This is an unofficial Seam Myspace page, created by a long-time fan for other fans, old and new.
Feel free to contact the administrator of this page, but please realize that he does not currently have any contact with Sooyoung Park, any other member of Seam, or any of the fine folk over at Touch and Go Records. This Myspace page would be decidedly more lacking had it not been for the diligence and hard work of Kerwin So, administrator of The Official Seam Fanpage. All photography is courtesy of Kerwin's webpage. This Myspace is a work in progress. As such, if you are a fan of Seam and would like to contribute assistance, ideas, photography, HTML wizardy, or the like in order to make this page better, please contact the administrator. He's friendly. Promise. Thank you.
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Seam took initial form in the hands of Liz Phair's roommate, Sooyoung Park, during his time at Oberlin College in Ohio. The Chapel Hill, NC scene soon beckoned, however, and there Seam fleshed out into a trio comprised of Sooyoung (guitars/vocals) and Lexi Mitchell (bass) of Bitch Magnet and drummer Mac McCaughan, later of Superchunk and Portastatic fame. Following a couple of 7" releases, Seam released their first album, Headsparks, on Homestead Records in 1992. Headsparks was filled with the slow, affecting melodies and vocals that would become Seam's trademark. After the release of that record, McCaughan left the group to pursue Superchunk full time, and the rest of Seam moved headquarters to Chicago. Bob Rising replaced McCaughan and Craig White joined as an additional guitarist, turning Seam into a quartet. The seminal 1993 album entitled The Problem With Me featured this new lineup and set off a growing response to the band, earning them a widening, fervent fanbase, media attention, and interest from both independent and major record labels. The band remained loyal to Touch and Go Records, however, releasing their follow-up record, Are You Driving Me Crazy?, on the label in 1995. Are You Driving Me Crazy featured an almost entirely new lineup, with drummer Chris Manfrin, bassist William Shin, and guitarist Reg Shrader (also of Circus Lupus) helping Sooyoung Park to further Seam's trademark mixture of moody beauty and challenging quiet/loud dynamics. Seam's most recent full-length was titled The Pace Is Glacial, and was released in 1998.
Seam is often referenced alongside other influential early 90's musical acts such as Slint, Bedhead, Galaxie 500, Yo La Tengo, and Codeine. Indeed, they spent time touring with both of the latter bands and others, such as Spent. Despite the attempts at comparison, however, Seam holds a vital place distinctly their own in the indie rock canon. Members of Seam made music in such other bands as Bastro, Poster Children, Hardvark, Squirm, Dis, Directions, Slowpoke, Superchunk, Tortoise, The Sea and Cake, Pullman, and Team Xiaoping, and bands from Mogwai to Mineral cited and showed Seam's influence upon their own music.
Currently, Sooyoung Park lives in San Francisco, and has made music with a band called Ee. John Lee, formerly of aMiniature, was at one point playing in a band called MirrorAmerica. Chris Manfrin played for a time with a Chicago post-punk band called Sixto, and has more recently played drums for the talented Archer Prewitt. As for William Shin, one can only hope that he is continuing to create music as earnest and powerful as that which he helped to create in Seam.
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This biography was pieced together by A. Baker, and could very well be misinformed or not up to date at points. If you have corrections or additions to it to offer, please do not hesitate to do so.
Recently, Garret Klahn of Texas is the Reason fame let me know about Seam's massive influence (particularly "The Problem With Me") upon TITR's members and music. In addition, he made sure to point out the fact that at the Texas is the Reason reunion shows (11/25 and 11/26 of 2006) at Irving Plaza in NYC, TITR lovingly covered "Rafael" for the masses. Hold that banner high. Long live the music of Seam.
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DISCOGRAPHY
DAYS OF THUNDER 7"
Seam's first record, released by Homestead Records in 1991. Out-of-print, but can occasionally be found on www.ebay.com:
The first of two 7" records that the band, as a trio, released between 1991-1992. Sooyoung, Lexi, and Mac (Superchunk) included two original songs ("Days of Thunder" and "Grain" - a re-recorded version is found on Headsparks) and a cover of Big Boys' "Which Way To Go" (on which Lexi sings).
GRANNY 9X 7"
Seam's second release, broadcast to the world by Merge Records in 1992. Out-of-print, but can occasionally be found on www.ebay.com:
The second of two 7" records that the band, as a trio, released between 1991-1992. Sooyoung, Lexi, and Mac (Superchunk) included one original song ("Granny 9X" - also found on Headsparks) and a cover of TV Personalities' "Look Back in Anger".
