Often, when I’m looking for new music to add to my library, I end up on a journey through Spotify, Reddit, and Wikipedia, learning about different genres,solo acts after they’ve left their bands, and which songs from an artist’s discography have reachedthe number one spoton the Billboard Hot 100. While I was deep in an internet music rabbit hole the other day, I stumbled upon an album entitledMarvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museumby the alternative rock band Tally Hall,and my jaw hit the floor.
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum is an arcade in the heart of theDetroitsuburbsthat was set to close recently, but found a new home that is roughly three times its original size in an adjacent suburb. When I learned of Tally Hall’s debut album, I thought the chances of it being coincidental were slim to none. Sure enough, I learnedthey had not only named the record after the arcade, but that their name, Tally Hall, was also derived from Marvin’s,Tally Hall being the name of the mall in which Marvin first began installing his machines in 1980.
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum Is A Beloved Local Landmark
From the Time it Opened in 1980, Metro-Detroit Kids of All Ages Flocked There
Starting in 1980, Marvin Yagoda began installing some of his machines in Tally Hall, a local food court located in the Hunter’s Square shopping center in the Detroit suburb, Farmington Hills, Michigan. In talking with Yagoda’s son, Jeremy, I learned that his father was a pharmacist, but had an affinity for antique arcade machines, which he collected and restored in his free time.The ’80s were crucial in building a communal anticipation for the 1990 unveiling of Marvin’s new arcade space.
Yagoda’s arcade was located in a secluded corner of the Hunter’s Square shopping center, clearly broadcast by a banner-like sign boasting “Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum” in bright, vibrant colors that were particularly hard to miss, even from bustling Orchard Lake Road. Anyone who grew up in a ten-mile radius of Hunter’s Square knew all too well the feeling of driving through the archway beneath that banner, pulling up to Marvelous Marvin’s with pockets full of quarters,ready to load tokens into Yagoda’s massively impressive collection of arcade machines for hours at a time.
Tally Hall Released Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum in 2005
This Album Earned Tally Hall Some Nationwide Fame
No one in the music world knew the feeling of pulling up to Marvelous Marvin’s better than Rob Cantor and Zubin Sedghi of Tally Hall.Cantor and Sedghi grew up in Metro-Detroit and attended the University of Michigan, where they met Andrew Horowitz and Joe Hawley and formed Tally Hall, named for the original location of Marvin Yagoda’s legendary arcade. Once they had their name, it seemed only fitting that they named their debut album after the greatest, most nostalgic aspect of their namesake.
Tally Hall initially released their debut album independently in 2005, but one year later, they re-released the album after signing with Quack! Media, their new record label. Once they signed with the label, the album began to garner quite a bit of attention both nationally and overseas,peaking at number 29 on the charts in Vietnam and landing them a performance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.After the album was re-released with Quack! Media, Atlantic Records in New York took notice of Tally Hall, promptly signing the band, and approving a third release of the band’s debut.
The Album Acts As A Heartfelt Tribute To The Arcade
From the Cover Art to the Songs Themselves
The wildly elaborate album cover is entirely in black and white, save for the band’s name, the band members' neckties, and the album’s name, which is a replica of the sign plastered above the archway that leads to the arcade. At first glance, the cover art is incredibly busy, but anyone who has been to Marvin’s before will recognize thatit’s simply a collage of many of the games and machines that line the walls of the arcade.Even after the move, one can be sure that the arcade’s integrity, showcased in Tally Hall’s cover art, will be maintained in the new space.
The entire album perfectly captures what it’s like to be young and carefree, feeding token after token into one of Marvin Yagoda’s many antique arcade games.
Beyond the cover,the album’s whimsical and eclectic sound not only effectively introduced Tally Hall to the world, but also introduced Marvin’s to the world.The album boasts a whole slew of genres, from psychedelic rock, to indie alternative, with even some ska and showtune influences as well. The album’s lead single, “Good Day,” in particular, is a fantastic lyrical tribute to the arcade, but the entire album perfectly captures what it’s like to be young and carefree, feeding token after token into one of Marvin Yagoda’s many antique arcade games.
