A "love letter" to the bands that got me through college
- tatimonty
- Apr 15, 2022
- 17 min read
College is no easy ride, y'all. Especially college during the pandemic. It's had its up and its downs, for sure. And for as long as I can really remember, music has always been my saving grace, the thing that was able to keep me moving forward. It's crazy and it probably sounds dumb, but at my lowest and at my highest, there's always some music that made me feel understood. I was never the only one going through whatever it was I was feeling and that is perhaps the biggest thing I could ever ask for. To feel understood and not alone. There have been some really shitty times over four years of college, and some really, really amazing ones.
There's still like roughly three or so weeks to graduation -- two more weeks of classes -- so I'm trying not to get too sappy too soon, but I wanted to take the time and write about the bands that helped me get through the trials of college. So that's what this is -- a love letter of sorts, I guess, to those bands.
I'd be amiss if I didn't recognize, first and foremost, the bands that have stuck with me for longer than the four years of college. The bands that I've listened to since sometimes long and sometimes not-so-long before I moved to Indy for the majority of four years to earn a degree. I listen to probably more bands that I can easily recollect. Sometimes I filter out bands from rotation that I just don't seem to vibe with anymore -- which is totally and absolutely okay. So for me to have so many bands that have wholeheartedly been there for me to listen to every step of the way for so long has been honestly the best thing I could ask for. It's like that best friend you've had for so many years that you know you can always turn to. It's refreshing, it's calming and relaxing, and more than anything, it's reassuring.
I mean, for one, there's my favorite band in the world, I Prevail, who I really discovered my senior year of high school. Since I started listening to them, their must has been, kind of ironically, such a calming presence in my life. And TRAUMA dropped at the perfect moment with me during my freshman year of college, which just absolutely cemented their importance to me. "Crossroads" may have gotten me through my senior year of high school, but "Deadweight" got me through my sophomore year of college and "Rise Above It" got me through my junior and senior years. Through the highs and the lows and everything in between, it didn't matter what headspace I was in, I have always been able to turn on their music and just...feel better. Not necessarily happier if I'm down, just better. Understood, I guess. I can't say that so much with many other artists, if any. You wanna get on my good side? Play some I Prevail. I've changed a lot over four years -- as Google Photos decided to remind me of today, of all days, for some reason -- but that's one thing that hasn't.
They're not the only band, though, that's been playing through my speakers or through my headphones for longer than just the last four years. There's AS IT IS, who sometimes gives I Prevail a run for their money in the favorite band department (although they never actually come that close). They're a band that I originally wrote off, but I'm so unbelievably grateful to have given another shot. They're a phenomenal band and also phenomenal people. They put on some of the best and most enjoyable live sets I've seen, and they write music that's so refreshingly from the heart -- even though none of it is positive, really, but I love that about them. That honesty and, honestly lack of positivity is ever so apparent in I Went to Hell And Back. That album dropped in February and I can say in no uncertain terms that it's going to be my album of the year this year. You've got the angry in "I WANT TO SEE GOD," the sad in "I WENT TO HELL AND BACK" and the relatively happy in "IDC, I CAN'T TAKE IT" and then everything in-between-- but, spoiler alert, they've all got common themes lyrically -- none of which are happy --despite such vastly different sounds. None of their songs hold any punches, and I love that about them so much.
Then there's All Time Low, who I can't remember a time where I didn't know who they were. My brother has loved their music for far longer than I. But when I finally crossed that bridge in high school, I never looked back. They're a huge reason I love the genre of music that I do. And it's incredible to me that they're still putting out amazing music -- arguably having put out the best album of their career, Wake Up, Sunshine, their seventh album, only two years ago. They've been a band for so long (almost 20 years), and yet they're still raising their own bar and setting new standards. It's amazing. Genuinely. And "Somewhere in Neverland" is a testament to growing up that has still stuck with me for so long.
