Polymer
These Mediums
© 2004 Polymer
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
One of the most innovative new bands to grace Philadelphia's electrically charged music scene, Polymer, a high-energy rock quintet has just released their first official album entitled "These Mediums." The album, which has already sold hundreds of copies,
tracks
try this
albums you will love
genres you will love
By Location
links
notes
History
Polymer's first taste of success came only months after the band was formed in 2003 when Polymer was selected from dozens of acts to have their song Summertime recorded and released by the newly formed MAD Dragon records at Drexel University. MAD Dragon was created by students at Drexel in the Spring of 2003, and has garnered enormous amounts of publicity since its advent. In May of 2003, The Philadelphia Inquirer did a two page story on Polymer and its role in the development of MAD Dragon's first album. This same article graced the front page of the Grammy Awards website in July, 2003. In February of 2004, The Philadelphia City Paper did another article about Polymer and the bands promising future. The band could also be seen on many of Philadelphia's network news shows, as well as in articles by the Associated Press that were released nation-wide. Among other accomplishments, the band has participated in and won many Battle of the Bands competitions in the Philadelphia area, including a contest hosted by MTV, VH1, and Ibanez after which, Ibanez and Tama supplied the band with $3500 in musical equipment.
In August of 2004, the five members of the band ventured up to Grey studios in New York City where they recorded their first official album. The eight song EP, entitled "These Mediums" was produced entirely from beginning to end by the members of the band and showcases the band's dedication to producing quality music. "These Mediums" was released in November of 2004 and in its first month has sold over three hundred copies.
The band is also constantly gigging and frequently plays at local Philadelphia and New Jersey venues such as The Trocadero, The Grape Street Pub, Katmandu, Conduit, The Saint, Brownies, and the Pontiac Grille. Polymer has performed with many of Philadelphia's finest local bands as well as opened for national acts such as The Starting Line, Zox, Common and The Roots.
The Members
Guitarist Matt Fonda formed the band in 2002 armed with a passion to put together a group that focused on three things: meaningful songwriting, strong musicianship, and unmatched energy. Fonda's mastery of intricate rhythm and understated melody forged from his expansive interest in all things rock served as the foundation for the band. Fonda brought in guitarist Jon Aldinger, whose classical background added the harmonies in both the guitar and vocals that help set the band apart. Not long after, the pair asked Ben Weldon to front the group. Weldon's passionate vocals, as well as his knack for developing memorable melodies and intricate harmonies helped define the Polymer sound. Daniel La Porta, a long time friend of the group, was invited to sit in on bass for a show, and quickly developed a rapport with the band on both a musical and personal level. La Porta's broad influences, creative style, and strong sense of rhythm were an excellent complement to the music. Finally, the band brought in drummer Candice Harris. Harris impressed the band right away with her passion for music, her ability to lay down a solid groove, and her uncompromising commitment to well-composed drum parts. With the line-up complete, the five members of Polymer arduously worked to create a diverse sound. Now, with the release of their first EP, the band is just beginning to see the spoils of their hard work.
The Music
The name Polymer was chosen to represent the unique blend of influences that the five members of the band bring to the table--a formula that is quickly attracting countless number of fans, who are looking for a newer more diversified sound. When asked to describe what the band's biggest musical influence is, Fonda admits, "We get that question a lot and honestly, it's hard to credit all of the bands that have influenced us. All five of us love just about every type of music...from classic rock bands like The Beatles to more recent bands like Incubus and Jimmy Eat World...we really dig the energy of bands like Rage Against the Machine and the creativity of groups like Outkast."
Because their influences run the musical gamut, the band is extremely careful that each song is thoroughly refined and arranged until they are satisfied that the songs contain nothing less and nothing more than they should. Says Weldon of the songwriting process: "At first, the hardest part was trying to fit all our ideas into each song without pushing it too far. But now it seems like we've found a good balance between being creative and maintaining the key elements that we all love to hear in rock music." Those key elements; a strong melody, catchy riffs, and meaningful lyrics, combined with Polymer's willingness to experiment and their energetic stage presence, have been winning over music fans in spades.
reviews
Please log in to review this album.
Rockin songs with great lyrics
author: retsocedThis is an excellent album, with a consistent base of songs from start to finish. The more I listen to it, the more I like it...