Since their debut in 2017 with the song “Pleaser,” the band Wallows has quickly risen to fame over the last several years. Made up of Dylan Minnette (guitar and vocals), Braeden Lemasters (guitar and vocals), and Cole Preston (guitar and drums), this band has made quite the impact on the indie alternative scene. After their song “Are You Bored Yet? Ft. Clairo” hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Rock and Alternative Airplay chart in 2020 for 26 weeks (Billboard), Wallows’ have become a sensation in the indie genre. But how does Wallows’ third album hold up against the genre and the precedent that the band has set for themself?Â
The indie genre itself is quite diverse– from indie rock to indie pop to indie punk, it’s hard to truly define the genre. The term “indie” comes from the lack of traditional methods of releasing music, such as signing and releasing through a label. By classifying their music as indie, artists have liberty to experiment with their sound as they please. However, when most people, myself included, think of indie music, it tends to follow a more rock/alternative influence with a strong use of both the electric and the acoustic guitar, as well as drums. Other artists in this genre include Tame Impala, Dominic Fike, and Declan Mckenna.Â
As someone who discovered this band during quarantine, it’s safe to say that this band has done some experimenting, but ultimately returned to where they started. In 2020, Wallows dipped their toes in exploring a more electronic and synth vibe with their EP, Remote, compared to their typical style of soft bedroom pop in an effort “to continue being unpredictable with [their] sound”. Since the release of their EP in 2020, Wallows have released two full-length studio albums: Tell Me That It’s Over (2022) and Model (2024). In an interview with DIY Magazine, Minette reveals that for this album, they mainly stuck with guitar, bass, and drums, keeping it simple rather than having multiple layers.Â
The first half of Model, (tracks 1-6) follows the story of a dysfunctional relationship, where one party constantly avoids hard conversations and hints at infidelity. From an interview with Genius, the band comments that this song is more “raw” than some of their past releases.Â
The first two songs to the album, “Your Apartment” and “Anytime, Always” share a similar musical arrangement. Both songs keep an upbeat vibe throughout, despite the meaning behind these songs. These songs remind me of chasing after your lover, despite them hurting you over and over again, whereas the next track implies a want to reconcile with an ex.Â
Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of these two songs to start us off. Musically, they are both incredibly similar to one another. “Your Apartment” was the first released single of this album, which to me has become overplayed, and the second track doesn’t seem to add music to the proposed story of this album.Â
The next three tracks, “Calling After Me,” “Bad Dream,” and “A Warning,” are all ambiguous in terms of who the artist is speaking about. Is it the same dysfunctional relationship that was introduced to us in the previous songs, or is it a new lover?Â
The sixth track on the album, “I Wouldn’t Mind” is the best example of Wallows drawing inspiration from some of their muses, such as Arctic Monkeys. With a deeper bass to open the song, this song has more electronic components compared to the first half of this album. While listening to this song, I can picture myself strolling down the streets of a park during fall.Â
The second half of this album, starting with “You (Show Me Where My Days Went)” depicts the start of a new romance. Musically, this song starts off soft, but becomes more upbeat once the lyrics start. The softer vocals, combined with the lyrics, give off a sense of longing for a partner, not caring about “wasting” days when it’s spending time with that person. This is personally one of my favorite songs on the album – I can relate to chasing someone and want to spend every day with them.Â
The next three songs, “Canada,” “Don’t You Think It’s Strange?” and “She’s An Actress” almost feels like a throwback to the band’s 2020 EP with the generous use of synth and electric piano. With both the lyrics and composition, this song feels like falling in love. In an interview with the Zach Sang Show, Minette reveals that this song is about his current girlfriend who is from Canada. Personally, I would love to see some features on these songs – I think another collaboration with Clairo, especially on “Canada” would suit this album perfectly.Â
With a loud start to “Going Under,” I can tell that this album is wrapping itself up. With a heavy focus on drums, the artist’s vocals sound like he’s pleading, begging for this to not be over, scared of losing his lover. The louder, borderline screaming vocals during the chorus only exemplifies this. With themes of insecurity, I found the placement of this song to be an interesting choice. Although I understand the feelings of being insecure and uncertain in a new relationship, why put this song so close to the end when we’ve been following a happy new love?Â
Closing out Model, “Only Ecstasy” is a beautiful finish to this 37-minute story that Wallows takes us on. This final song is a public love letter to the artist’s lover, broadcasting his love and devotion for his girl. His lover is the only thing he needs to be happy, and he envisions a long life together. After a long and hard battle, the artist is ready to show his full devotion, despite all the troubles from his past.Â
Throughout this album, it’s hard to know for sure if we are following the story of one couple who is learning and growing with each other, or if the artist has found a new love. However, the beauty of music is that it is purely subjective and depends on the ears of the listener to interpret it however they see best fit. I’m choosing to interpret this album from the perspective of leaving a toxic and dysfunctional relationship to finding someone who is willing to be patient and grow with the artist.