Sounds Like: Early Mac DeMarco, with classic jazz chords and indie-pop sensibilities.
Behind The Music: Akron’s angst-tinged, lo-fi alt-rockers have described themselves as “sensitive as hell.” That tracks, considering the seeds for the act were planted at an age when emotions are at an all-time high. Vocalist-guitarist Justin Adkins bought his first guitar as an eighth grader in 2012, and started the band, with lead guitarist Kyle Cook as one member.
The act recorded one EP in high school at a Columbus studio. By 2018, the current lineup was finalized with bassist Nick Pinard and drummer Matt Zanin. They set up a recording studio in Adkins’ mother’s basement, where they laid down two EPs and taught themselves sound engineering basics.
“It was a lot more intimate,” says Adkins. “We felt more connected with what we were doing.” But when it came to releasing their debut LP last November, the band climbed out of the basement, recording the jangly You’re the Thing I’m Running From at Akron Recording Co., where they paired emotional awareness with a tighter technicality. “The songs we’re writing now have way more personal meaning,” says Adkins.
While the act has landed fest gigs and a Midwest tour, their debut’s first track, “Don’t Forget Where You Fools Came From,” reveals a sentimental desire to hold onto their Akron roots.
Stream: “Tornado,” which finds the act at its best: Adkins’ wistful falsetto and pop-punk-indebted belts sit atop super clean guitar lines that underscore a portrait of emotional turbulence.
See Them: March 17 at Youngstown’s Westside Bowl
