Math and Physics Club: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->

| name = Math and Physics Club

| background = group_or_band

| origin = [[Seattle]], Washington, United States

| genre = [[indiepopIndie pop]], [[twee pop|twee]]

| label = [[Matinee Recordings]], [[Tragadiscos]]

| websiteyears_active = 2004-present
| website = [http://www.mathandphysicsclub.com/ www.mathandphysicsclub.com]

| current_members =
* [[Charles Bert]],
* [[Ethan Jones]], [[James Werle]]

| past_members =
* James Werle
* [[Kevin Emerson]],
* [[Saundrah Humphrey]],
* [[Andrew Blakehall]]

}}

'''Math and Physics Club''' are an American [[indie pop]] band based in [[Seattle]], Washington., United TheStates. Its members are Charles Bert (vocals, rhythm guitar), and Ethan Jones (bass, keyboards) and. James Werle (played lead guitar until he died in 2018.<ref name="Headley">{{cite web|url=https://kexp.org/read/2018/9/24/rip-james-werle-math-physics-club/ | title=R.I.P. James Werle of Math & Physics Club | date=September 24, 2018|first=Janice|last=Headley|work=KEXP}}</ref> Kevin Emerson (drums) continues to play on recordings though no longer a full time member of the band.<ref name="SeattlePI">{{cite news| last =Asher| first =Tizzy| title =Math and Physics Club| page =18| publishernewspaper =''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]''| date =2006-11-17| url =| accessdate = }}</ref> ThisThe lineup coalesced in 2004, andband has released three EPs and threefour full-length albums on Santa Barbara-based Matinee Recordings, with UK distribution on [[Fika Recordings]].<ref name="SeattlePI" /> They are often associated with Australian labelmates [[The Lucksmiths]]<ref name="SeattlePI" /> and [[twee pop]] band [[Tullycraft]], and [[Pitchfork Media]] described their work as "music to hold hands to"<ref name="Pitchfork">{{cite news| last =Hogan| first =Marc| title =Math and Physics Club| page =| publisher =[[Pitchfork Media]]| date =2006-12-05| url =http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/39812-math-and-physics-club| accessdate =2008-06-10| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20080407200713/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/39812-math-and-physics-club| archivedate =2008-04-07}}</ref> after [[The Lucksmiths]]' song on the album "Why That Doesn't Surprise Me".

==Biography==

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 (EP)|Weekends Away]]'' was released in February 2005 and received heavy radio play on stations such as [[KEXP]] and [[WOXY.com|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 (band)|Pixies]]). The ''[[Movie Ending Romance (EP)|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.

In September 2005, the band enjoyed playing to a packed crowd at Seattle’s [[Bumbershoot]] music festival. Shortly afterward, the band began recording their debut LP ''[[Math and Physics Club (album)|Math and Physics Club]]'' which was released a year later in October 2006, meriting a favorable review from [[Pitchfork Media]]<ref name="Pitchfork" /> and named "Best Indie Pop Album of 2006" by [[PopMatters]].<ref>{{cite newsmagazine| last =Heaton| first =Dave| title =Best Indie-Pop of 2006| page =| publishermagazine =[[PopMatters]]| date =2006-12-13| url =http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/8708/best-indie-pop-of-2006/| accessdate =2008-06-10 }}</ref> The band's third EP ''[[Baby I'm Yours (EP)|Baby I'm Yours]]'' was unveiled on October 1, 2007 with a short tour through southern California. Saundrah left the band in late 2007, and drummer Kevin Emerson left the band officially shortly thereafter, although he has continued to drum on their recordings. In the summer of 2009, they began recording their second full-length album at Jupiter Studios in Seattle with producer Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, Presidents of the USA), which emerged in June 2010 as ''I Shouldn't Look As Good As I Do.'' Bassist Ethan Jones toured with indie-rock three-piece Eux Autres briefly between 2010 and early 2011, playing shows supporting Wild Flag on the West Coast of the US, and touring the UK, France and Italy.

The four-song EP ''[[Weekends Away (EP)|Weekends Away]]'' was released in February 2005 and received heavy radio play on stations such as [[KEXP]] and [[WOXY.com|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)|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.

In the Summer of 2011, Math and Physics Club toured the UK for the first time, with stops in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Nottingham and at the DarbyDerby-based Indietracks festival. In August 2012, they began recording their third LP in at K Records' Dub Narcotic Studio, with Bob Schwenkler engineering. On January 23, Matinee Recordings announced on their Facebook page that this material would be released in 2013 as ''Our Hearts Beat Out Loud''. The group's fourth album, ''Lived Here Before'', was released on January 26, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shop.fikarecordings.com/album/lived-here-before|title=Lived Here Before, by Math and Physics Club|website=[[Fika Recordings]]|accessdate=6 April 2018}}</ref>

In September 2005, the band enjoyed playing to a packed crowd at Seattle’s [[Bumbershoot]] music festival. Shortly afterward, the band began recording their debut LP ''[[Math and Physics Club (album)|Math and Physics Club]]'' which was released a year later in October 2006, meriting a favorable review from [[Pitchfork Media]]<ref name="Pitchfork" /> and named "Best Indie Pop Album of 2006" by [[PopMatters]].<ref>{{cite news| last =Heaton| first =Dave| title =Best Indie-Pop of 2006| page =| publisher =[[PopMatters]]| date =2006-12-13| url =http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/8708/best-indie-pop-of-2006/| accessdate =2008-06-10 }}</ref> The band's third EP ''[[Baby I'm Yours (EP)|Baby I'm Yours]]'' was unveiled on October 1, 2007 with a short tour through southern California. Saundrah left the band in late 2007, and drummer Kevin Emerson left the band officially shortly thereafter, although he has continued to drum on their recordings. In the summer of 2009, they began recording their second full-length album at Jupiter Studios in Seattle with producer Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, Presidents of the USA), which emerged in June 2010 as ''I Shouldn't Look As Good As I Do.'' Bassist Ethan Jones toured with indie-rock three-piece Eux Autres briefly between 2010 and early 2011, playing shows supporting Wild Flag on the West Coast of the US, and touring the UK, France and Italy.

