LIMELIGHT FALL 2021
LIMELIGHT
Drumming a new beat: The Backseat Lovers and the rise of indie music
Photographed by Hunter Kiehl, Staff Photographer
Written by Jessica Katz, Online Editor, and Jane Houseal, Fashion Editorial Assistant
Layout Design by Jessica Tenenbaum, Staff Graphic Artist
It had the velocity of 1970s punk rock, but with an experimental spirit. Ragged guitar riffs paired with nontraditional song structures served as the soundtrack for alternative culture.
What’s so special about the genre is the paper-thin line between fan and performer. The experience is experimental at its core, with a strong value placed on self-expression. It didn’t matter if the audience was in your backyard; the genre created a sense of community for self-proclaimed outliers, embracing a sort of outright weirdness.
In the past decade, society has seen the rise of small indie artists busting open the mainstream to provoke conversations about the subcultures of adolescence. These artists create an atmosphere that is warm and inviting. Just like us, they are perpetually growing, and in their music, they highlight this quest for maturity and identity. They do so in a way that’s not intimidating, but thrilling, rousing and almost celebratory.
One indie band, The Backseat Lovers, embodies the defiance of musical norms. There is no clear way to define their music; it’s sometimes raw, sometimes melodic, sometimes lighthearted, sometimes nostalgic. They change up tone, tempo, vocals, harmony, dynamics and arrangements within each song.
They create and perform music with such ease.
Their often upbeat melodies contrast the vulnerability and depth of their lyrics, touching on subjects such as love, heartache and searching for direction. Relatable and heartfelt, their music is enjoyed by many. Fans from all over Madison came out on a Sunday night to support The Backseat Lovers at the Majestic Theatre and enjoy one of a hell of a show.
They’re experimental. They’re playful.
It all started with teenagers and 20-something-year-olds, often skinny white males with glasses, messing around on guitars..
The Backseat Lovers is a young indie rock band from Heber City and Sandy, UT. The band is composed of Joshua Harmon (lead vocals and guitar), Jonas Swanson (lead guitar and vocals), KJ Ward (bass guitar) and Juice Welch (drummer and background vocals).
The band started when Harmon introduced himself to local drummer Welch and asked if he wanted to start a band.
Harmon later met Swanson while in line for an open mic. Neither of them got on the list to play that night, rather, they sat on a park bench outside the venue and played to each other.
The band started recording together in spring 2018. They released their self-produced EP “Elevator Days” on June 3, 2018, and played their first show weeks after. They released their first full-length LP “When We Were Friends” in 2019, and now, they’re in the process of writing new music.
Stage Presence
The Backseat Lovers’ passion for music is apparent in their performance. They play with such zeal that it leave fans with butterflies for weeks. The abundance of joy they put into their shows is contagious; they create an environment where the audience can dance for hours and still not be tired. Their commitment to authenticity and their genuine enthusiasm for their music and listeners is what makes their shows especially remarkable.
KILBY G I RL
We’re both throwing smoke into the night It’s raining, I suppose that you need a ride She said, “I’ve got nothin’ to do and neither do you
There’s a place down the road where we can waste the whole afternoon”
I overheard that she was nineteen She’s got a fake ID and a nose ring Those kind of girls tend to know things Better than I do And I’m dying
To figure out what she’s hiding She’s playing it cool but she’s lying Better than I do
Feels like a night to carry a tune I’ve been carrying yours since you wrecked my room And I’ve got nothin’ to do and neither do you
So we’ll chase jack with love And waste away the whole afternoon
I overheard that she was nineteen She’s got a fake ID and a nose ring Those kind of girls tend to know things Better than I do And I’m dying To figure out what she’s hiding She’s playing it cool but she’s lying Better than I do
The Backseat Lovers’ most iconic song “Kilby Girl” serves as an ode to Kilby Girls, Utah’s version of a music-loving hipster. The term “Kilby” was coined from a famous venue in Utah, Kilby Court. Kilby Girls are invested in their local indie and punk music scene; they are the audience that supports bands such as The Backseat Lovers. Besides being the perfect song to dance and scream along to, it celebrates the individuals that allow small indie bands to share their art.
“Elevator Days” refers to ups and downs, as The Backseat Lovers depict an on-againoff-again relationship between two lovers. Spontaneous moments of intimacy portray an illusion that she still wants to be with him, but each time they end, he feels as if hope has been taken from him. They have a love that is passionate and deep, but temporary.
ELEVAT OR DAYS
Do you remember the sun on a bench And the kiss that you left me with? The warmth of your breath when you bit my lip?
I found a handful of lies When you found my eyes And didn’t look away Do you remember the stares and the stars and the planes
And the elevator days came Say my name, say my name
And you remember the time when we dealt with the lines And flew out of the state And you reached into my mind, took it off of the time that I wanted to wait
Room 161, your hand on a gun Clothes left on the floor Sock left on the door
Nothin’ more just paints on the walls and Just talks in the halls Yeah, we both knew A couple of drinks and you can leave us to it
And with God it was all in the way All in the way
Was it enough To try to take from me? Just take a backseat pass to try to catch enough room Try to dream Try to dream
Was it enough To try to take from me? Just take a backseat pass
Community
The sense of community that small indie bands have created has never been more apparent than it is now, as live music is beginning to come back. For many, these shows are some of the best moments of life, seeing an artist you adore in an intimate venue and dancing alongside a bunch of people you don’t know but already love. Unified by the music, and welcomed by the artists, these shows are truly celebrating the human experience.
