Indie rock band Wallows released their debut album Nothing Happens in 2019, the product of a trio of childhood friends that had been making music together for over ten years. They had released a few singles and an EP prior to Nothing Happens, so it was very widely anticipated prior to its release. The band includes Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Preston, who all grew up together. Minnette is most well-known in Hollywood for his role in the popular Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why. The friends all had a passion for music from the time that they were young, and decided to produce music professionally that they felt represented the experiences that they had all shared together. Wallows’ music has a certain sense of joyful youthfulness that makes it very enjoyable to listen to. Even with what are often more serious topics, the songs often remain upbeat and bouncy with infectious choruses and instrumentals.
The band set out to create a genuine reflection on growing up and maturing together. The themes focus mostly around this transition into adulthood. It bounces back and forth between many of the significant highs and lows, all the while remaining generally optimistic. Nothing Happens touches on themes that are widely relatable for young people like heartbreak, change, self-discovery, love, nostalgia, and existentialism. The album is littered with sarcasm and self-deprecating humor that brings light to otherwise more serious topics. This makes it seem very genuine and real, as seen on my personal favorite, “Scrawny,” and the very popular “Are You Bored Yet?”
The album mirrors an indie coming-of-age movie in the way that it seems to feel continuous and cohesive in spite of its varying themes throughout. They are very blunt and clear about their fear of the future and their longing for things to be as they once were, which is something that is not very frequently addressed in modern music. Musically, the album has a very relaxed energy for the majority of it, with a few instances of up-beat instrumentals on songs like “I’m Full.”
“Are You Bored Yet?” featuring indie artist Clairo peaked at number seven on the Billboard charts, spending 45 weeks on the chart. This brought them a lot of attention in the industry, especially within the indie genre. Though they came from humble beginnings, since this hit became widely popular, the band has been receiving much more attention from both the public and critics alike. Their EP released amid 2020 COVID-19 restrictions, Remote, therefore received a lot of attention when it was released. Overall, the band is known for their relatable themes about growing up paired with infectious choruses, making Nothing Happens another of my favorite albums.
I am familiar with Wallows and I remember listening to this album when it first came out! I agree with you said about them perfectly embodying the common thoughts and feelings that occur when someone comes of age. I think it’s pretty funny looking at the contrast between Minnette’s projects in film/TV and his projects in music, because of different they are. Wallows’ music, as you said, feels so genuine, while Minnette’s film/TV endeavors have repeatedly failed to be as touching as that (in my opinion, of course). I remember my favorite song off of the album being “Worlds Apart,” because of how encompassing and cinematic it feels. Anyways, this is a lovely review of the album!