Album Review: Wallows - Remote

Their newest release Remote is just another sign that they’re not slowing down, taking on bigger challenges and exploring the reaches of their musical repertoire

Indie L.A three piece, Wallows, made up of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston have been gaining a cult following since they started releasing music in 2017. Their indie sound and witty lyrics that span the the themes of love, friendship and boredom have struck a chord with a rapidly growing teen fanbase that put them in a prime place for the release of their debut album Nothing Happens back in 2019. The album garnered wide critical acclaim, taking their careers to new heights and even affording them the opportunity to open for indie giants Vampire Weekend when they toured last year. Their newest release Remote is just another sign that they’re not slowing down, taking on bigger challenges and exploring the reaches of their musical repertoire. Remote was yet another musical product of this year’s COVID-19 worldwide lockdown, with the entirety of it written, recorded and produced (as the EP’s title suggests) remotely. The band have spoken about how they used their phones throughout the creation of this release, crafting Remote through FaceTime sessions and voice memos sent to each other from their respective lockdown locations. This creates a very homemade feeling to Remote, but in a positive way. The perhaps unpolished moments of this EP all add to the world that Wallows are attempting to transport us into- one of chaos, joy, youth and raw emotion. This is an EP unafraid to wear its heart on its sleeve, with lyrics such as ‘Things look different when you’re not around / Too embarrassed to admit I’ve cried / Sort of hope its that way on your side’ (from ‘Coastlines’) and ‘I don’t wanna lose myself to all my insecurities / If I told you all of them, who would it hurt more, you or me?’ (from ‘Wish Me Luck’).

you can be fully immersed into this wacky universe that provides some much needed 2020 escapism

Distance and heartache reverberate around Remote, however this does not mean its all doom and gloom. Much like the 80s/90s musical legends Wallows so clearly draw their inspirations from, their sadder lyrical explorations are masked by nostalgic synths and upbeat guitars that make you want to dance through the tears. This is at its core a very fun EP, full to the brim with quirky transitions, unusual sound effects and comedic ad-libs, all of which contribute to the colourful whirlwind that is Remote. I would strongly argue that this is an EP best experienced listened to in order, back to back. This way, you can be fully immersed into this wacky universe that provides some much needed 2020 escapism. However, these songs individually are certainly strong enough to hold their own. In particular ‘Virtual Aerobics’ and ‘Nobody Get Me (Like You)’ will root themselves into your brain after 1 or 2 listens, leaving you humming their choruses for days on end. Overall, I would say that Remote is not the most polished or perfect body of work released this year, yet this does not detract from the fact that it is an enjoyable 15 minutes of listening. It is also a strong addition to Wallows’ constantly widening and varying discography, that lays the groundwork for an interesting and promising second album.