The summer before high school started, I underwent a massive discovery. A musical discovery.
Like many, I was there for the summer of 2019, which was arguably the best era of TikTok. That summer saw the height of soft bedroom pop music, the trend of Hydro Flasks and scrunchies, the highly anticipated release of Season 3 of Stranger Things, and so much more.
More importantly, it was the summer when “Are You Bored Yet?” by Wallows, featuring Clairo, was being played everywhere… and the starting point of my obsession with the band’s music.
Wallows is an LA-based indie-rock band made up of lead singer Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters on vocals and guitar, and drummer Cole Preston. The group began releasing music in the spring of 2017.
I became a fan of them quite fast after that summer. They soon dominated all of my Spotify listening hours for most of high school, especially following the release of their 2020 EP, Remote, and their 2022 album, Tell Me That It’s Over.
While the band offers something for everyone, there are two songs that hold a very special place in my heart.
- “Do Not Wait”
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Nostalgia, growing up, struggling with change, confronting the troubles of life—this song has it all.
The entire six minutes of this song are beautiful, from the implementation of trumpets to the carefully crafted lyrics, but the last three and half minutes are moving.
Minnette’s repetition of the words “nothing happens,” accompanied by quiet echoes of all the experiences teenagers feel are so important at the moment, is powerful. The final words he directs toward his younger self are what gets me: “When sh*t gets hard, don’t worry about me.”
“Do Not Wait” is the final track on the Nothing Happens album, bringing an emotional end to the album’s message: things may seem like they’re the end of the world at the moment, but looking back on them afterward, “nothing happens.”
- “At The End Of The Day”
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This song takes the cake for having one of my favorite music videos of all time. It also leaves me feeling deeply emotional, regardless my environment.
Lemasters’ vocals shine through in this particular song, giving the track a soft and almost nostalgic sound.
The song takes you through the perspective of being in a relationship and fearing that it’s nearing the end, but wanting the other person to be happy regardless of what happens.
Perhaps it’s the theme of “all things eventually come to an end” and the passage of time that leaves me clutching at my chest, feeling like my heart is being plucked apart. The lyrics “Time on my hands / Falling like sand,” are usually when the tears want to kick in.
I can say that this song always leads me to one thing: reflection.
I tend to think a lot about the relationships in my life. The friendships I’ve cultivated, the people who have been with me through eras when I experienced significant growth (good and bad!), and how far I’ve come.
Wallows is one of those artists whose music just clicks for me on a whole different plane. If you have yet to listen to them, I encourage you to.
If you’re like me and become super enthusiastic about them, check out if they’re coming to play a show near you.
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