Album of the Issue: You Are Who You Hang Out With - The Front Bottoms

People take their own music taste too seriously these days. They let other people’s perceptions of themselves govern their musical personality, so they create “auxable” playlists and boast an unoriginal music taste. Snobby music connoisseurs are always so eager to show off their own music taste, and are so quick to criticize others. People forget that music is supposed to be fun. Music is supposed to make you feel alive, whether that feeling be good or bad.

Hailing from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, the Front Bottoms have created somewhat of a cult following. Most often recognized for their rock acoustic sound, seemingly meaningless lyrics, and “bad” vocals, they often fall into the category of Midwest Emo, though they are truly an indie folk rock band with some of the characteristics of Emo. Their most famous albums are “The Front Bottoms” (2011), “Talon of the Hawk” (2013), and “Back on Top” (2015), their most famous song, “Twin Sized Mattress,” coming from their 2013 project.

“You Are Who You Hang Out With” (2023) by the Front Bottoms is, to me, an objectively bad album, yet it is one of my all-time favorites. Experimenting with a slightly new sound, this album is notable for its auto-tuned vocals and heavy electric guitar; while the opening track “Emotional” exemplifies this novel sound, the very next song on the album “Outlook” returns to the quintessential Front Bottoms sound, with whiny vocals over beautiful acoustic guitar. Going back and forth between the new and old style, the Front Bottoms create a unique album that feels both familiar and nostalgic, while also demonstrating their musical growth and willingness to take risks and experiment. This boldness culminates in their penultimate song, “Batman,” in which Brian Sella, the lead singer and acoustic guitarist, begins the song with just his singing and playing––a style very reminiscent of the band's early days. The song slowly builds, with Sella repeating the line “Batman raises his hands to cover his face” to represent the band's ever-evolving sound, as “Batman” covers his face so the future can remain unknown: the band, by not committing to a sound, hide their faces so that they can continue to fulfill their future artistic visions. The album ends with a rock ballad entitled “Finding Your Way Home,” in which Sella sings about his desire to settle down and love; yet he nonetheless expresses his understanding that home, to him, is music, and that he will have to sacrifice his relationships to fulfill his love for his craft.

One could analyze the Front Bottoms for hours, but it would be pointless. They are objectively bad, and no amount of analysis could convince someone otherwise. What stands out to me about the band is their ability to embrace this title as a bad band. They make one question what truly makes a band bad, for if a band is making you feel alive, isn’t it doing its job? The Front Bottoms have never claimed to be exceptional, but they have always set out to do what they want; unphased by public perception and by their label of “bad band,” they are almost more free to do what they want with their music, as there is no real pressure to create something astonishing: that is precisely why people keep listening to them. They put their heart and soul into imperfect music; they make music so raw and real that one might call it bad, but I believe that if everyone loosened up and stopped worrying about the public consensus in the music industry, people would find that they like the Front Bottoms, and perhaps they might take themselves a little less seriously in the process.

Maggie Huse