Seam

by Heather PharesSeam began as a trio out of Chapel Hill, NC, with Sooyoung Park (guitars/vocals) and Lexi Mitchell (bass) of Bitch Magnet and Mac McCaughan (drums) of Superchunk. Their first album, Headsparks, released in 1992, was filled with the slow, affecting melodies and vocals that would become their 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 on as an additional guitarist, turning Seam into a quartet. 1993's The Problem With Me featured this new lineup and slightly more upbeat sounds. Are You Driving Me Crazy, released in 1995, features an entirely new lineup except for Park -- the band currently consists of drummer Chris Manfrin, bassist William Shin, and guitarist Reg Shrader -- but continues in the line of moody and challenging Seam releases, making their musical quality a constant in an ever-changing band. The Pace Is Glacial followed in 1998.