Interview: Paper Tigers unleash new EP ‘A Schism Cataclysm’
Led by ferocious summer single ‘Ursa Minor’, new EP by Boston alt-rock band set for October 15 release
HOMEPAGE .SPOTIFY . SOUNDCLOUD . APPLE . BANDCAMP . FACEBOOK . INSTAGRAM . TWITTER . YOUTUBE
EP release party goes down October 16 at O’Brien’s Pub in Paper Tigers home neighborhood of Allston
BOSTON, MA [October 15, 2021] -- In the age of social media, it’s easy for a young band to get lost in the noise, and it’s even easier for the listener to misplace what makes a band special in the first place. Underneath the endless barrage of posturing, promoting, self-aggrandizing is a glowing core of what makes a band what it is, and that, in the simplest of terms, is the quality of the songs. For Boston’s Paper Tigers, there is no greater importance than the impact of a song, whether recorded or unleashed live on stage, and they aim to prove just that with their third EP, A Schism Cataclysm, set for self-release on Friday, October 15. The following night, they show off the EPs blistering five songs at O’Brien’s Pub for the record release party in their home neighborhood of Allston.
“We have a simple philosophy: Good bands have to do two things -- write great songs and put on amazing live shows,” Paper Tigers state. “This is obviously easier said than done but we approach Paper Tigers with these two concepts in mind.”
A Schism Cataclysm finds Paper Tigers growing as a band, songwriters, and musicians. Led by the explosive summer single and opening track “Ursa Minor,” the EP is a bold statement from a group that formed only in 2019, coming together through Craigslist ads that unified a quartet whose members shared a common musical interest (‘90s alt-rock, jazz, post-hardcore, and Britpop), but hailed from elsewhere: Washington, D.C. (vocalist Michael Medlock), Iceland (guitarist Bjarki Guðmundsson), Texas (drummer and Air Force veteran Ben "Cutty" Cuthbert), and Stoneham, Massachusetts (bassist Matthew Hughes).
To that end, it makes sense that Paper Tigers took shape in the cultural melting pot that is Allston, and it’s even more apt that their forceful brand of alt-rock and indie reflects the area’s Allston Rock City reputation. To get more of the background and process of A Schism Cataclysm, we chatted with Paper Tigers ahead of the EP release.
publi*sist: From the top -- how did Paper Tigers form, and what was the original vision for the project? How has that vision evolved, if at all, from the jump?
Paper Tigers: It’s embarrassing for us to admit, but we met in 2019 as a result of a Craigslist ad that our vocalist, Michael, posted. Three of us are not from Massachusetts and had recently moved to Boston. Back then, we were all just trying to meet new people, explore our love of music, and create something new. One thing we all agreed on from the start is that we wanted to make catchy, guitar driven, original music. We all come from very diverse musical backgrounds and styles stemming from ‘90s alternative, jazz, post-hardcore, and Brit-rock. Learning how to harmonize our preferences, quirks, and talents has been, at times, an arduous task, but the payoff is better than we could have imagined. Through this musical diversity, we’ve established our own sound and identity that we believe is unique to the Boston music scene.
How did the new EP come together, and what was the creative process behind it?
We’re constantly writing new music, and are often out in front of our most current EP. This has allowed us to plan well, select the right songs, and have better control of our creative process. Even before recording, we knew this EP would be a collection of our absolute best songs. With the exception of the lead single, “Ursa Minor”, the tracks were written during a time when we were really just starting to gel as a cohesive quartet. We were pushing the boundaries, as best we could with our arrangements and refining our production. We think of this EP as an evolutionary milestone in Paper Tigers history.
When it came to actually making the record, we all agreed that it needed to be HUGE. We approach the recording process 100% DIY. Everything on A Schism Cataclysm was tracked, engineered, and mastered, in either our practice space at the [Brighton] Sound Museum, or in Bjarki’s living room. We wanted to create a layered, sonic landscape but also wanted to be able to reproduce it live. So often, bands make “big” recordings and then you see them live and the music sounds thin. As we produced and refined our sound, we kept this in consideration and created pathways to reproduce these extra elements. When you see us live, you’re going to hear every background sound that’s on the record -- from the birds chirping in “Goldmine”, to the vocal choir layering in “An Enemy at the Gates”, to the live strings throughout “Simpatico”. This musical layering and attention to detail along with our growth in songwriting is really what sets this EP apart. We’re incredibly proud of it.
How do you think the EP reflects the creative mindset of Paper Tigers in 2021?
