Chairlift (band)

Chairlift
Chairlift performing in 2016
Chairlift performing in 2016
Background information
OriginBoulder, Colorado, United States
Genres
Years active2005–2017
Labels
Past membersCaroline Polachek
Aaron Pfenning
Patrick Wimberly
Websitechairlifted.com

Chairlift was an American synth-pop band formed by Caroline Polachek and Aaron Pfenning. They formed the band in 2005 while living in Boulder, Colorado, and Patrick Wimberly joined them when they moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 2007. The three released their debut album Does You Inspire You in 2008. Pfenning left the band in 2010, and the new duo released two more albums—2012's Something and 2016's Moth—before announcing the end of Chairlift in December 2016.

History

[edit]

Chairlift formed initially as a project between Aaron Pfenning and Caroline Polachek at the University of Colorado in October 2005. The group intended to make background music for haunted houses.[9] Along with bassist Kyle McCabe, Chairlift recorded the beginning of Daylight Savings EP at New Monkey Studio in Los Angeles, California, in April 2006. Chairlift relocated to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in August 2006 and signed to Kanine Records in June 2007. Patrick Wimberly joined the group in early 2007. After writing and recording while Polachek was still in college,[10] Chairlift released their first full-length album, Does You Inspire You, in 2008. Their song "Bruises" was featured in the 2008 Apple commercial that launched the fourth-generation iPod Nano.[11] The single "Evident Utensil" was nominated for an award in the "Breakthrough Video" category at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.[12] The album was rereleased by Columbia Records on April 21, 2009, after the band signed with the major label. The re-release included two additional tracks not on the original release and a longer version of "Make Your Mind Up".[13] Chairlift went on their first international tour, opening for bands like Phoenix, The Killers, and MGMT.[14][15]

Pfenning left Chairlift in 2010 to pursue his solo career under the name Rewards.[16]

On September 7, 2011, they released the video to their single "Amanaemonesia" from their second album Something.[17] For their 2012 single "Met Before" Chairlift created an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure video that BuzzFeed awarded the number one spot on its "23 Best Music Videos of 2012" end-of-year round up.[18] Their sophomore album Something released via Columbia Records on January 24, 2012.[16] Something features production from Dan Carey and Alan Moulder.[19] After the record was released in Japan, Polachek co-directed a video for a Japanese version of "I Belong In Your Arms" with director/animator Eric Epstein.[20]

Through the time Polachek was finishing her solo record Arcadia, Chairlift continued working on their third record, Moth. Moth was released January 22, 2016 and featured 10 new songs, including the single "Ch-Ching".[21][22]

In December 2016, Chairlift announced that they would be breaking up, with a final tour occurring in the spring of 2017.[23] Polachek has since continued with her solo career.

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
[24] 		US
Heat
[25] 		US
Rock
[26] 		US
Indie
[27] 		AUS
[28] 		BEL
(FL)
Heat
[29] 		BEL
(FL)
Alt.
[29] 		UK
[30] 		UK
Indie
[31]
Does You Inspire You — — — — — — — — —
Something 184 5 47 29 45 3 38 131 15
Moth — 7 32 — — — — — —

EPs

[edit]
Title Details
Daylight Savings
  • Released: June 2007
  • Label: Self-released
Chairlift at 6:15
  • Released: October 28, 2012
  • Label: Young Turks, Kanine
  • Formats: Vinyl, digital download

Singles

[edit]
List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Bub.
[32] 		AUS
[33] 		BEL
(FL)
Tip
[29] 		CAN
[34] 		GER
[35] 		MEX
[36] 		SWI
[37] 		UK
[38]
"Evident Utensil" 2007 — — — — — — — — Does You Inspire You
"Bruises" 2008 1 72 5 80 63 34 89 50
"Always Crashing in the Same Car" 2010 — — — — — 48 — — Non-album single
"Amanaemonesia" 2011 — — — — — 48 — — Something
"Met Before" 2012 — — — — — — — —
"I Belong in Your Arms" — — — — — — —
"Ghost Tonight" — — 35 — — — — —
"I Belong in Your Arms"
(Japanese version) 		— — — — — — — — Non-album single
"Ch-Ching" 2015 — — — — — — — — Moth
"Romeo" — — — — — — — —
"Crying in Public" 2016 — — — — — — — —
"Moth To the Flame" — — — — — — — —
"Ch-Ching (Redux)"
(featuring DRAM and Jimi Tents) 		— — — — — — — — Non-album singles
"Get Real" — — — — — — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Remixes

