Polar Bear Club
Encyclopedia
Polar Bear Club is an American
post-hardcore
/indie rock
band from Rochester
and Syracuse
, upstate New York
. Formed in 2005, the band currently consists of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bass guitarist Erik Michael "Goose" Henning and drummer
Tyler Mahurin.
-based hardcore punk
and indie rock
bands. Their influences are said to include Small Brown Bike
, Third Eye Blind
, Silent Majority
, Hot Water Music
and Lifetime
. The band's name comes from a song of the same name by Silent Majority.
Quickly after forming they released a five-song demo
CD-R
, which has since gone out of print
.
, The Redder, the Better
, in May 2006 in conjunction with Luchador Records. The EP received rave reviews by webzines and made a number of year-end "best of" lists, topping the list on Australian radio Triple R's Bullying The Jukebox program. The succuess also garnered the band enough notice for Red Leader Records to sign them in July 2007. This EP is now out of print on CD
, but has since been made available for digital download
and on 12" vinyl.
, American Steel
, Crime in Stereo
, A Wilhelm Scream
and Cancer Bats
, leading to the band's signing to Bridge Nine Records, officially announced on January 8, 2009. Label owner Chris Wrenn said the following in regards to the bands signing:
The label at the same time announced they would issue Sometimes Things Just Disappear on vinyl sometime during spring. On March 19 the vinyl was made available for pre-order
, with a shipping start date set for March 24, even though its official release date was April 7.
and Europe
with The Gaslight Anthem
and Frank Turner
, with a small string of UK headlining dates subsequent to the tour. During the European visit, they announced plans to return for a US tour with labelmates Have Heart
. They also announced that they were to start work on a new album, to be produced by Matt Bayles
.
On May 28, 2009, the title and release date of the bands second full-length, Chasing Hamburg
, set to release on September 8, was announced in a press release. In compliance to the press release, the album was released on the previously announced date through Bridge Nine Records on both 12" vinyl and CD
.
On June 21, 2010 the Chasing Hamburg b-side "Drifting Thing (Team Goldie
Remix)" was posted for exclusive streaming at AbsolutePunk.net and was released by Bridge 9 Records as a 7 inch record (limited to a pressing of 500) during their Fall 2010 Mystery Box Sale.
On August 8, 2010 they will play at the Hevy Music Festival
held near Folkestone
, Kent in the UK.
On one of the early tour dates for The AP Fall Ball 2010, Polar Bear Club announced they will be taking the next six months after the tour ends to write and record a new album.
On October 30 they were announced as the replacement act for Alesana
on the 2011 Australian festival Soundwave
. Whilst in Australia, the group also performed some select sideshows along acts such as Terror
, Fucked Up
and The Bronx
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
/indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. Formed in 2005, the band currently consists of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bass guitarist Erik Michael "Goose" Henning and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Tyler Mahurin.
Formation (2005)
Polar Bear Club formed in summer 2005 with its members coming from a variety of upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
-based hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
bands. Their influences are said to include Small Brown Bike
Small Brown Bike
Small Brown Bike is a band from Marshall, Michigan, United States that started in 1996. The trademark of Small Brown Bike is their "double vocals" backed by melodies. Their sound is often identified as being similar to other post-hardcore bands, such as Avail, Hot Water Music and Dillinger Four...
, Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
, Silent Majority
Silent Majority
Silent Majority was a Swiss rap and hip hop music group. Founded in 1994 they were produced by Goetz . Considered turntable pioneers at the forefront of Swiss hip-hop, Silent majority are unusual within the scene, defining themselves as "funky multi-linguals", and rap in “a mixture of English,...
, Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music
Hot Water Music is a punk rock band from Gainesville, Florida. The members of the band are Chuck Ragan, Chris Wollard, Jason Black, and George Rebelo. HWM first formed in 1993...
and Lifetime
Lifetime (band)
Lifetime is an American melodic hardcore/emo band from New Jersey. Lifetime was formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1997. In late 2005, they announced their reunion.-History:...
. The band's name comes from a song of the same name by Silent Majority.
Quickly after forming they released a five-song demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
CD-R
CD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
, which has since gone out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
.
