Athletics began in a tiny college apartment in Upstate, New York in 2008. Initially, Garrett Yaeger (guitar/vocals) sought to hone his songwriting as an solo project, but was quickly joined by Jimmy Boyce (guitar/vocals), John Cannon, (drums/vocals), and Howie Cohen (guitar/vocals).

Melancholy melodies over an acoustic guitar grew into rich dynamic soundscapes. The songs were littered with piercing delays and exhausted lyrical pleas pulling and pushing between angst and nostalgia. The band released their first record “Why Aren’t I Home?” on Deep Elm Records in 2010.

The band then found its home base in New Jersey, and after a few tours found themselves writing their second album. “Who You Are Is Not Enough,” released in 2014 on Deep Elm Records, thrust Athletics into the cult-classic world of post-rock. A single song separated into five “movements,” reflecting on love, loss, and acceptance, connected with countless listeners across the globe, and has since then sold thousands of vinyl records via intheclouds and New Noise China. After the record was completed, Zach West (bass/vocals) joined as the fifth member.

By 2016, some had started families, small businesses, and while the band was not actively together, the writing never ceased. “When to Run, Where to Hide,” was self-released single from the band late that year, and its release show would be the last time they shared a stage together.

Cut to 2024. With a new album in the works, you can be sure to be seeing and hearing from Athletics again.