Stalemate

There are several bands with the name Stalemate. 1.) From Providence, Rhode Island: Stalemate had been called many different things over their seven year history: "prog-pop," "power-pop," etc. "Friend rock" was a phrase that sprang up in early 2009, coined from a disparaging essay by Sufjan Stevens about a genre for microscopic bands whose only fans are the friends they guilt trip into coming to their shows. Originally, the Providence band wore this branding to focus on its most salient feature: eclecticism.