Seam

Originating in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Seam assembled as a trio anchored by Sooyoung Park on guitars and vocals together with Lexi Mitchell on bass, both drawn from Bitch Magnet, and Mac McCaughan on drums from Superchunk. Their debut album Headsparks appeared in 1992 and centered on the deliberate, emotionally resonant melodies and vocals that would define the group’s lasting identity. McCaughan soon exited to concentrate exclusively on Superchunk, after which the remaining members shifted operations to Chicago. Bob Rising took over drumming duties while Craig White joined as a second guitarist, expanding the band to a quartet whose first recording, 1993’s The Problem With Me, carried a modestly brighter tone. The 1995 release Are You Driving Me Crazy retained only Park from earlier lineups and instead featured drummer Chris Manfrin, bassist William Shin, and guitarist Reg Shrader, yet preserved the introspective and demanding quality that had marked prior work, demonstrating steady artistic standards through repeated personnel shifts. The Pace Is Glacial arrived in 1998.