The Paper Chase (band)

The Paper Chase (sometimes spelled "the pAper chAse") was an alternative rock band formed in 1998 by producer/engineer John Congleton in Dallas, Texas, signed to Kill Rock Stars and Southern Records. Their Albums "God Bless Your Black Heart" and "Now You Are One Of Us" have been released on vinyl by the Austrian label Trost Records. Since its inception, The Paper Chase has produced a combination of discordant melody and jagged noise pop, described by Allmusic as "a jagged structure of avant-garde jazz, noise, indie, and punk".^[1]

History

Congleton produced all the band's material to date. He also wrote all of the material, with a few exceptions: Bobby Weaver co-wrote "A Face That Could Launch a Thousand Ships" and "Off with Their Heads" from the album Young Bodies Heal Quickly, You Know. Mike Sanger co-wrote "Throw Your Body on the Apparatus", and Elliot Figg co-wrote "When You Least Expect It," both from the aforementioned album.

Their next project would have been a two-part album centered around natural disasters. The first half, entitled Someday This Could All Be Yours (vol. 1 The Calamities) was released on May 26, 2009 through Kill Rock Stars Records, though the second part has remained unreleased since the band's dissolution.

Members

Former members

• John Congleton – vocals, guitar, programming
• Sean Kirkpatrick – synthesizer, piano
• Bobby Weaver – bass guitar
• Jason Garner – drums

Session musicians

• Kris Youmans – cello
• Becki Phares – violin
• Elliot Figg – piano
• Danna Berger – viola
• Tony Scholl - horns

Previous members

• Aryn Dalton – drums
• Matt Armstrong – piano

Discography

Albums

• Young Bodies Heal Quickly, You Know (2000)
• Hide the Kitchen Knives (2002)
• God Bless Your Black Heart (2004)
• Now You Are One of Us (2006)
• Someday This Could All Be Yours, Vol. 1 (2009)

Singles and EPs

• Essays on Frantic Desperation (split with E-Class and Lugsole) (1999)
• ...And the Machines Are Winning (1999)
• Cntrl-Alt-Delete-U (2001)
• What Big Teeth You Have (2004)
• Split with Red Worms Farm (2004)
• Split with Will Johnson (2004)
• Split with Xiu Xiu (2005)

References

External links

• The official Paper Chase website
• Unofficial Fan Website
• The Paper Chase on Southern Records' website
• The Paper Chase on Allmusic
• Acoustic session with 'They Shoot Music - Don't They'

Interviews

• Welcome to Flavor Country interview with John Congleton from 2002
• SHZine interview with John Congleton (April 2002)
• Joe Wallace interviews John Congleton for Gearwire.com
• McMahan, Tim (2001) "don't be afraid of the paper chase", Lazy-I

Reviews

• Johnson, Zac "Young Bodies Heal Quickly, You Know Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
• Morris, Kurt "Hide the Kitchen Knives Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
• Brown Marisa "Now You Are One of Us Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
• Marshalek, Russ (2006) "The Paper Chase Now You Are One of Us", Stylus Magazine