Both CharlesBert and JamesWerle were both raised in [[Olympia, Washington]], home of [[K Records]] and [[Kill Rock Stars]], and they soaked up a thriving indie music scene.<ref>{{cite news| last =Asher| first =Tizzy| title =Night life: The club scene| page =5| publishernewspaper =''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]''| date =2005-07-22| url =| accessdate = }}</ref> Before convening Math and Physics Club they were in a band called Drive Car Girl (named after a [[Beat Happening]] song). They played about a dozen shows at local clubs and coffee houses with a set of 12-15 original songs, along with covers of songs by [[R.E.M. (band)|REM]], [[Nancy Sinatra]] and [[Kraftwerk]]. Former members of Drive Car Girl include Brent Cole [[Whats Up Magazine]] and Sean Berry [[Double Crown Records]]. Elsewhere, Ethan shared guitar chords with high school friend [[Carrie Brownstein]] and later, as a student at [[The Evergreen State College]] featured in [[Jenny Jenkins]]' musical "Love Is Stupid" opposite [[Mirah]]. Ethan also began the Internet's first Beach Boys related mailing list, called "surfsup", in January 1994.<ref>{{cite web| title =PSML: Pet Sounds Mailing List |url = http://www.cabinessence.com/brian/pet-sounds/| accessdate =|archiveurl = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20011030073741/http://www.cabinessence.com/brian/pet-sounds/|archivedate = October 30, 2001 }}</ref>

In the Summer of 2011, Math and Physics Club toured the UK for the first time, with stops in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Nottingham and at the Darby-based Indietracks festival. In August 2012, they began recording their third LP in at K Records' Dub Narcotic Studio, with Bob Schwenkler engineering. On January 23, Matinee Recordings announced on their Facebook page that this material would be released in 2013 as ''Our Hearts Beat Out Loud''.

James Werle died of cancer in September 2018.<ref name="Headley"/>

Both Charles and James were raised in [[Olympia, Washington]], home of [[K Records]] and [[Kill Rock Stars]], and they soaked up a thriving indie music scene.<ref>{{cite news| last =Asher| first =Tizzy| title =Night life: The club scene| page =5| publisher =''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]''| date =2005-07-22| url =| accessdate = }}</ref> Before convening Math and Physics Club they were in a band called Drive Car Girl (named after a [[Beat Happening]] song). They played about a dozen shows at local clubs and coffee houses with a set of 12-15 original songs, along with covers of songs by [[R.E.M. (band)|REM]], [[Nancy Sinatra]] and [[Kraftwerk]]. Former members of Drive Car Girl include Brent Cole [[Whats Up Magazine]] and Sean Berry [[Double Crown Records]]. Elsewhere, Ethan shared guitar chords with high school friend [[Carrie Brownstein]] and later, as a student at [[The Evergreen State College]] featured in [[Jenny Jenkins]]' musical "Love Is Stupid" opposite [[Mirah]]. Ethan also began the Internet's first Beach Boys related mailing list, called "surfsup", in January 1994.<ref>{{cite web| title =PSML: Pet Sounds Mailing List |url = http://www.cabinessence.com/brian/pet-sounds/| accessdate =|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20011030073741/http://www.cabinessence.com/brian/pet-sounds/|archivedate = October 30, 2001 }}</ref>

==Influences==

Math and Physics Club can be seen as musical descendants of [[C86 (music)|C86]] and [[Sarah Records]] although no formal connection exists. They are also influenced by [[The Softies]], [[The Smiths]], [[The Stone Roses]], [[The Posies]], [[Belle and Sebastian]], [[Beat Happening]], and [[The Lucksmiths]].

==Discography==

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===Albums===

*''[[Math and Physics Club (album)|Math and Physics Club]]'', 2006 Matinee Recordings

*''I Shouldn't Look Asas Good Asas I Do'', 2010 Matinee Recordings

*''Our Hearts Beat Out Loud'', 2013 Matinee Recordings

*''Lived Here Before'', 2018 Matinee Recordings

===EPs===

*''[[Weekends Away (EP)|Weekends Away]]'' 2005 Matinee Recordings

*''[[Movie Ending Romance (EP)|Movie Ending Romance]]'' 2005 Matinee Recordings

*''[[Baby I'm Yours (EP)|Baby I'm Yours]]'' 2007, Matinee Recordings

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*''Matinee Hit Parade'', 2007 Matinee Recordings

*''The Matinee Grand Prix'', 2009 Matinee Recordings

*''[[Wish I'd Kept Aa Scrapbook: A Tribute to Tullycraft]]'', 2010 Unchikun Records

*''The Matinee Holiday Soiree EP'', 2010 Matinee Recordings

*''In This Together'', 2016 Matinee Recordings

== References ==

{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==

* {{AllmusicAllMusic | id= p698429|tab= biography|label= Biography of Math and Physics Club|first= Margaret |last= Reges }}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American pop music groups]]

[[Category:Musical groups established in 2004]]

[[Category:Musical groups from Seattle]]

[[Category:Indie pop groups from Washington (state)]]