I can't forget Against The Current. One of my favorite female-fronted bands, they're always doing and making cool stuff. Their EP from last year, fever, plus all of their singles for League of Legends remains some of my favorite work of theirs. But that doesn't change the hours I spent listening to them in high school, blasting, specifically, "Forget Me Now" through my car speakers. In college, it became "Chasing Ghosts" that became a familiar song to my car's speakers, especially when driving home from work at night. Seeing them at Lollapalooza 2019 was an experience I'll never forget. In high school, they were awe-inspiring to me. I didn't know many female-fronted pop punk bands. I could never understate how much of a man's world the music industry is, but pop punk is a genre that's pretty heavily dominated by men's voices. It might be a fairly progressive genre, but that doesn't mean it's super diverse. At least, it wasn't so much when I was in high school, but I've seen it grow so much the last few years. Hearing Chrissy's voice was kind of actually exactly what I needed back then. Led by a woman, they carved a place for themselves in not only pop punk, but in gaming too, and I think that's pretty fucking neat.
There's Sleeping With Sirens, who's a band that started opening the door to metal music for me. I've listened to them through two album cycles now, and about to be a third, and watching them hit their stride again has been fun. How It Feels to Be Lost was an album that defined my sophomore year of college. It released right when I needed it to, I swear. It's almost as if the music gods always know.
Through all of this, I can't ignore the bands that I did fall out of, at some point before college, before reuniting them again over the past four years. It's kind of a feeling unlike any other.
Turning on The Fray again, after, honestly, more years than I even know, was like coming home. I love that band so unbelievably much. "Say When," "Enough for Now" and "Run for Your Life" are songs that have gotten me through so many things. The Fray writes such powerful music that really resonates and sticks with you. They're actually where this post started -- I just wanted to write about them, and how much they meant to me, and then I couldn't stop myself from doing that for literally everyone else. Even though they haven't released any new music in, hmm probably nearly a decade, at least more than half of one -- 2014 was their last album, although they had a "best of" in 2016 with two new songs -- their music is so comforting to me. They were really the first band I ever fell in love with. I have no idea why I stopped listening to them in the first place, but I regret that I did. I'm more than grateful that I made the decision to play them on Spotify one particularly rough day during my sophomore year. I didn't know exactly how much I needed it, apparently. But two years or something later, I still need their music more than I know. It's like a warm hug when I'm sad. Or a cup of hot cocoa in the snow. Or a cuddle from a puppy (or kitty). Picture the most comforting thing to you -- that's what their music feels like to me. And I couldn't ask for anything more.
On another end of the spectrum, listening to Krewella again for the first time since, I think middle school, was freeing beyond all hell. They made me feel empowered at quite possibly some of the most vulnerable moments in anyone's life -- I mean, middle school was a hell of an awkward time. Finding Krewella again, though, and diving head-first into everything they had released since was so empowering, so freeing. I remembered why I loved them way back then and found about a dozen other reasons to love them now. They're a huge reason why I fell in love with EDM in the first place. I can't say I love all of the genre, but they opened the door for me to explore it. I can never get enough of "Like We" and "Scissors" and "Anxiety" and "Goddess" and -- honestly, I could keep going here, listing songs of theirs that I love so much. I love them, their music, and honestly, everything they stand for. Finding them again in college was so freeing for me, all over again.
The really only other artist I can think to mention here is Natewantstobattle. He's kind of a jack of all trades in music, at least as far as his lyrical content and inspiration. He'll write completely original songs, do covers of pop punk or sometimes pop (but stylized as pop punk) songs, write songs based on video games, do anime covers -- his discography is so eclectic, but somehow, almost miraculously, it all works together. I honestly can't remember when I stopped listening to his music, but it was January of my sophomore year that I dove back in. I want to say that rediscovering his music was like reconnecting with an old best friend, but it actually wasn't. Nah, instead, listening to his music again was like discovering it in the first place. It all felt new -- and some of it was, to be fair. At that point, I hadn't heard his album Paid In Exposure -- and oh boy, is it a good one. Fantastic even. Actually being able to re-immerse myself into Nate's music was so much fun. There's a lot to explore there. I can't lie and say it's all fantastic, because, quite frankly, not all of his covers are my cup of tea. But there's definitely something for everyone, and there's just so much to love.
