Semisonic

All Music Guide:

After the breakup of Trip Shakespeare, Minneapolis natives Dan Wilson and John Munson teamed up with drummer Jacob Slichter to form Semisonic in 1993. Trip Shakespeare had spent years amassing a loyal audience with artistic harmonies and unexpected guitar counterpoints, but bandleader Dan Wilson took Semisonic in an entirely different direction, embracing a tightly crafted sound that proved to be more appetizing to mainstream audiences. "Closing Time" was the band's biggest hit, dominating the airwaves in 1998 and picking up a Grammy nomination the following year. Although Semisonic disbanded after the release of their third album, 2001's All About Chemistry, Wilson garnered additional accolades as a solo artist. He also co-wrote material with other groups, including the Dixie Chicks' Grammy-winning effort Taking the Long Way.

Given Trip Shakespeare's connections in the music industry, it didn't take long for Semisonic (which had initially formed under the name Pleasure) to secure a record deal with Elektra. Before the band could record, however, management reorganization at Elektra's headquarters resulted in the termination of Semisonic's contract. The band bounced back in 1995 by signing with MCA and releasing a self-produced EP, Pleasure. The Great Divide followed in 1996, marking Semisonic's full-length debut and garnering a favorable review from Rolling Stone, which deemed it "a record of simple but sparkling modern pop." However, it was the musicians' sophomore effort, Feeling Strangely Fine, that marked their major breakthrough in 1998. "Closing Time" topped the modern rock charts, "Secret Smile" became a Top 20 hit in the U.K., and Semisonic enjoyed a brief flash of megastardom as the millennium drew to a close.

All About Chemistry, the band's third album, was issued in early 2001 and yielded additional U.K. hits, but the record failed to maintain the group's popularity in America. Semisonic wrapped up the year by contributing "Over My Head" to the soundtrack for Summer Catch, a baseball-themed teen flick, and covering Wings' "Jet" for a Paul McCartney tribute CD entitled Listen to What the Man Said. Dan Wilson also took time out to lay the brickwork for his solo material, playing a slew of dates around the Midwest, while his brother Matt hooked up with John Munson to form the Flops. As these side projects mounted, Semisonic went on indefinite hiatus in late 2001.

Wikipedia:

Semisonic was an American alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1995. The band consisted of three members: Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar), John Munson (bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboard), and Jacob Slichter (drums, percussion, keyboard). They are best known for their late 1990s hit singles "Closing Time", "Singing in My Sleep" and "Secret Smile".

History

After the breakup of Trip Shakespeare, Dan Wilson and John Munson joined up with drummer Jacob Slichter to form Semisonic in 1995. An EP, Pleasure, was released that year on Boston indie label CherryDisc, and the studio full-length Great Divide in 1996 on MCA.

Semisonic's breakthrough came two years later in 1998 when their second album, Feeling Strangely Fine, reached the Top 50 chart on the strength of the hit single "Closing Time", their biggest hit in the United States.

Their international career also blossomed when another song from the album, "Secret Smile", quickly became a UK radio favorite in the summer of 1999, eventually peaking at #13 on the UK Singles Chart.

In early 2001, the band released its third album, All About Chemistry. The single "Chemistry" was a mainstay overseas; however, the album did not fare as well in the United States. Another song, "Over My Head", was used in the 2001 teen flick Summer Catch, and Semisonic rode the wave of various tours in and around the UK. In the fall of 2001, Semisonic contributed their cover of the Wings song, "Jet", for the Paul McCartney tribute CD, Listen to What the Man Said.

Wilson has spoken of doing more Semisonic music in the future but said "The busy day-to-day life keeps pushing it further into the future." All About Chemistry remains their last studio album.

Other projects by members

Wilson took time out to do some solo projects and play tour dates around the Midwest in December. Munson joined up with Wilson's brother and former Trip Shakespeare frontman Matt Wilson to form a side project, The Flops, in 2001, though they were expected to make a final performance in early 2005. In 2009, John Munson and Matt Wilson reunited to form a new band The Twilight Hours. They have since released an album, Stereo Night, and been touring.

In 2004, Slichter's book So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star (ISBN 0-7679-1470-8) was published, detailing some of the experiences the group had while touring and attempting to get airplay on radio stations across the US.

In late spring of 2005, John Munson began playing in a new jazz trio, The New Standards, featuring Chan Poling of The Suburbs and Steve Roehm. This band plays new jazz renditions of "classic" songs.

On October 16, 2007, Rick Rubin's label American Recordings released Wilson's solo album, Free Life, featuring collaborations with numerous artists including Munson and Slichter. The song "Cry" was the album's single.