Signing (2006-2007)
Shortly after the release of their well received demo EP, they were noticed by Triple Attack Records, who released their first EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, The Redder, the Better
The Redder, the Better
-Release history:-Personnel:Polar Bear Club* Jimmy Stadt - vocals* Chris Browne - guitar, backing vocals * Greg Odom - bass* Bob O'Neil - drumsStudio personnel* John Naclerio - production and engineeringAdditional personnel...
, in May 2006 in conjunction with Luchador Records. The EP received rave reviews by webzines and made a number of year-end "best of" lists, topping the list on Australian radio Triple R's Bullying The Jukebox program. The succuess also garnered the band enough notice for Red Leader Records to sign them in July 2007. This EP is now out of print on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, but has since been made available for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
and on 12" vinyl.
Debut full-length and Bridge 9 (2008-2009)
The band's debut full-length, Sometimes Things Just Disappear, was released in March 2008, also receiving glowing reviews from an even wider number of webzines and great reception from their rapidly growing fanbase. More appearances in "best of" lists followed, as well as tours with The Gaslight AnthemThe Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
, American Steel
American Steel
American Steel is an American punk rock band formed in 1995 in Oakland, California. When offered their first show, the group took their name from the block-long sign on the warehouse across the street...
, Crime in Stereo
Crime In Stereo
Crime in Stereo was a Long Island-based melodic hardcore band. Comparable to Dag Nasty, Brand New, and Lifetime, the band released their debut, a split with New York's Kill Your Idols, in 2003 on hardcore label Blackout! Records...
, A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm Scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in...
and Cancer Bats
Cancer Bats
Cancer Bats are a hardcore punk/sludge metal band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Background:Cancer Bats originated in May 2004 with singer Liam Cormier and guitarist Scott Middleton, former member of Toronto heavy metal band At the Mercy of Inspiration...
, leading to the band's signing to Bridge Nine Records, officially announced on January 8, 2009. Label owner Chris Wrenn said the following in regards to the bands signing:
The label at the same time announced they would issue Sometimes Things Just Disappear on vinyl sometime during spring. On March 19 the vinyl was made available for pre-order
Pre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item which has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came when people found it hard to get popular items in stores due to their popularity. Companies were then given the idea to allow people to reserve their own personal copy, before the release, ...
, with a shipping start date set for March 24, even though its official release date was April 7.
Sophomore full-length (2009-present)
In February/March 2009, the band toured the UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
and Frank Turner
Frank Turner
Frank Turner is an English folk/punk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Winchester. Initially the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, Turner embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. To date, Turner has released four solo albums, two rarities...
, with a small string of UK headlining dates subsequent to the tour. During the European visit, they announced plans to return for a US tour with labelmates Have Heart
Have Heart
Have Heart was a straight-edge hardcore band, formed in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 2002. The band recorded a demo that was released in 2003. In 2004, they released the What Counts EP , with their debut full-length, The Things We Carry arriving in 2006...
. They also announced that they were to start work on a new album, to be produced by Matt Bayles
Matt Bayles
-Information:Bayles is known for his work with bands such as Isis, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Botch, Mastodon, The Fall of Troy, Minus The Bear, Burnt by the Sun and Norma Jean....
.
On May 28, 2009, the title and release date of the bands second full-length, Chasing Hamburg
Chasing Hamburg
Chasing Hamburg, released on September 8, 2009 through Bridge Nine Records, is the sophomore full-length studio album and fourth official release from the upstate New York-based post-hardcore/indie rock band Polar Bear Club...
, set to release on September 8, was announced in a press release. In compliance to the press release, the album was released on the previously announced date through Bridge Nine Records on both 12" vinyl and CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
.
On June 21, 2010 the Chasing Hamburg b-side "Drifting Thing (Team Goldie
Team Goldie
Team Goldie is the solo project of Pennsylvania-based singer, rapper and multi-instrumentalist Matt DiStefano. Started as a strictly studio project in the Summer of 2004, DiStefano combines elements of hip-hop, punk and indie-rock into his own genre-bending style of pop music...
