Paper Tigers unleash ‘A Schism Cataclysm’
Led by ferocious summer single ‘Ursa Minor’, new EP by Boston alt-rock band set for October 15 release
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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.
“Even before recording, we knew this EP would be a collection of our absolute best songs,” the band says. “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.”
Aligned in vision and approach, the goals for A Schism Cataclysm were simple as the band navigated life in the pandemic age: Let the songs speak and cut through the noise on their own merit.
“When it came to actually making the record, we all agreed that it needed to be huge,” they add. “We approach the recording process 100 percent DIY. Everything on A Schism Cataclysm was tracked, engineered, and mastered, in either our practice space at the Sound Museum [in Brighton], 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.”
The five tracks featured on A Schism Cataclysm are reflections of the times in which they were written. The band absorbed the global and local events of the past year, from the lasting effects of the pandemic to rallying calls for social justice both in Boston and across the country, crafting the songs that were selected for the EP in a way that tells a broader story, balancing multiple sonic dynamics that allows the listener to discover something new hidden just under the surface.
“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,” say Paper Tigers. “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.”
Beyond the release party at O’Brien’s, Paper Tigers have a busy rest-of-year ahead, with live appearances at Cambridge’s Middle East in late-October; Worcester’s Ralph Rock Diner in November; and DC9 Nightclub in Washington D.C. in December. A music video shoot for “Ursa Minor” is planned for November, as well.
“We’re continuously asking ourselves how we can push the boundaries of our own songwriting, while at the same time, improving our live experience,” Paper Tigers conclude. “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.”
That kind of impact usually cuts through the noise.
Media Contact: Please direct all press inquiries to Paper Tigers at info@papertigersusa.com or Michael Marotta at michael@publisist.co.
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‘A Schism Cataclysm’ artwork:
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Paper Tigers are:
Michael Medlock - Vocals
Bjarki Guðmundsson - Guitar
Matthew Hughes - Bass
Ben "Cutty" Cuthbert - Drums
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‘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.
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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.
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Media Contact: Please direct all press inquiries to Paper Tigers at info@papertigersusa.com or Michael Marotta at michael@publisist.co.
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