Modern Baseball (MoBo) was an American
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
band from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, Pennsylvania consisting of Bren Lukens, Jake Ewald, Sean Huber, and Ian Farmer. The band formed in 2012 at
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, S ...
and released their first album, ''
Sports
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
'', on
Lame-O Records
Lame-O Records is an independent record label based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded by Eric Osman to release Modern Baseball's ''Sports'', the label has been hailed as one of Philadelphia's best indie labels.
History
Lame-O Records was f ...
that same year. Their following albums, ''
You're Gonna Miss It All'' and ''
Holy Ghost
For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity itself being God.Grud ...
'', were released on
Run For Cover Records
Run for Cover Records is an American independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Casazza at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan, the label functioned as a small one-person bedroom operation in Brighton, until Casa ...
in 2014 and 2016 respectively. The group announced an indefinite hiatus in 2017.
History
Early years and success (2011–2016)
Bren Lukens and Jake Ewald met in High School, when Lukens was interested in Ewald's twin sister. They ran in different friend groups, but found common ground through music. Their name was inspired by a book that Lukens and Ewald found in Ewald’s basement, titled “Modern Baseball Techniques".
Originally from
Brunswick, Maryland
Brunswick is a city in southwestern Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The city is located on the north bank of the Potomac River; Loudoun County, Virginia occupies the opposite shore. The population of Brunswick was 7,762 at the 2020 c ...
, they relocated to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
to attend college, with Lukens at
Chestnut Hill College
Chestnut Hill College is a private Catholic college in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The college was founded in 1924 as a women's college by the Sisters of St. Joseph. It was originally named Mount Saint Joseph College ...
, and Ewald at
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, S ...
. In Philadelphia, they met fellow music lover Ian Farmer, who helped them record their first album, ''Sports'', in Drexel's recording studios. ''Sports'' was released in 2012, and soon after the group left college temporarily to pursue music as their profession.
[
]
The band's first concert was in their shared house near
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, S ...
. The price of entry was either $3 or a picture of
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
. The house was later dubbed "The Michael Jordan House" which became a center for underground bands in the area. The music video for ''The Weekend'' was centered within the various.
The quartet started playing house shows around the area in the basement scene. They got introduced to fellow bands like
The Menzingers
The Menzingers are an American punk rock band from Scranton, Pennsylvania, formed in 2006. The band consists of Greg Barnett (vocals, guitar), Tom May (vocals, guitar), Eric Keen (bass) and Joe Godino (drums). To date, the band has released sev ...
, Lee Hartney, Ted Nguyent, and
Cayetana Cayetana is a Spanish feminine given name. It may refer to:
* Cayetana (band)
*Cayetana blanca, Spanish grape variety
People
* Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo (b. 1974), Spanish journalist and politician
* Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of ...
. Around this time, the band also signed with upcoming label,
Run For Cover Records
Run for Cover Records is an American independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Casazza at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan, the label functioned as a small one-person bedroom operation in Brighton, until Casa ...
.
The group's second full-length album, ''
You're Gonna Miss It All'', was released on Run For Cover Records in 2014, reaching #97 on the
''Billboard'' 200. The group toured the United States in early 2014 with
The Wonder Years
''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age situation comedy, comedy/Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol L. Black, Carol Black. It ran on American Broadcasting Company ...
. Modern Baseball toured the United Kingdom in September 2014. The band spoke ahead of their tour explaining how they manage their busy schedules. This followed a tour of the United States in a headlining spot with other bands
Knuckle Puck
Knuckle Puck is an American rock band, formed in 2010 in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The group released several EPs, one of which, '' While I Stay Secluded'' (2014), peaked at number 5 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. The band released a sp ...
,
Foxing
Foxing is an age-related process of deterioration that causes spots and browning on old paper documents such as books, postage stamps, old paper money and certificates. The name may derive from the fox-like reddish-brown color of the stains, or ...
,
Crying
Crying is the dropping of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state, or pain. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, and even happiness. The act of crying has been defined as "a complex secretom ...
, and
Somos Somos may refer to:
Geography
* Somoș River (Belinul Mic), in Covasna County, Romania
* Somoș River (Malnaș), in Covasna County, Romania
* Somoș River (Olt), in Covasna County, Romania
People
* Michael Somos, mathematician
** Somos seque ...
.
In late 2015, the band announced plans for their third album that would be released in 2016 through
Run For Cover Records
Run for Cover Records is an American independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Casazza at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan, the label functioned as a small one-person bedroom operation in Brighton, until Casa ...
, titled ''
Holy Ghost
For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity itself being God.Grud ...
''. On February 25, 2016, the band announced that the album would be released on May 13 via
Run For Cover
Run for Cover Records is an American independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Casazza at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan, the label functioned as a small one-person bedroom operation in Brighton, until Casa ...
and on
Big Scary Monsters
Big Scary Monsters Recording Company (often known simply as Big Scary Monsters or BSM Records) is an independent record label based in Oxford, England, UK.
