Over the past 8 years, little image (Jackson Simmons, vocals/guitar, Troy Bruner, drums and Brandon Walters, bass/synth) morphed from a group of perpetually online suburban teens who were obsessed with underground indie rock into the tight-knit outfit you see today. While many young artists had their careers derailed in 2020 due to COVID, it actually managed to save little image, who were gearing up to announce themselves to the world without realizing they needed more time for reflection and creativity. That extra time allowed the band to fully expand on the promise of their early singles “WORTH IT” and “EGO,” exploring different ways to create a pop-rock song beyond the basic guitar/bass/drums template. This new burst of creativity led to not just a collection of songs but an actual album, deliberately sequenced to tell a story of self-doubt, self-reflection, and eventually, self-love that little image hopes will connect with people across the globe. Kicking off is the M83-esque indie-dance number “LUNGS BURN,” a diamond in a sea of gems. Taking a broad scope view of current culture and how damaging the idea of technology and the obsession with our self-image can be, it’s an invitation to let go, be yourself, and be present instead of drowning yourself in your phone and the toxicities that exist there. The song is a cry for people to come together and experience something without those things in play, and truly feel something bigger than themselves.