Remix)" was posted for exclusive streaming at AbsolutePunk.net and was released by Bridge 9 Records as a 7 inch record (limited to a pressing of 500) during their Fall 2010 Mystery Box Sale.
On August 8, 2010 they will play at the Hevy Music Festival
Hevy Music Festival
Hevy Music Festival is a rock festival that takes place annually near Folkestone in the UK. It was originally held on 1 August 2009 on Folkestone seafront as a one-day festival with Feeder, Gary Numan and Ash as headliners. In 2010 it moved to Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and grew to a weekend...
held near Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, Kent in the UK.
On one of the early tour dates for The AP Fall Ball 2010, Polar Bear Club announced they will be taking the next six months after the tour ends to write and record a new album.
On October 30 they were announced as the replacement act for Alesana
Alesana
Alesana is an American rock band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 2004, the group is currently signed to Epitaph Records and have released one EP and four full-length studio albums...
on the 2011 Australian festival Soundwave
Soundwave Festival
Soundwave Festival, held every year at the Scarborough Spa Ocean Room, Scarborough, UK, is a music and arts festival created by the DIY Collective, a group of young people from around the Scarborough area. It was first held in 1999 on South Bay Beach, Scarborough and was moved to the Spa Complex...
. Whilst in Australia, the group also performed some select sideshows along acts such as Terror
Terror (band)
Terror is a hardcore punk band from Los Angeles, California. Their second album One with the Underdogs sold over 40,000 copies. They have also been on tours throughout Europe , Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Mexico and South America...
, Fucked Up
Fucked Up
Fucked Up is a hardcore punk band from Toronto, Canada. The band won the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for the album The Chemistry of Common Life.-History:The band formed and played their first shows in early 2001...
and The Bronx
The Bronx (band)
The Bronx is an American hardcore punk band from Los Angeles formed in 2002. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Matt Caughthran, guitarists Joby J. Ford and Ken Horne, bass guitarist Brad Magers, and drummer Jorma Vik...
.
Third full-length (2011-present)
The band entered Salad Days Studio (Brian McTernan in 2011) to record their third album, Clash Battle Guilt Pride. The new album is as much about anthems and choruses as it is the space between notes. The familiar, gritty 4/4 drive of past efforts is there, but it’s tempered by goose-bump-inducing dynamics – as well as lyrics that make an ambiguous grab for listeners’ hearts and minds.Current members
- Jimmy Stadt - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(since 2005) - Chris Browne - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(since 2005) - Nate Morris - guitar (since 2006)
- Erik Michael "Goose" Henning - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(since 2008) - Tyler Mahurin - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(since 2011)
Former members
- Kevin Mahoney - guitar (2005–2006)
- Josh Dillon - bass guitar (2005)
- Greg Odom - bass guitar (2005–2008)
- Bob O'Neil - drums (2005–2006)
- Emmett Menke- drums (2006–2011)
Discography
- Sometimes Things Just DisappearSometimes Things Just Disappear-Release history:-Personnel:Polar Bear Club* Jimmy Stadt - vocals* Chris Browne - guitar, backing vocals* Nate Morris - guitar* Greg Odom - bass* Emmett Menke - drumsStudio personnel* John Naclerio - production, engineering and mastering...
(2008) - Chasing HamburgChasing HamburgChasing Hamburg, released on September 8, 2009 through Bridge Nine Records, is the sophomore full-length studio album and fourth official release from the upstate New York-based post-hardcore/indie rock band Polar Bear Club...
(2009) - Clash Battle Guilt PrideClash Battle Guilt PrideClash Battle Guilt Pride, released on September 13, 2011 through Bridge 9 Records, is the third full-length studio album and second official release on Bridge 9 Records from the upstate New York-based post-hardcore/indie rock band Polar Bear Club...
(2011)
External links
- Polar Bear Club's official MySpace page
- Band profile on Bridge Nine
- The band's official blog, run by persistent roadie Tracker
- Lengthy 2010 Interview with Jimmy
- The band's tour dates listed on Bridge 9's website
- Beatbots Audio Review of Sometimes Things Just Disappear
- July 2008 interview with Bottomless Seas blog