iPad Air 2.
Remember When
The Orwells came together while attending York High School in Elmhurst, Illinois. In late 2011, Aquarium Drunkard blogger Justin Gage discovered them, leading to a contract with his label Autumn Tone. To dedicate themselves fully to music, the members graduated early in 2013.
MTV highlighted them as one of 2012’s underrated acts, while their single "Mallrats (La La La)" attracted coverage from the music platform Pitchfork. Their live performances included playing at Lollapalooza in August 2013 and an appearance on Later... with Jools Holland that November. Shortly after, Arctic Monkeys announced The Orwells as support for nine U.S. shows scheduled for early 2014.
Disgraceland and Terrible Human Beings
On March 24, 2014, The Orwells revealed plans for their studio album Disgraceland, which was released on June 3, 2014. This record featured singles such as "Who Needs You" and "Dirty Sheets". The song "Who Needs You" received significant exposure through NPR's All Songs Considered and was acclaimed as a quintessential summer track. Their January 2014 performance on the Late Show with David Letterman garnered positive reviews. Later that year, the track was included in an Apple iPad Air 2 commercial and featured on the Indie Rock station within the video game Grand Theft Auto V.
Their third studio effort, Terrible Human Beings, arrived on February 17, 2017, including singles like "Buddy" and "They Put a Body in the Bayou". The album’s title alluded to the band's contentious reputation within their hometown of Chicago.
Allegations of sexual misconduct and breakup
On August 29, 2018, The Orwells declared their dissolution following numerous sexual abuse allegations directed at Mario Cuomo and the Brinner brothers. These accusations emerged via Reddit and Twitter platforms, encompassing charges such as rape, statutory rape, and unsolicited sharing of explicit images. Although the band denied these claims, they proceeded to cancel scheduled performances. A detailed report released in September 2018 featured testimonies from nine women describing severe abuse linked to the scene surrounding the band.
Aftermath and fourth album
Mario Cuomo independently released The Orwells' fourth studio album on June 15, 2019 through his YouTube channel. He described it as "Self recorded, self titled, self released. The Orwells." The album cover is minimalistic—blank except for the band’s name and a note explaining that losing their record deal left them unable to finance the originally planned artwork.
Reunion
The Orwells announced their comeback on March 1, 2023 with a double single titled "Bar Fly / Friendly Fire." Addressing prior controversies, they claimed they were falsely accused of misconduct nearly five years earlier, which resulted in a hiatus and subsequent defamation lawsuits. They expressed contentment with how their legal proceedings were unfolding and pledged to provide further updates.
Musical inspiration
The band members have expressed a deep admiration for the Supremes. Frontman Mario Cuomo finds creative influence from a variety of musicians, such as Iggy Pop, Jay Reatard, Julian Casablancas, Cole Alexander and Jared Swilley of the Black Lips, Pelle Almqvist from the Hives, and Tyler, The Creator. Of particular significance to Mario are Tyler's themes centered on defiance and dedication to his craft, which played a pivotal role in shaping Mario's own professional path.
Band lineup
- Mario Cuomo – lead vocals (2009–2018, 2023–present)
- Dominic Corso – guitar, backing vocals (2009–2018, 2023–present)
- Matt O'Keefe – guitar, backing vocals (2009–2018)
- Grant Brinner – bass guitar (2009–2018, 2023–present)
- Henry Brinner – drums (2009–2018, 2023–present)
- Caleb Tucker – guitar (2023–present)
Studio albums
| Album | Release information |
|---|---|
| Remember When |
|
| Disgraceland |
|
| Terrible Human Beings |
|
| The Orwells |
|
| Friendly Fire |
|
Extended plays
| EP title | Release details |
|---|---|
| Other Voices |
|
| Who Needs You |
|
Additional releases
- Head Ep (2010) [unofficial]
- Head Lp (2010) [unofficial]
- Oh! Well (2011) [unofficial]