There's an insane amount of bands that, when I sat down to write this, I hadn't realized that I had only discovered them in college. It feels like I've listened to them forever.
One such band, is Boston Manor. They're proof that I'm not just into pop punk music for the pop-aspects of the genre. They're, to me, a fucking phenomenal punk band. I love every single song of theirs. I've had the absolute pleasure of seeing them live and I cannot wait for the day I can see them again. Freshman year, literally January 1, 2019, was when I discovered, and ultimately fell in love with them. I fell in love with the haunting sounds of their sophomore record Welcome to the Neighbourhood and everything each of the songs meant. "England's Dreaming" is such a powerful song; "Halo" was the first I ever heard, and it sticks with me so often; "Stick Up" has been my favorite on the record for so long and it just goes so hard. In the time since, they've dropped their third album and then an EP. GLUE was my album of the year in 2020. It's an incredible record that expanded on the sound of Welcome to the Neighbourhood. I can't say enough good things about every track on it, but "On A High Ledge," "Brand New Kids" and "Terrible Love" are ones that stay with me constantly. And their EP Desperate Times, Desperate Pleasures was easily my favorite EP of 2021. Every song is an absolute banger. "Algorithm," "I Don't Like People (& They Don't Like Me)" and "Desperate Pleasures" -- okay, all of them, honestly -- are powerful as all hell. There's not a bad track in their discography. Not even a lacking one. I'm honestly so stunned to recognize that they're technically a band I discovered while in college. In that amount of time, they became one of my top three bands of all time. Seeing what they use their platform to talk about, both in their songs but also just themselves, is really cool and empowering and a reminder of how powerful music can be. I cannot say enough good things about this band and the influence they've had on me throughout my college years.
I honestly also forgot that nothing,nowhere was a freshman year discovery. Can't lie, he's the reason I really listen to any rap, not that I listen to much, just a few artists and bands here and there. The first song I ever heard by him was "Nevermore." I remember it pretty fucking clearly, which is really rare for me. I was on my bunk bed (the top bunk, naturally) in good ol' Ross Hall, and I came across this song on YouTube as a suggestion. I recognized his name as I had seen articles from Alternative Press and Rock Sound and Kerrang! about him, always praising him and his unique music. I saw an opportunity for something new in the genre he was then, emo rap, and I took it. I don't regret it in the slightest. It's rare that the first time I hear an artist their song will make me cry. "Nevermore" made me sob. Like I'm talking a strong stream of tears. It still does, to this day. nothing,nowhere has been an incredible breath of fresh air for me. He's so honest -- although also very private. He's cancelled tours to get help for his mental health and been super upfront about that. He's a straight edge guy and very clear about that. To see him grow so much in four years has been so cool. He used to never show his face, always covering it with his hand. But now he's front and center in his music videos, he's moved away from the rap part in "emo rap" and has just really come into his own. It's refreshing as hell to see. He's a huge part of the reason I became more comfortable with taking time to myself when I'm overwhelmed. I'm so used to putting others first, and, I don't know exactly, but something about seeing this man cancel tours and write incredibly open songs about it (I mean, look at "dread," just saying) really kind of unlocked the idea that it's okay and actually necessary to put your mental health first. Can't say I haven't had any blow back for that, but I can say I haven't regretted it.
