Math and Physics Club | |
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Origin | Seattle, Washington |
Genres | indiepop, twee |
Labels | Matinee Recordings, Tragadiscos |
Website | www.mathandphysicsclub.com |
Members | Charles Bert, Ethan Jones, James Werle |
Past members | Kevin Emerson, Saundrah Humphrey, Andrew Blakehall |
Math and Physics Club are an indie pop band based in Seattle, Washington. The members are Charles Bert (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ethan Jones (bass, keyboards) and James Werle (lead guitar). This lineup coalesced in 2004, and has released three EPs and three full-length albums on Santa Barbara-based Matinee Recordings. They are often associated with Australian labelmates The Lucksmiths and twee pop band Tullycraft, and Pitchfork Media described their work as "music to hold hands to" after The Lucksmiths' song on the album "Why That Doesn't Surprise Me".
Math and Physics Club began as a basement project for longtime friends Charles Bert (vocals) and James Werle (guitar). Their first release was a digital-only single on Comfort Stand Recordings which featured an early version of the song Graduation Day, along with a b-side titled Everybody Lies. Both songs featured keyboards by early collaborator Andrew Hall, according to the Comfort Stand web site, and who is also credited with playing keyboards on two songs on their first EP, and is credited as a co-writer with the band on the song Nothing Really Happened on their third EP. By mid-2004, the band's lineup featured Kevin Emerson on drums, Saundrah Humphrey on violin, and Ethan Jones on bass. The band's initial demo attracted the attention of both Jimmy Tassos of Matinee Recordings and the influential KEXP DJ John Richards. As they played their third show in December, they were already receiving considerable attention, including frequent spins on KEXP.
The four-song EP Weekends Away was released in February 2005 and received heavy radio play on stations such as KEXP and WOXY, picking up several reviews from the indiepop press. By late spring the band finally had a handful of shows under its belt, including a few West Coast stops with new labelmates The Lucksmiths, and an appearance at the annual Sasquatch! Music Festival (headlined by the Pixies). The Movie Ending Romance EP was released in July 2005 to further reviews and growing live audiences. The audience at the San Francisco Pop Festival saw them perform 'A is for Alphabet' with Razorcuts leader Gregory Webster on vocals.