BY ABBY ROSE NOTARNICOLA //
I could listen to a song hundreds of times, learn the lyrics, even sing along, yet not really comprehend what the song is saying–but when I listen to the Backseat Lovers, I resonate with the lyrics immediately. Using raw vocals and relatable imagery, The Backseat Lovers make you feel like they’re telling your story. By singing passionately about breaking hearts, or having their hearts broken, they captivate their listeners through their vulnerability and speak to the experiences of young adults navigating love, loss, and longing. Through their honest storytelling, the band helps us articulate the jumbled thoughts and feelings we have when we start new relationships and learn about a new person. Some of my favorite lyrics from their songs are, “I overheard that she was 19/had a fake ID and a nose ring/ those kinds of girls tend to know things/ better than I do.” and “I saw you dancing at the show tonight/we stood in the back/ and I think that we both know why.” Not only are they the perfect narrators for our internal dialogues, but they describe situations that put their listeners in their shoes and normalize the complex and intense emotions they might feel. We have all felt those pangs of agony, lust or self-doubt, and The Backseat Lovers have captured their listeners by sharing stories that normalize these feelings and make people feel understood.
The Backseat Lovers are an Indie rock band that formed in 2018 in Heber City and Sandy, Utah. The group consists of Joshua Harmon, Jonas Swanson, KJ Ward, and Juice Welch, and they’ve gained an impressive following since their first self-produced EP Elevator Days in June of 2018. Since then, they have released their first full length LP titled When We Were Friends in 2019 and a single called “Heavy” in 2020. Though they’ve only released a handful of songs since 2018, each one offers the same promise of vulnerability, relatability, and desire to scream out in emotional solidarity. Their groovy guitar riffs, gentle percussions, and impassioned vocals ramp up and down, electrifying their listeners, and giving us the companionship and relief we didn’t know we needed. If I had to pick my top three favorite songs from the band, I’d choose “Pool House”, “Kilby Girl” and “Maple Syrup”.
As for current news, The Backseat Lovers will be on tour around the U.S. until December, and plan on attending the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival in Okeechobee, Florida in March. If you want to catch them on tour, they’ll be performing at Union Stage in D.C on November 29th!
As for what’s in store, the band is currently working on new material, and with nearly 3 million monthly listeners on spotify, I am confident that their fanbase will only continue to grow and be an escape for millions more.
In their Spotify bio, the band writes that, “The lens continuously re-focuses itself on the song– the feelings at hand. Adulthood is awaiting us with a crooked smile and the photos you’re taking only leave the subjects more and more blurry.” With a vow to write for young romantics and a determination to express their emotions, they assert that all the pain we experience, will one day be a part of our past.
To learn more about the Backseat Lovers, check out the links below and be sure to listen to the Spotify playlist I created for you to get just as obsessed with them as I am 🙂
Spotify Playlist:
Your Next Favorite Artist: The Backseat Lovers
Their website:
Articles:
24 Hours with The Backseat Lovers (The Statesman)
The Backseat Lovers (Mick Management)
Instagram:
Youtube: