Stream: Wallows, ‘Scrawny’

Kevin Bronson on February 21st, 2019

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L.A. indie-rockers Wallows debuted less than two years ago with the single “Pleaser,” and their rise ever since has been nothing short of meteoric. The trio — Cole Preston, Braeden Lemasters and Dylan Minnette — craft radio-friendly nuggets reminiscent of ’80s and ’90s indie, swaying back and forth from crush-worthy pop to soft-focus post-punk and New Wave.

Although Wallows got more attention at the outset for their other endeavors — including Minette as an actor in the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” and Lemasters for his role on TNT’s “Men of a Certain Age” — the trio has put the pedal to the metal and finished their debut full-length. “Nothing Happens,” the follow-up to 2018’s “Spring” EP, is out March 22 via Atlantic Records.

“Scrawny” is the latest single, a self-affirmation that’s like the Strokes without the leather jackets and swagger. If nothing else, it’s a sign that listeners won’t be able to get too comfortable when sailing through “Nothing Happens.” It’s situated between the pop single “Are You Bored Yet?,” which features a cameo from Clairo and waxes about sunsets, and the horn-infused funk-lite of “Ice Cold Pool.” Later, there’s the New Order-esque “Remember When” and the neo-garage-rocker “I’m Full.”

Preston, Lemasters and Minnette have been making music together under various band names since their pre-teen years, so “Nothing Happens” isn’t short on ideas. Considering their fans’ broad tastes, a lot of those ideas will stick.

||| Stream: “Scrawny”