Karate (band)

Karate is an American band, formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1993 by Geoff Farina, Eamonn Vitt and Gavin McCarthy, with Jeff Goddard joining in 1995. The band split up in 2005 before reuniting in 2022.

The band is characterized by fusion of indie rock, emo, post-hardcore, post-rock and jazz, with the jazz influence becoming more dominant in later releases. In particular, Farina has cited Minutemen, Beefeater, and McCoy Tyner as major influences on their sound.

History
In 1993, Karate was formed by Geoff Farina (vocals, guitar), Eamonn Vitt (bass) and Gavin McCarthy (drums). In 1995, Jeff Goddard joined the band as bass player, and Vitt moved to second guitar. Previously in 1998, after moving to Chicago, Goddard had formed the band Jones Very, with Vic Bondi and Jamie Van Bramer.

Vitt departed Karate to pursue a medical career in 1997.

Their music was primarily released on Southern Records.

Breakup
Farina developed hearing problems due to twelve years of performance with Karate and was forced to disband the group in July 2005. Disbanding with fanfare the group had recorded six studio albums and had almost seven hundred performances in twenty countries. Their final show was played in Rome, Italy, on July 10, 2005.

Post-breakup
In 2007, the former band members released the live album 595. It is a recording of the band's 595th performance, on May 5, 2003 at Stuk, Leuven, Belgium. The recording was sent to them by a sound technician, and Karate were so astonished by the quality they decided to release it as an official live album. Karate's perfectionism and attention to detail is well known among the music scene, which played a part in the naming of the album. It was originally to be called 594. However, McCarthy discovered a flyer for a forgotten early show, so the band quickly changed the title to 595.

In 2005, Goddard played bass on the Chris Brokaw album Incredible Love.

Farina developed a solo career, releasing three albums and a number of EPs. He also worked with Chris Brokaw, releasing work as Geoff Farina & Chris Brokaw.

McCarthy has been part of a number of bands including E, which released albums in 2016 and 2018.

Reissues and reunion
In 2021, the Numero Group digitally reissued the band's first two albums and first single.

In 2022, Stereogum reported that the band would reunite for their first tour in 17 years. It was announced in November that the band would play Primavera Sound festival in 2023.

On September 15, 2023, the Numero Group released Complete Studio Recordings, compiling their six studio albums, the Cancel/Sing and In The Fish Tank EPs, singles, and split 7"s. The 69 tracks were split across eight CDs. The box set included an 80-page book by Leor Galil containing essays and photographs.

On January 7, 2024, Numero Group posted on Twitter teasing new music for the band, featuring a short video of the members at the end of what they said was the "first Karate session in 20 years". Numero would later mention that a "new Karate record [is] currently in the works".

Influences
The band has said in interviews that their combination of indie rock and jazz came from studying music theory in college. Farina's guitar playing was influenced by bands like The Minutemen and Beefeater.

Albums

 * Karate (1995, Southern Records)
 * In Place of Real Insight (1997, Southern)
 * The Bed is in the Ocean (1998, Southern)
 * Unsolved (October 2000/March 2001, Southern)
 * Some Boots (October 2002, Southern)
 * Pockets (August 2004, Southern)

Live albums

 * Concerto al Barchessone Vecchio 24 02 2002 (2003, Fooltribe)
 * 595 (October 2007, Southern)

Singles & EPs

 * Death Kit/Nerve (1995, The Self-Starter Foundation)
 * Split with The Lune (1996, Lonesome Pine)
 * Split with The Crownhate Ruin (1996, Art Monk Construction)
 * Operation: Sand/Empty There (1997, Southern)
 * Cancel/Sing (2001, Southern)
 * In the Fishtank 12 (2005, Konkurrent)
 * Corduroy (2022, Numero Group)
 * Split with Unwound (2023, Numero Group)

Compilations

 * Time Expired (October 2022, Numero Group)
 * Complete Studio Recordings (September 2023, Numero Group)

Compilation appearances

 * "Bad Tattoo" on CMJ New Monthly Music Volume 34 June 1996 (1996, CMJ)
 * "What Is Sleep?" on Little Darla Has a Treat For You Vol. 3 Spring 1996 (1996, Darla)
 * "New New" on Little Darla Has a Treat For You Vol. 7 Summer 1997 (1997, Darla)
 * "The Last Wars" on Southern Tree & Polyvinyl Fall / Winter 1998 Compilation (1998, Southern/Polyvinyl/True)
 * "Empty There" on In My Living Room (2000, Kimchee)
 * "Operation: Sand" on The River Runs Dry (2002, Music Is My Heroin)
 * "Ice Or Ground?" on Ottobre 2002 (2002, II Mucchio Selvaggio)
 * "Airport" on 93 Feet East Vol.1 (2003, 93)
 * "Tow Truck" on Music With Latitude (A Southern Records Compilation) (2004, Southern)
 * "This Day Next Year" on Duyster. (2005, PIAS)
 * "Water" on When The Cat Returns, The Mice Are Fucked (2005, Southern)
 * "Root And The Ruins" on Monopoly of Brilliance (2007, Southern)
 * "Today or Tomorrow" on Numero Twenty (2023, Numero Group)