When We Were Friends: The Backseat Lovers Album Review

By Maddy Lehr
Music Journalist

Let’s welcome to the stage The Backseat Lovers, a young indie rock band from Utah. Vocalist Joshua Harmon is joined by the lead guitarist, Jonas Swanson, bass guitarist, KJ Ward, and drummer, Juice Welch. Getting inspiration from The Districts, The Backseat Lovers create the perfect rock sound.

Their debut album, When We Were Friends, released back in 2019, consists of nine incredible songs. It includes the perfect ratio of high-energy songs and slower-paced ballads. Joshua’s strong, raspy voice is full of emotion and captures the audience’s attention.

Some of my favorites from the album include “Watch Your Mouth,” “Intuition,” “Kilby Girl,” and “Sinking Ship.” Each song tells a different story while making you want to dance around the room.

The first track, “Watch Your Mouth,” explores the heartbreak of watching someone move on after a relationship. The soft guitar in the beginning quickly turns into a more aggressive sound, effectively conveying the pain this person is feeling.

           “Kilby Girl” is the fourth song on the album. It conveys the story of a young girl one would see at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City, Utah. “Kilby Girl” starts slow, but quickly picks up the pace by the first chorus. There is no question as to why this is the band’s most popular song among their audience. The guitar solo will make you want to jump around without a care in the world.

The album ends with “Sinking Ship,” a song describing someone who feels they’re holding their partner back. This person tries to repair the relationship, but only seems to make things worse. Although the theme is heavy, the song itself is upbeat and catchy. Right before the end, it slows down a bit before finishing off strong.

When We Were Friends is without a doubt one of my favorite albums. Each song encompasses feelings we can all relate to. I find myself screaming along to every track on the album.

If you enjoy The Districts or Briston Maroney, The Backseat Lovers will be the perfect addition to your list of favorite bands. Their classic indie rock sound is extremely enticing.

This album is perfect for driving down an empty highway with the windows down. I highly recommend listening at full volume for the full experience.

Featured image via The Backseat Lovers album cover.