Bulow is another artist I discovered my freshman year. She's also another I've really seen come into her own. Her discography is so vastly different and so much fun. She absolutely just does her own thing and just has so much fun with it. Finding her music in April 2019 was kind of perfect for me. And when her The Contender EP dropped in October of that year, it instilled in me the confidence I really needed at the time. "Own Me" was my shit for months. I'm not kidding about that. And don't get me started on the line "I'm going all white to your funeral / If you think I'm gonna cry, you're delusional" in "Boys Will Be Boys." That was the level of "fuck you" energy I needed at the time, while still being as low-key in vibe as possible. Her music is such a strong presence to me, and I have to say I love it so much.
Ice Nine Kills I fell in love with my sophomore year -- well, the summer before. Arguably one of the heaviest bands I listen to, they make metal music so much fun (not that it isn't in general, because it definitely is). Their last two albums (The Silver Scream and Welcome to Horrorwood) have been based on horror films, and their album before that (Every Trick in the Book) was based on classic literature. They're unbelievably creative. And their live shows are unbelievably inventive. I've had the good fortune to see them twice, both in 2019, once at a festival and once on their headliner tour. The energy they bring is unmatched and their creativity with bringing their music to the live performance makes their live shows truly captivating. They're a little crazy -- scratch that, a lot crazy. But it's hella fucking dope. And there's not exactly anything wrong with their levels of crazy. They're the inventive as fuck level of crazy, and it's so damn cool what they're able to create. Anyone could do it, sure, but no one can do it like them. It's genuinely phenomenal. I love them so much. They're proof to me that a little bit of crazy pays off. And that's good to know.
We're moving into the territory now of bands I know I definitely started listening to in college and am so grateful I did.
My junior year I fell madly in love with PVRIS. First of all, they're fronted and led by a lesbian queen who's often gender non-conforming, which is so fucking incredible to see. Lynn Gunn is phenomenal musician and singer and artist, first and foremost, but it's still refreshing to see a woman leading such an incredible band, and having the support of her bandmates to say that she's really the creative force behind PVRIS -- just her. I remember at one point I saw her cover of Kerrang! magazine posted by the publication on Facebook and the comments were just raging about her flat chest, calling her less of a woman or, sometimes, not a woman. I remember thinking that's absolutely fucking bullshit and getting so pissed off about it. That's not what defines a woman and it's so frustrating to see people think it is. But she's an absolute boss. She does her own thing, mostly stays off the internet and thus is able to stay true to herself. She puts a lot into PVRIS's music and it shows. Their music is powerful and, honestly, so different. "Holy" and "St. Patrick" are songs that I can absolutely never skip and often repeat several times. Every song off Use Me, their most recent album, is just absolute bangers after bangers. It's incredible what they're able to create. Chances are, if you ask me who my favorite female-fronted band is, it's going to be PVRIS.
Speaking of women, Emilie Adams is an artist I fell head over heels for my junior year. Her song "Essence of Us" was in some random movie I was watching one night and I've been hooked ever since. Her songs range from downright fucking hot (i.e. "Monogamy" and "Play God") to emotional as shit (i.e. "Gone" and "Bored"). She combines pop and alternative with dark electronic in such an incredible way. There's a certain realness in her music you don't always expect. She's only really got two EPs and one other single, but there's a cool range in her short discography. Discovering her music was a confidence boost I needed. Her music is powerful -- not necessarily in a lyrical meaning way, but in its sound. And I absolutely love that.
Falling in love with the fairly small band from Florida called NIGHTBREAKERS was pretty natural. I heard one of their songs by chance and it kind of all just fell in place. With two EPs and a handful of singles, their sound is just absolutely so bubbly. They make music I want to dance to. They make music that, quite frankly, makes me happy. And when I listen to so much emo music, that element can become so incredibly important. I started listening to them junior year, but senior year, after their EP Feelings, I was constantly dancing in the kitchen to "Quarter to Midnight." Roommates would walk in to me jamming so hard to an unknown song in my headphones -- for about two months, it was always "Quarter to Midnight." I'm so glad to be able to watch them grow, although I can't lie, sometimes I get a little freaked out that some (or most?) of the guys in the band are younger than me. If I think to hard about it, I might have an existential crisis (I mean if they're making that music at that age, what am I doing?). But that's besides the point. NIGHTBREAKERS makes music that makes me kind of unbelievably happy, and I'm so very grateful for that positive presence.