[edit]
  • Glasser – "Apply (Chairlift Remix)" (2012)
  • Phoenix – "Fences (Chairlift Remix)" (2012)
  • Indochine – "College Boy (Chairlift Remix)" (2013)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Collar, Matt. "Pang - Caroline Polachek Album Review". Allmusic. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "Chairlift". Teen Vogue. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  3. ^ Campion, Freddie (January 24, 2012). "Band of the Week: Chairlift". Vogue. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  4. ^ Hannah, Andrew. "Caroline Polachek of Chairlift and Ramona Lisa: "I don't want to work things out with anyone, I just wanna do it exactly the way I feel"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "Chairlift Artist Bio". Apple Music. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  6. ^ Hunt, El (October 17, 2019). "Caroline Polachek – 'Pang' review: years of experiments pay off". NME. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  7. ^ Empire, Kitty (October 20, 2019). "Caroline Polachek: Pang review – lush, ultra-modern ecstasy". The Observer. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  8. ^ O'Donnell, Carey (January 13, 2016). "Listen to Chairlift's Addictive New Track 'Moth to the Flame'". Paper. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  9. ^ "Slant Magazine Music Review: Chairlift: Does You Inspire You". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
  10. ^ "Chairlift Elevates Music on Something". Pop Matters. June 4, 2012.
  11. ^ Suzanne Baran (September 16, 2008). "Chairlift Gets A Boost From iPod Nano Ad". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  12. ^ "2009 MTV Video Music Awards: Breakthrough Video". MTV. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
  13. ^ "Chairlift Sign to Columbia, Re-Release Album With Bonus Tracks". Exclaim!. March 2, 2009.
  14. ^ "Tour History 2007–2014". bandsintown.
  15. ^ "Rewards". Glasslands. September 11, 2013.
  16. ^ a b Alex Hudson (October 13, 2011). "Chairlift announce sophomore album". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  17. ^ corbin (September 7, 2011). "Chairlift – "Amanaemonesia" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  18. ^ Perpetua, Matthew (December 6, 2012). "23 Best Music Videos of 2012". BuzzFeed. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  19. ^ Laura Studarus (October 13, 2011). "Chairlift Announce New Album, "Something"". Under the Radar. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  20. ^ Evan Minsker (August 30, 2012). "Watch the Video for the Japanese Version of Chairlift's "I Belong In Your Arms"". Pitchfork Media.
  21. ^ "Ramona Lisa". Pitchfork Media. March 6, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  22. ^ "About A Girl: Caroline Polachek". Urban Outfitters. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  23. ^ Noah Yoo (December 16, 2016). "Chairlift Break Up". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  24. ^ "Chairlift: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  25. ^ "Chairlift: Chart History - Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  26. ^ "Chairlift: Chart History - Top Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  27. ^ "Chairlift: Chart History - Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  28. ^ ""Australiancharts.com – Chairlift – Something". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  29. ^ a b c "Chairlift – Something" (in Dutch). Ultratop Flanders. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  30. ^ ""Chart Log UK: CHART: CLUK Update 4.02.2012 (wk4)". Zobbel.de. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  31. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  32. ^ "Chairlift Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  33. ^ Bruises: http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20081119130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20081120-0000/issue973.pdf
  34. ^ "Chairlift – Chart history — Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard.
  35. ^ Bruises: https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-511364
  36. ^ "Chairlift Chart History: Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  37. ^ "Schweizer Airplay Charts 43/2009 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  38. ^ "Chairlift – Chart history". Official Charts.
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