Hunks making hits since 2014

To kick off my sophomore year, I stopped by a house show close to campus with a few friends, and one of the bands that performed was a face I’d never seen before: The Walters. They ended up at SJU because the venue they originally booked, a bigger basement on Drexel’s campus, fell through. The owner of the house coincidentally heard about The Walter’s show and offered up his basement instead. They put on a wild act and had the crowd jamming and jumping and shouting the lyrics back to them. They definitely weren’t forgettable, so I’ve had this sweet group on repeat ever since.

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, The Walters call themselves “hunks making hits.” The vibe I immediately get from these guys is super chill, just a couple of happy friends making music. And I love that. I love the “I don’t really care if you like it but we think it’s pretty cool, so here’s our record” persona they emit. I totally dig the perpetual state of euphoria they seem to carry with them wherever they go, because that’s how their music makes me feel.

Their live performances are very different from the way they record, and that’s totally okay. They’re the type of band who has to move when they’re onstage, so their usual slow crooners won’t work for a pumped up crowd. They tone up their songs for fun, danceable hits and they sound just as great.

The Walters currently have two albums out: Young Men (2015) and Songs for Dads (2014). Both records have such a melancholy, happy summer feel. I listened to them all the way through after I saw the show, and I realized that these are songs to fall in love to. “I Love You So,” especially, “Autumn Leaves,” “Sweet Marie,” “New Girl,” and “Fancy Shoes” are all beautifully written and sweet, totally contradicting their in-concert persona, which I thought was pretty cool. The melodies will fill your heart and the lyrics will break it over the course of three minutes.

Frontman Luke Olsen has a recorded voice that is reminiscent of the Beach Boys or Buddy Holly when paired with backing vocals. His lyrics are earnest confessions, truly soulful and beautiful. Rhythmic ballads are balanced with poppy surf jams that still manage to emanate the same lazy vibe. Everything about their music screams FUN. These are songs for the beach. These are songs for a road trip. These are songs to dance to. These are songs to love to.

Check out The Walters on Spotify, these guys are up and coming on the radio, and if you happen to live in the Chicago area you can catch them at local festivals.

Thanks for all the cool jams guys, You Got Me Feelin’ Alright.

Keep up with The Walters on Instagram, and don’t forget to follow our Instagram account @brotherlylovelivemusic for more pictures from the show as well as from our previous posts, shot by Dylan Eddinger.

Spotlight On: The Walters

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