HEADSPARKS
Seam's first full-length, released on Homestead Records in 1992. Out-of-print, but can be found on www.amazon.com and www.half.com:
Seam's last release with Mac McCaughan in the band.
"The just over half-an-hour-long Headsparks, literally recorded the month before Rock Changed Forever ('90s Style) with the release of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," contains plenty of touches soon to become hyperfamiliar. There's hints of Pixies, the Louisville underground, the incipient Merge scene, and even a touch of Neil Young's storming melancholia, resulting in a blend that's at once powerful, heartfelt, and anthemic almost in spite of itself. Certainly that could describe the opening song alone -- "Decatur," kicking things off on an emotional (but happily not "emo" in any sense of the word) note. Park's singing throughout varies between the murky and somewhat more straightforward -- while not sounding anywhere like its various shoegaze contemporaries in the U.K., there's a similar use of voice-as-cryptic instrument, often sounding a little lost in the kick of the music. Combined with some of the arrangements, it almost obliquely suggests a parallel to the Wedding Present -- the alternation between gentle chime and pepped-up crunch on "Pins and Needles" really suggests Dave Gedge's crew circa 1990 -- but the sentiments of wounded feeling, vocally and musically, have a wistful catch all their own. Highlights in that vein include "Sky City" and the epic collapse of "Feather," both of which do a fantastic job in showing the strength of Park's guitar playing as well. " ~ All Music Guide.
KERNEL EP
Released as a 7" by Trash Flow Records and in CD format by Touch and Go Records (in the U.S.) and City Slang Records (in Europe). Available to order at www.insound.com, www.amazon.com, and www.half.com:
Sooyoung and Lexi team up with Bundy Brown (Pullman, Tortoise) and John McEntire (Tortoise) on this 4 song EP. The Kernel EP features a song of the same name, "Sweet Pea", "Shame", and a cover of Breaking Circus' "Driving the Dynamite Truck".
THE PROBLEM WITH ME
Nine definitive, near-flawless songs that many hail as Seam's best work. Available to order at www.insound.com, www.amazon.com, or www.half.com:
"The Problem With Me is the kind of craziness thats not crazy at all. With focused song craft and effective instrumentation, it expresses frustration, self-doubt, confusion, hurt and a host of other feelings that almost any of us can relate to. But its steeped in a sense of hope and universality, not the whiny, trust-funded despair of that local band sporting ironic trucker hats and pastel polo shirts. This album keeps it real, keeps it frank, smart, and sharply affecting. Man, thats the indie rock I love." ~ Cokemachineglow.com "One of the best albums of the early 90's." ~ All Music Guide
ARE YOU DRIVING ME CRAZY?
The 1995 minimalistic rock masterpiece, produced by Brad Wood and Casey Rice. Available to order at www.insound.com, www.amazon.com, or www.half.com:
This record featured the guitar work of Bundy K. Brown (famed for his later work with Pullman and Tortoise) and the trumpet, violin, and backing vocals of Julie Lui (who also has been featured in work by June of 44, Mogwai, Lullaby For the Working Class, Rex, and Songs:Ohia.)
THE PACE IS GLACIAL
Seam's final full-length, released in 1998 on Touch and Go Records. Available to order at www.insound.com or www.amazon.com:
"The new album is marked by an aggressive, compact, almost claustrophobic sound, in stark contrast to the more complex and roomy arrangements of the previous two. Park's breathy whisper frequently erupts into passionate screams, and he and fellow guitarist Reg Shrader peel off bar chords in blistering unison passages, as opposed to the pretty arpeggios and contrapuntal lines of yore. Though he couldn't offer a complete explanation for the shift, Park does say he'd been listening to the band's 1992 debut, Headsparks, when he was writing the new songs and had sought to recapture some of its charming sloppiness." ~ The Chicago Reader
SUKIYAKI 7"
Released in March of 1999 in a limited edition of 1000 copies by the now-defunct Ajax Records. Out-of-print and seemingly impossible to find, although you may get lucky on www.ebay.com:
Featuring the final Seam lineup, this scarce 7" is comprised of a cover of the oft-covered 1963 Kyu Sakamoto hit, "Sukiyaki", and a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes" (on which good ol' Chris Manfrin screams).
Seam also released "Hey Latasha" in a limited edition white wax format through Che Records in England (which also featured a song entitled "Mellow Noise U.S.A." on the other side). The band also took part in several compilation releases which featured tracks from their full-lengths, a cover of the Minutemen's "This Ain't No Picnic", and a song called "The Prizefighters" (released only on Touch and Go's benefit CD, "Lounge Ax Defense and Relocation).
