Drawing from both the 1980s Romantic movement (The Cure, The Smiths, The Church) and early 1990s alt. rock, Iowa City indie-rock trio Nolan was formed in the fall of 2002 by Dino Balocchi (Alto Heceta), Jake Mohan (Speed of Sauce), and Chris Ellis (Burn Disco Burn). Using their pop sensibility and penchant for simple, yet interesting melodies, the band’s sound is natural and honest. Singer/Guitarist Dino Balocchi’s melodies are reminiscent of Evan Dando, the Catherine Wheel, and Swervedriver’s Adam Franklin, while lyrically driven by reflection and cynicism.