I think you'd be shocked about the amount of bands and artists I discovered my senior year that actually had some form of an impact on me in such a short amount of time. A lot of these bands I've had a long time to sit with their music. These next bands lit a match for me, I suppose.
My album of the year in 2021 was by this phenomenal solo artist American Teeth. We Should Be Having Fun is an absolute vibe and a half, I'm just going to say it. I started listening to American Teeth very early in the summer before my senior year. His music was often upbeat and really strong. I'm talking like the song "Gemini." Amazing song. Love it so much. Or "2late." Also phenomenal song. Literally all of his songs were perfect for the summer. When We Should Be Having Fun dropped in October, I thought it'd be impossible for it to become my AOTY, no matter how much I absolutely loved American Teeth at that point. I feel like I'm legally obligated to say there's not a bad track on it. There's not a track that I'm like "well, that one kind of falls a little short." But the super impressive thing was it has such a range. It has its high notes with "One of Those Days" and "SICK," but it also had its more emotive moments in "Gonna Be Okay" and "To Be Loved." It's a record I could speak about for ever. It's one I could listen to for so damn long without getting sick of it. He's such an exciting artist, genuinely. When I started listening to him, I really didn't think I would love his music so much. I thought it'd be just like two or three songs, max. But I became so hooked before I knew it.
Sarah Barrios was an unexpected find for me. Like seriously, I found her because AS IT IS was listening to her song "Thank God You Introduced Me to Your Sister." They showed up with that song in my friend's activity on Spotify and I was immediately intrigued. I gave it a shot and fell in love so fast. A lot of her music isn't what I usually listen to. But it's incredible and I'm so grateful I took the plunge. "We Don't Have to Die" is one of my favorite songs to have an existential crisis to now -- I mean it's all about reshaping the frame of mind around death. "Aftermath of You" is an iconic enemies-to-lovers song -- oh, have I mentioned yet that she will sometimes get ideas for songs from books she loves? Which is so fucking dope. Makes me want to read for fun again, honestly. "Love Songs" helps me believe in love. "All My Sins" and "Somebody I'm Proud Of" are phenomenal songs full of introspection. She's an incredible songwriter with an incredible discography. Her music has become something that means a lot to me in a super short period of time. And that makes me excited.
If you read my last post, this next (and last) one's not going to be a surprise. Boy, oh, boy, where do I even begin with The Faim? It's such a recent love I've got for this band, but it's incredibly strong. I've been listening to almost nothing but their music all week long. Some of their songs hit a whole other level of emotion for me, like "ERA" and "Make Believe." Others are just absolute bangers and a half, like "Saints of the Sinners" and "My Heart Needs to Breath." "The Hills" unlocks the wanderlust in me and "Ease My Mind" appeals to the part of me that's constantly thinking "the world's fucked." I could talk about them and their music for hours, and yet they're a band I truly started to fall in love with last weekend. Kinda crazy how quick these things can work.
At the end of the day, music is the thing I turn to at my best and my worst. Through the happiest moments and through the worst moments, I've always got a soundtrack going. The many, many bands and artists in this letter of sorts are just a handful of those who's music who got me through the best and worst of the last four years. There's been a lot of good and a whole hell of a lot of bad. If I didn't have the music I listen to, the past four years would've been a hell of a different story.
And now, since I'm officially recognizing just how close graduation actually is, I'll leave with these lyrics from the chorus of The Faim's "ERA:"
Let's make a toast To the good and the bad The memories we made The friends that we have And lost along the way So raise a glass and say It’s the end of an era And the start of another
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