When We Were Friends, the first LP for The Backseat Lovers, was released on January 27th, 2019. Being their first published album, the Backseat Lovers had to build their name based on this album. With this in mind, they self-published this album, having no record deal until after this album. Successfully building a name for themselves from this album, they signed a deal with Capitol Records. They preceded this album with two singles being released, those being “Maple Syrup” and “Kilby Girl.” While this album isn’t widely known in comparison to their sophomore album, this album did establish their name into the music scene. This album being 9 songs, for a runtime of around 40 minutes, where did they go so right here?
In fact, they went right in many aspects.
Introduction
The Backseat Lovers really did pull a good album for their debut. When We Were Friends is a great display of the small details in production. Being my favorite aspect of this project, they self-produced this album, and they did a great job at that. Having a lot of diversity here is a major focal point for the project. Furthermore, I feel like the vocal performance of the lead singer Josh Harmon is certainly a highlight here as well. There is some meaning here, and there are certainly some emotions packed into this small track list. There aren’t many flaws to point out here, as I feel that everything on this album is at least fine, with nothing being bad. All in all, the Backseat Lovers succeeded in starting their music career on the right track.
Production
Production is the clear-cut best aspect of this album. Self-producing this album was impressive enough, but the quality of the production here tops it off. They often utilized an acoustic guitar to open the tracks, starting slower. The further you get into many of the songs, the faster they get. Drums and electric guitars were often brought on to switch the tempo, which sounded great. There is no point in the songs where it feels out of place. One of the best produced tracks is “Intuition” where they start the song off very slow, only to build it up then drop it back down. The diversity in the production on When We Were Friends is phenomenal and emphasizes their attention to detail. Furthermore, the times when the acoustic guitar is front and center it really sets those songs apart from the classic acoustic songs, as there is no unnecessary instruments or sounds taking away from how good of a guitar played Josh Harmon is.
Vocal Performance
Speaking of Josh, the lead vocalist on the album is him. He sounds absolutely amazing throughout, drawing similarities to Chris Martin and Isaac Slade, of Coldplay and The Fray. respectively. That was a complement, as those two singers are two of the best voices in the genre. Josh provides some of the best raw vocals I have heard on many tracks, which stands tall at times, especially when paired with acoustics, like that of “Olivia.” He also has a great harsh style in songs like “Watch Your Mouth,” which features a rock feel. I appreciate his ability to be able to switch from one style to the next with ease, which really adds the depth to the production, allowing the different genres to be present with ease. All in all, Josh does a fantastic job, and for a debut album, he certainly cemented his name with the tops in the voice category.
Meaning
While this album doesn’t have too much meaning and is quite simplistic at times, there are songs that provide When We Were Friends with an emotionally packed track. “Olivia” is the best example of a personal touch, as the song is all about Josh Harmon’s girlfriend. This is, of course, where he provides his most emotionally packed lines. Apart from this, the album often is referring to relationships and their downfalls. Songs, like “Dugout,” refer to the guard teens have on their cowardice in regard to messing up and desiring change. There are some songs that don’t really have a clear meaning, and those tracks are certainly held back by it. The tracks that have a bonified meaning were given a lot more detail and feel to them, which overall enhanced the listening experience on them.
Conclusion
When We Were Friends is a very diverse and different album to many. It was a very experimental album for a debut project, and the Backseat Lovers wonderfully succeeded. The vocals here are fantastic, but the production takes the cake as the best part of this album. All in all, this album receives a 7.0/10, as the production is great, but it is just another indie rock album, that isn’t as good as the rest of the projects in the genre.
Weakest Track: The weakest track here is “Dugout.” With diversity being a highlight on the album, this song has the least amount of it. The song doesn’t really stand out because of this, and there isn’t really much to talk about here. The song sounds good, but it’s too slow when sandwiched where it is on the track list.
Strongest Track: The strongest track here is easily “Intuition.” The slow lead in with the acoustic guitar is certainly nice, however, the constant change in the pace of the instrumental sounds even better. The track gets very fast paced halfway through, just to slow right back down. The vocals are also fantastic here. All in all, the immense diversity here is wonderful and creates a great song.
Song Rankings:
- “Intuition”
- “Pool House”
- “Watch Your Mouth”
- “Sinking Ship”
- “Olivia”
- “Maple Syrup”
- “Kilby Girl”
- “Davy Crochet”
- “Dugout”
Final Notes
Song rankings are always subject to change over time, so don’t take these too to heart. They also are just my opinion. With that being said, I would love to hear your opinions, so leave them in the comment section below. We also suggest subscribing to our blog. To do so, go under the tab “Contact” and fill out the form. That will allow you to receive emails of new blogs and maybe get them ahead of time. Finally, go give When We Were Friends a listen for yourself, as I recommend this album to anyone who enjoys a variety of music tastes, and is interested in a pop-rock mesh.