Cub Country

Jeremy Chatelain has often spoken in interviews about his deep affinity for Americana, an inclination that stands in contrast to the indie-rock direction of his primary band, Jets to Brazil. Around 1998 he began composing material in an Americana and alt-country vein, yet recognized that Jets to Brazil was unsuited to the style. He therefore launched Cub Country as a separate outlet. Initially conceived as a flexible project rather than a fixed band, the endeavor operated under a simple directive: capture songs quickly and informally to prevent excessive deliberation. The first outcome was the 1999 recording of the Castle Coldshins EP, made with Utah Slim and issued the following year on Ear to Ground. A more developed full-length, High Uinta High, followed on Jade Tree in 2002 and included contributions from members of Helmet, Lunachicks, Rival Schools, and Jets to Brazil. By 2004 Chatelain assembled a stable lineup drawn from North Carolina—Matt Sumrow, Jeff Clarke, and Justin Ansley—to perform the songs live, and this configuration appears on the Future Farmer release Stay Poor/Stay Happy.