Two if by Sea

Two if by Sea is comprised of Jose L. Martinez (synthesizers, programming, bass, guitar, vox), Gary Nye (sequencing, engineering, vox) and Robert Stapleton (guitar, bass, vox).  All band members hail from different parts of the country, and through various forms of communication (mainly using the internet) they write songs together but perform live as solo acts, using synthesizers, drum machines, computers, and other instruments to create a unique live experience.

In the summer of 2007 the members of Two if by Sea combined their experience from previous bands (The Slaughterhouse Five, The Consolation Prize, Antlers, and Truth Be Told) to embark on a new project to return to the craft of writing complex music.  The music is written with a focus on songwriting that spans across multiple genres. Best described as indie-rock electro, it has the complex structure of a band like Minus the Bear with the art and musicianship of a band like Ari Thanos, but with a beat to push the songs forward like Modest Mouse.  Each member also adds their own distinct style to the music; Martinez is influenced by Sufjan Stevens and other instrument-infused singer-songwriters, Nye is influenced by more dance/hardcore bands such as Red Light Sting and Blood Brothers, and Stapleton is influenced by indie-rock bands like The Spill Canvas, Bear vs. Shark, and mewithoutyou.

The real unique aspect of this band is the live performance.  Because Martinez, Nye, and Stapleton live in different places (Albany, N.Y., Grand Rapids, M.I., and Ann Arbor, M.I. respectively) and because their individual influences are so different, each live performance is a unique experience even though the three are working from the same catalogue of music.  Like other unconventional songwriting pioneers The Postal Service, Two if by Sea proves that excellent songwriting defies distance.