Indie rock band, Wallows, finally released their debut album Nothing Happens last Friday. From the get go, it takes you on the whimsical journey through the trials of growing up, confidence, and young love.
Wallows hails from Southern California and features 13 Reasons Why Star Dylan Minnette as leading vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and keyboard player. He is joined by childhood friends Braeden Lemasters, who also does vocals and plays bass guitar. On the drums is Cole Preston who provides backup vocals.
From the outside looking in, some would certainly sneer at the idea of Minnette perusing music. It could be seen as a potential publicity stunt or a way to keep him relevant as the popularity of his Netflix show has dwindled – or even because Lemasters himself is also an actor.
But trust me. Wallows is far from contrived. Music has always been an aspiration for Minnette and the rest of the band. The spirit of Wallows started when the boys started playing music together as kids, fueled by a love of classic rock.
In a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, Minnette said that he was always pushed to pursue acting more as that’s, “where the money is.”
Nothing Happens has been a long time coming and it certainly was worth the wait. The group has released a plethora of singles that have echoed what a debut release would sound like, which has left listeners wanting more.
Nothing Happens is a thoughtfully crafted indie album that has noticeable splotches of inspiration drawn from the ’80s and more modern acts such as Arcade Fire and Weezer. The Strokes can be spotted floating around some of their tracks too.
The band also crosses paths musically with the noise-pop band Wavves – from their overall atmosphere that engulfs each of their tracks. Some “noise” can be heard in Wallows songs, but it is not nearly as distorted.
Nothing Happens is quite polished in comparison to their EP ‘Spring.’ Spring is much more raw, while Nothing Happens has that effect more scaled back. The rawness is there but they don’t necessarily beat it out. It takes a few more listens to hear it.
As Wallows tours through this album cycle and begins brainstorming for the future, I certainly would like to see them experiment just a little bit more in their overall sound.
The finishing track of the album shows the potential that they have to go that route. Debut albums are all about potentially rooting down a certain sound for a singer or group and Wallows has that sound locked down. The sound works for them and there’s so much more that they can draw into it.
Standout Tracks:
“I say the wrong shit at the right times
If I’m offending them, I don’t mind
Maybe they all should listen to me
It isn’t all about what you see
Question though, how do I look to you?
Am I so thin that you can see through?”
This song has been stuck in my head. The vocals are absolutely infectious as Minnette sings about finding confidence as the guitars jump beyond him, mimicking his delivery.
The lyrics are absolutely relatable. We’ve all found ourselves comparing ourselves to other people who are “cooler” than us and for many of us, we let it beat us down. As the song echoes through my mind, I can visualize going through the same emotions as the song’s narrator – mostly in my middle school and high school days. My clothes were never right, I could never socialize right; I was tiny…
While these feelings could be seen negatively, Scrawny tells us that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously, which is something many fail to do when they’re put in these situations.
Confidence is important and instead of wallowing in what you’re left with, Wallows says that we need to laugh more and learn to appreciate what may be seen as a negative to someone else. Perhaps the narrator of the song is also addressing what has potentially been said about themselves in the past in a more positive light?
Where was this song when I really needed to hear it?!
“Are the things I think are important
Simply just distractions from death?
All of my ideas turn to content
They can be conceived ’til they’re read
Lost my words again
It doesn’t matter
‘Cause you wouldn’t understand”
Many songs on Nothing Happens borderline on the dark side and all of the lyrics are fueled with heavy emotions. The above passage from the song highlights the darkness that comes with growing up; potentially coming to the realization that a first love has faded and cannot continue to ignite; trying to figure out where you fit in the world.
Much like adulthood, all of these themes get stacked up in this song. You’re thrown for a lot of loops and you become more aware of your own morality. It’s all a tough pill to swallow and you wish you had somebody to go to for all of the answers.
One of the first things that is so striking about this song is the seamless transition from Only Friend. If you didn’t know any better, you would just assume that the previous track hadn’t concluded. It’s that smooth.
This song especially reminds me of The Strokes with the way that the guitars and drums are structured in the first few seconds. It drags you in much of the same way that their song Someday does.
“I know I drew the line
Can we erase it?
We’re living in denial
But we can change this
And I drove all night until I started to cry
All because I saw a world without you and I
Don’t let this conversation die”
To continue on with the theme of a faltering love, Wallows this song follows someone whose partner has drifted away from them. Yet they still hold on for hope because the pain of living without this person is just too hard to imagine.
This song seems to hint, primarily by the song title, one of the partners in the song has found somebody seemingly on the side that their romantic interests have focused on. The narrator knows this fact, but still wants to talk and figure things out despite that this other person has taken their interests too far.
Of all of the songs on this album, this one has more of a space theme from the keys that truly kick the track off. It only grows throughout the course of the songs and fits the theme of space/drifting apart quite well.
“All the things you don’t wanna let go
You wanna look back on and recall
All the times that feel like everything
When nothing really happens at all
They’re still here
Oh, in that important room
We’ve got your pictures up on the wall
Up on the wall”
This has to be the most beautiful song off of Nothing Happens. It’s their slowest, gentlest, longest song to date – though it does picks up in pace toward the middle of the song. It does not offset the alluring first half of the track.
As I said earlier, It is their most experimental song to date. It showcases that the men of Wallows have the ability to easily take it to that level and have fun with it.
The “spoken word” portion of this song is enchanting, yet bleak. It is the voice of reason we all need when times get tough.
The instrumentals are easily the most striking part of this song. It takes the blend of California, the beach, and mixes it into something darker.
The lyrics tell us that while things may seem like a big deal in the moment as we deal with life, we’ll one day look back and realize that these situations weren’t nearly as big as we once thought. Nothing happens. We’re still okay.
It’s about growth and growing up. It’s about knowing that even the hardest of times, we’ve made out on the other end of things. One day, we’re going to look back on it and know that there is still so much more to accomplish.
–
Check out Wallows on their upcoming tour. It kicks off at Coachella on April 13 and sees the band travel across the United States and Canada. Many dates are already sold out.
The European half of their tour starts on May 30 in France and circles back to the United States on July 27 at the Mo Pop Festival in Detroit. The tour officially ends on August 11 in San Francisco.
Visit wallowsmusic.com to see if they’re coming to a city near you.
The Hot Fuss 