Gem Club is an American chamber pop band formed in

Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81, ...

by singer-songwriter Christopher Barnes.

History

Gem Club was formed by Christopher Barnes, with cellist Kristen Drymala, at the end of 2009. Their first EP, ''Acid and Everything'', was recorded in Barnes'

Somerville, MA Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81,045 people. With an area o ...

home and self-released in June 2010. The EP was written as part of the RPM Challenge, a challenge for musicians to write and record an album during the month of February. Gem Club was soon after signed to Hardly Art, a

Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...

sub-label, and began working with vocalist Ieva Berberian. The group's debut full length, ''Breakers'', was released September 27, 2011 and was met with critical success. The album was well reviewed by music sites and magazines

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, NPR, Pitchfork, Dusted, among others. Their sophomore album, ''In Roses'', was recorded entirely in analog to tape at John Vanderslice's Tiny Telephone studio in San Francisco, CA, with orchestral work from Magik*Magik Orchestra featured on several songs. After a pre-release stream on NPR's First Listen, the album was released January 28, 2014. A music video for the album's lead single ''Polly'' was directed by Matthew Salton with photographer Charlie Engman and featuring Engman's mother Kathleen McCain Engman. A limited run of postcards, each with a photograph taken by Boston-based Larson McGrath that was inspired by a song from ''In Roses'' album, were sold with the album. At a private performance in the South End in Boston, McGrath's photographs were displayed in the studio where the show was held. During this show, Barnes explained that "Marathon" is a song about the abusive relationship of an acquaintance of Barnes. Their songs have been featured on the American television shows Parenthood,

Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...

Private Practice Private practice may refer to: *Private sector practice **Practice of law In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiati ...

and

Revenge Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...

, as well as Skins in the UK.

Discography

Albums

* ''Breakers'' ( Hardly Art, 2011) * ''In Roses'' ( Hardly Art, 2014)

EPs

* ''Acid and Everything'' (Self-released, 2010)

Compilations appearances

* "Fingertips" - Gem Club/Holy Spirits (''Collaborations'', Weget.by, 2011)

Television placements

*'' Parenthood'' (NB) — ”252” (Season 3, episode 13: "Just Smile") *''

'' — (ABC) ”Red Arrow (John)” (Season 1, episode 12: "Infamy") *''

'' (ABC) — ”252” (Season 5, episode 16: "Andromeda") *'' Skins'' (E4) — ”Breakers” (Season 6, episode 9: "Mini & Franky") *''

'' (CTV) — ”I Heard the Party” (Season 1, episode 7: "Muse of Fire") *''

Saving Hope ''Saving Hope'' is a Canadian supernatural medical drama television series set in Toronto in the fictional hospital Hope Zion. The series stars Erica Durance and Michael Shanks. The show's premise originated with Malcolm MacRury and Morwyn Brebn ...

'' — (CTV) "Hypericum" (Season 4, episode 4: "Miss You") * ''

The Shannara Chronicles ''The Shannara Chronicles'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. It is an adaptation of ''The Sword of Shannara'' trilogy of fantasy novels by Terry Brooks. It follows three heroes as they pro ...

'' — "Twins" (Season 1, episode 1: "Chosen") * '' Locke & Key'' — "Spirit and Decline" (Season 2, episode 5: "Past Is Prologue") * '' New Amsterdam (TV Series)'' — "Marathon (In Roses)" (Season 3, episode 10: "Radical")

References

External links

*{{official website, http://iamgemclub.com 2010 establishments in Massachusetts American pop music groups Musical groups established in 2010 Musical groups from Boston Hardly Art artists