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- September 24, 2021
4-piece indie rock band Semblance welcomed us into their grungy, eclectic basement studio for an awesome performance of three original tracks and a quick chat about how they came to be and what they’ve been up to during the pandemic. Enjoy their Quarantine Tapes session for some proper Midwest emo music nostalgia!
Semblance is a band from the surrounding suburbs of Philadelphia, PA that specializes in that grungy Midwestern rock sound that everybody can’t help but love. They put a fresh spin on the sounds we all grew up on for an eclectic and energetic new wave indie rock story. I was blown away from their simple basement garage studio concert, so I can only imagine what their performances at a proper venue would be like! I know they are all itching to get back to normal playing shows in Philly, so get acquainted with them now because they’re ready to come back strong when the times allow again.
These four individuals have been on quite a journey together to finally form their current band lineup that you see these goofy pictures, only officially pulled together two months prior to the recording of this tape. Lead vocalist and guitarist Maeve and drummer Aaron had been together for this project previously, and they gladly added Sean on bass and Merrick on guitar this year for their perfect ensemble. These quirkiness of this group knows no bounds (as seen in the comfortability they have with each other in these photos); they each go by 3-letter nicknames that fit the branding for their single release of “CRY BBY.” Maeve goes by CRY BBY, Aaron is SCR FCE, Sean is PIG PEN, and Merrick is LVR BOY.
The chemistry between these four musicians feels like family, which allows them to really jam together in the pocket so effortlessly. I would have been interested to see their lineup before finding themselves now just to see how the energy has shifted (for the best, of course)!
For their Quarantine Tapes session, Semblance played three original tracks for us: “Sex,” “Broken Crown,” and “Fortune Teller,” all introspective and jammy golden nuggets of music. If you like what you hear, definitely be sure to check out the rest of their discography on Spotify! They have several singles, remixes and EPs to sort through, so you have some homework to do.
It was such a pleasure visiting Semblance an hour out of the city at their home studio! They were so welcoming and fun, a great reprieve from the bustle of the city. You can clearly hear all the bird calls intermingled in the video audio. We chatted about what they’ve been up to during the pandemic, reminiscing on their favorite aspects of the Philly music scene, and dived deep into the meanings of their songs and significance of their band as a whole. I really hope you enjoy getting insight into this band’s world, because I’m beyond excited to have found them for this project!
Article and Photo Credits: Cass McLaughlin (@cassiehadadream)
Photo Edits by Elena Lin (@elenashoots)