In a word: growth. Looking back, it’s obvious that the effects of the pandemic as-well-as socio-political events at the time, had an impact on our songwriting. So many of us experienced a kind of dissonance between feeling isolated while also feeling socially claustrophobic and overwhelmed by what was happening around us. We translated these feelings to this collection of songs by focusing on how to create a sense of space within the chaos of indie rock music and still end up with a well-produced track that people want to listen to more than once, (or at all). We’re learning that it requires a careful balancing act of dynamics. From song-to-song on A Schism Cataclysm, you’re going to hear us musically and lyrically explore this concept. A fantastic example of this ideal is in the third track, Subrosa. The choruses of this song are massive and driven, while the verses feature a tumultuous back-beat that’s paired with an unsyncopated lyrical expression. This transitions into a bridge with layered, heavy synths in a wide open space that keeps the listener engaged and satisfied, (listen closely here for an easter egg buried in the track). It’s really been an exciting journey figuring out how to make all these pieces fit together.
How does lead single and opening track ‘Ursa Minor’ reflect the EP and Paper Tigers sound in 2021?
“Ursa Minor” almost didn’t make it on this record -- it was originally scheduled for EP #4. We wrote the song well after the other four tracks and, at the time of recording, it was still in its infancy. However, we all agreed that it had to be on the album and discovered that it solidified the rest of the tracks. For us, it was a real breakthrough song that came during a time that we felt we were in a songwriting rut. What’s more is that “Ursa Minor” continued to evolve during the recording/mixing process and had a proxy effect on the other tracks. The song is especially important to the band because it jolted us out of the trenches and helped shape the sound of the whole record.
What is the creative vision behind Paper Tigers in 2021, and what are the band's goals for this EP and for the next 6 to 12 months?
We have a simple philosophy: Good bands have to do two things 1) Write great songs and 2) put on amazing live shows. This is obviously easier said than done but we approach Paper Tigers with these two concepts in mind. We’re continuously asking ourselves how we can push the boundaries of our own songwriting, while at the same time, improving our live experience. Music should make you feel something. We want people to listen to our EPs or walk away from one of our live shows feeling like they’ve experienced something unique; something special. Beyond the music itself, our goal is to establish relevance in the Boston scene. As we mentioned previously, most of the band members are not from New England.
At times, we’ve felt like outsiders vying for “position” in an over-saturated and ever-changing music scene. We started here from scratch without the benefit of having friends from college, extended family and those kinds of foundational boosters that propel local bands into public view. For us, this EP makes the statement that Paper Tigers is a legitimate band that deserves to be seen and heard. Our vision for the next year is to expand on all these ideas and take it as far as we can. We’re going to do this by teaming up and building relationships with other like-minded bands in the scene, continually creating interesting and high-quality online content and giving 100% at every live show.
Lastly, what can we expect from Paper Tigers in the near future?
We’ve got a bunch of cool stuff planned for the remainder of 2021. First and foremost, we’ve got an EP release party planned on October 16th at O’Brien’s, in Allston, with bands Sonic Red and Motel Black. Later in October, we’ll be headlining an absolutely stacked Thursday night show, at the Middle East, (upstairs), with Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight, blindspot, and We are Space Horses. In November, we’re going to shoot a music video for “Ursa Minor” and we’ll be playing alongside MINKA, a Philly band, at Ralph’s Rock Diner in Worcester. Finally, we’ve been invited to play the DC9 Nightclub, in Washington D.C., on December 18th, capping off a great year for the band.
Media Contact: Please direct all press inquiries to Paper Tigers at info@papertigersusa.com or Michael Marotta at michael@publisist.co.
***
‘A Schism Cataclysm’ artwork:
***
Paper Tigers are:
Michael Medlock - Vocals
Bjarki Guðmundsson - Guitar
Matthew Hughes - Bass
Ben "Cutty" Cuthbert - Drums
***
‘A Schism Cataclysm’ production credits:
All music by Paper Tigers.
Lyrics by Michael Medlock.
A Schism Cataclysm was recorded, engineered,
mixed and mastered by Bjarki Gudmundsson and Paper Tigers.
***
The music of Paper Tigers has been heard and featured on:
WZBC’s Virtual Detention, BumbleBee Radio, Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood, Karen’s Indies on Belter Radio (UK), Christian’s Cosmic Corner and Marc’s Alt-Rock Playground on Mark Skin Radio, Rising With Skybar and On The Town With Mikey Dee on WMFO Tufts Radio, Boston Groupie News, Metronome Magazine, Tinnitist, Monie’s New Music Radio (UK), Banks Radio Australia, Valley FM in Canberra (AUS), Lonely Oak Radio, and other fine stations and shows.
***
Media Contact: Please direct all press inquiries to Paper Tigers at info@papertigersusa.com or Michael Marotta at michael@publisist.co.
HOMEPAGE . SPOTIFY . SOUNDCLOUD . APPLE . BANDCAMP . FACEBOOK . INSTAGRAM . TWITTER . YOUTUBE
