Georgia based indie duo hey, nothing started recording together while in high school, and now they have evolved into one of the most promising groups arising within the folk rock genre. The duo, composed of Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips, went on their headline tour this summer and just released their first album, “We’re Starting to Look Like Each Other”.
Their debut record is full of energy, emotional depth, and an undoubtedly passionate love for music. The duo thrive in indie rock, creating a sound somewhat similar to The Backseat Lovers or Slaughter Beach, Dog. However, they differentiate themselves with their own unique charismatic flair, making “We’re Starting to Look Like Each Other” a breath of fresh air within the genre.
Every element of the album dances around perfectly with all of the separate components in each song. hey, nothing effortlessly develops their channeled emotions within each track, whether in the album’s upbeat anthems like the wonderfully saccharine “Too Drunk to Drive” or the somber and ruminative “Ur Purple Eyes”. The duo’s establishments of mood through their record contest even the capabilities of some of the most seasoned storytellers, making “We’re Starting to Look Like Each Other” an incredibly impressive feat for a debut album.
Both Mabry and Phillips serve as vocalists throughout the album, interchangeably shifting who takes the lead in each track. The two singers each have their own distinct sound with their tones and performing styles; Tyler Mabry has a much raspy vocal style with inflection that emphasizes a midwest emo style cry, Mabry perfectly matches the energy needed for hey, nothing’s folk rock tracks. His phenomenal vocal performance is best heard within the track “Bad Influence”.
Mabry’s suave slides and rugged growls work together to create an infectious energy and dynamic within the song, and he manages to reach outstanding heights with his high notes at the climax of the song . Paired with the swinging rock instrumentals of simultaneously relaxed and husky electric guitar and percussion instrumental, “Bad Influence” immediately cements itself as an indie classic.
Harlow Phillips seems to have mastered both a more silky and soft style and a powerfully grungy style within their vocal capabilities, and they are both highlighted perfectly within the album’s closing track, “Goodbye”. In “Goodbye”, the instrumentation takes a more supportive role as Phillips tenderly expresses deep emotions of loss and separation. The song slowly builds with rustic and whimsical accompanying strings until it reaches its full outburst at the end of the track. Phillips excellently belts with a commanding rough vibrato, giving the song its own distinct edge alongside its beauty. The song navigates through a range of portrayed emotions with their versatile vocal capabilities.
hey, nothing’s lyrical content also intricately spans over a wide variety of personal topics, with personal relationships and substance abuse being two of their most prominent and hard-hitting thematic ideas throughout the album. The track “Flora” culminates both of these ideas alongside the duo’s gorgeous vocal combination and a more folky instrumental arrangement. They sing that “There are things in life that you can change and some you can’t control / Like an addiction to nicotine or an addiction to coke / Some of which are in your realm, the others have you in a choke.” The group utilizes strikingly genuine lyricism that allows their art to resonate on a more authentic level than many other artists.
hey, nothing’s “We’re Starting to Look Like Each Other” is full of rare character and charm that many artists can only ever imagine having. hey, nothing is the real deal. With their debut release instantly solidifying itself as a must-listen-to album from this year, hey, nothing is undoubtedly a band worth keeping your eyes on.
