Balance and Composure

{{short description|American emo band}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Balance and Composure

| image = Balance and Composure at Center Stage in Atlanta GA Sep 21 2012.jpg

| landscape = yes

| image_size =

| caption = Balance and Composure playing at Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia

| origin = Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| genre = {{flatlist|

• Alternative rock{{cite web|title=The Year In Post-Hardcore: Has the New Wave Crested?|url=http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/621-the-year-in-post-hardcore-has-the-new-wave-crested/|last=Cohen|first=Ian|publisher=Pitchfork Media|date=December 30, 2014|accessdate=April 15, 2016|quote=He was also joking, but then again, post-hardcore isn’t known for its sense of humor. Despite his claims that he was making a tongue-in-cheek statement, this so-called new wave of friends and scene compatriots were some of the most exciting bands going; Touché Amoré, La Dispute, Defeater, Pianos Become the Teeth, and Make Do and Mend were considered the core, and the already-elastic boundaries stretched to include classicist alt-rock acts like Balance and Composure, melodic punk such as Title Fight and even Into It. Over It., a decidedly non-hardcore singer-songwriter vehicle.}}
• post-hardcore
• emo
• post-grunge
• soft grunge{{cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Ian |title=As You Please Citizen |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/citizen-as-you-please/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=25 October 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Enis |first1=Eli |title=A Glaring Lack of Grunge in the Grunge Revival |date=October 12, 2022 |url=https://endlessscroll.substack.com/p/a-glaring-lack-of-grunge-in-the-grunge |access-date=22 October 2023}}

}}

| years_active = {{flatlist|

• 2007–2019
• 2023–present

}}

| label = {{flatlist|

• Vagrant
• UNFD (AU/NZ)
• No Sleep
• Big Scary Monsters (EU)
• Memory Music}}

| current_members = * Jon Simmons

• Andy Slaymaker
• Erik Petersen
• Matt Warner
• Dennis Wilson

}}

Balance and Composure is an American emo band from Doylestown, Pennsylvania.{{cite web|author=Artist Biography by Steve Leggett |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/balance-composure-mn0002462726/biography |title=Balance & Composure | Biography |website=AllMusic |accessdate=January 11, 2014}} They formed in the winter of 2007, after the breakup of two local Doylestown bands.{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/bands/balanceandcomposure |title=Balance and Composure |publisher=Punknews.org |date= August 26, 2011|accessdate=January 11, 2014}}

The band's musical style has been compared those of Nirvana and fellow Pennsylvanians Title Fight.{{cite web |url=http://www.nosleeprecords.com/artist/balance-and-composure |title=Balance And Composure |publisher=No Sleep Records |accessdate=January 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103182119/http://www.nosleeprecords.com/artist/balance-and-composure |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |url-status=dead }} Their early influences included Nirvana, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sunny Day Real Estate,{{Cite web |last=Raynard |first=Chad |date=October 24, 2011 |title=Balance and Composure |url=https://www.scenepointblank.com/features/interviews/balance-and-composure/?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103020544/https://www.scenepointblank.com/features/interviews/balance-and-composure/?page=2 |archive-date=November 3, 2023 |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=Scene Point Blank |quote=I guess our main influence is 90’s bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, Nirvana, and Sunny Day Real Estate.}} Jawbreaker, and Braid.{{Cite web |last=Harrington |first=Gregg |date=October 14, 2013 |title=Jon Simmons (Balance and Composure) |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/53272/interviews-jon-simmons-balance-and-composure |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414015028/https://www.punknews.org/article/53272/interviews-jon-simmons-balance-and-composure |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=November 2, 2023 |website=punknews.org}}

They released three studio albums and two EPs over the initial course of their career. Their second album The Things We Think We're Missing reached number 51 on the Billboard 200, number 10 on the Independent Albums, number 13 on the Modern Rock/Alternative Albums and number 16 on the Rock Albums charts.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-things-we-think-were-missing-mw0002563652/awards |title=The Things We Think We're Missing - Balance & Composure | Awards |website=AllMusic |date=September 9, 2013 |accessdate=January 11, 2014}}

On December 14, 2017, on Taylor Madison's Strange Nerve podcast, vocalist Jon Simmons announced that their upcoming anniversary tour would be their last.{{Cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/entry/balance_and_composure_announce_split|title=Did Balance And Composure split up? - News - Alternative Press|last=Dickman|first=Maggie|date=December 14, 2017|website=Alternative Press|language=en|access-date=2018-05-21}} On January 14, 2019 a press release went out on the band's Twitter account announcing a farewell tour. Six dates were confirmed, saying that "These shows are the only shows we have planned in our future, we would love if you joined us one last time."{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/balance-and-composure-announce-final-tour/|title=Balance and Composure Announce Final Tour|last=Blais-Billie|first=Braudie|date=January 15, 2019|website=Pitchfork|access-date=2020-02-14}} The band later added extra dates due to high demand. These shows had select support from Tigers Jaw, mewithoutYou, and Touche Amore.

On April 11, 2023, the band reunited and surprise released the 7-inch single Too Quick to Forgive with two new songs, "Savior Mode" and "Last to Know". The release was produced by longtime collaborator Will Yip and released via his label, Memory Music. The band also announced a handful of reunion shows with select support from Webbed Wing, Grist Mil, Fleshwater, Seahaven, Death Bells, Choir Boy, and Toledo.{{cite web |title=Balance & Composure are back! Two new songs out now, shows announced |last1=Sacher |first1=Andrew |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/balance-composure-are-back-two-new-songs-out-now-shows-announced/ |website=Brooklyn Vegan|date=April 11, 2023 }} Simmons, Andy Slaymaker (guitar), Erik Petersen (guitar), and Matt Warner (bass) returned in the formation of the 2023 iteration of the band. They were joined by new drummer Dennis Wilson, formerly of Saves the Day and Every Avenue.

The band released their fourth studio album (and first in eight years), With You in Spirit, on October 4, 2024, via Memory Music.