Its releases include La Dispute, Beach Slang, Modern Baseball, Minus The Bear, mewitho ...
in the UK/Europe. ''Holy Ghost'' was produced by Joe Reinhart at
Headroom Studios
Headroom Studios is a music recording studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was originally started by Kyle Pulley and Joe Reinhart in 2008 in a room in a live/work artist warehouse collective, located in North Philadelphia, until it moved to ...
, in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
In May 2016, Modern Baseball embarked on The Holy Ghost Tour with
Thin Lips
Thin Lips are an American indie rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
History
Thin Lips released their debut full-length album in 2016 titled ''Riff Hard'', named for Chrissy Tashjian's knuckle tattoos that feature on the cover, on Lame-O ...
and
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor is an American punk rock band from Torrance, California, formed in 2008. The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Barry Johnson, guitarist Chase Knobbe, and bassist/backing vocalist Matt Ebert. Since their formation, the band hav ...
. In fall 2016, Modern Baseball supported
Brand New on tour along with
The Front Bottoms
The Front Bottoms are an American rock band from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Brian Sella and drummer Mat Uychich.
History
The group formed in 2006 in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. In August 2007, after ...
. In December 2016, Ewald released the album ''Welcome'' as
Slaughter Beach, Dog
Slaughter Beach, Dog is a rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania formed by Jake Ewald in 2014. Initially starting as one of Ewald's solo projects away from Modern Baseball, the group was realized after an indefinite hiatus of Modern Baseball w ...
on Lame-O Records.
Hiatus (2017)
In January 2017, Bren Lukens released a statement saying that he would not be joining the band on their upcoming Europe/UK tour, instead opting to stay at home to focus on his mental and physical well-being. In February 2017 the band announced that they would be cancelling their US tour and taking a break to help protect their mental health and friendships.
The group played no shows in the spring of 2017, during which time Ewald and Farmer worked on
producing Ewald's project
Slaughter Beach, Dog
Slaughter Beach, Dog is a rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania formed by Jake Ewald in 2014. Initially starting as one of Ewald's solo projects away from Modern Baseball, the group was realized after an indefinite hiatus of Modern Baseball w ...
, and Lukens and Huber worked on solo material.
[Jake Ewald On His New Solo EP And The Future Of Modern Baseball]
''The Fader
''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
It is o ...
'', June 8, 2017. When interviewed in June 2017, Ewald remarked, "let's not call it a breakup and make a huge deal about it and have a 'Last Show Ever' or anything like that. Let's just take it easy for now, and if we wake up an
want to do it again, then let's do it."
[ A few shows followed; in July 2017, Modern Baseball played a one-off show with ]Daniel Johnston
Daniel Dale Johnston (January 22, 1961 – September 11, 2019) was an American singer, musician and artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. Most of his work consisted of cassettes recorded a ...
as part of his final US tour, and in October 2017, the band played three consecutive shows in their hometown of Philadelphia. In an October 2017 interview, Ewald confirmed that the band had no plans to play any more shows for the indefinite future.[
]
Musical style
The band's debut album ''Sports
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
'' has been described as indie emo,[
] folk punk
Folk punk (known in its early days as rogue folk) is a fusion of folk music and punk rock. It was popularized in the early 1980s by the Pogues in England, and by Violent Femmes in the United States. Folk punk achieved some mainstream success in ...
,[
] pop[ and ]pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
.[ '' You're Gonna Miss It All'' has also been described as emo,][
] folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...
,[ ]indie folk
Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Indie folk hybridizes the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation.
The genre has its ...
,[ ]indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
, pop punk, power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
,[
] and rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
.[ '']Holy Ghost
For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity itself being God.Grud ...
'' was described as emo and indie rock.
Members
* Bren Lukens – guitar, lead vocals
* Jake Ewald – guitar, lead vocals
* Sean Huber – drums, backing vocals
* Ian Farmer – bass, backing vocals
Discography
;Studio albums
*''Sports
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
'' (2012)
*'' You're Gonna Miss It All'' (2014)
*''Holy Ghost
For the majority of Christian denominations, the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is believed to be the third person of the Trinity, a Triune God manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each entity itself being God.Grud ...
'' (2016)
;Compilation albums
* ''Techniques'' (2014)
;Extended plays
*'' The Nameless Ranger'' (2011)
*''Couples Therapy'' (2012)
*''Modern Baseball / The Hundred Acre Woods Split'' (2013)
*'' MoBo Presents: The Perfect Cast Featuring Modern Baseball'' (2015)
*''Split 7"'' (Modern Baseball / Thin Lips / The Superweaks) (2017)
Videography
References
{{Authority control
Indie rock musical groups from Pennsylvania
American emo musical groups
Musical groups from Philadelphia
Musical groups established in 2011
Run for Cover Records artists
2011 establishments in Pennsylvania
Lame-O Records artists