Model

On Wallows’ third LP, <i>Model</i>, the alternative trio from LA wanted to prove how far they’d come since their emergence in 2017 and early albums like 2019’s <i>Nothing Happens</i>. That record, plus its follow-up, <i>Tell Me That It's Over</i>, positioned the group as one of alt-rock’s most restless groups. In <i>Model</i>, they take that philosophy and extend it a step forward, joyfully moving from anthemic pop to post-punk to odes to heartbreak. Take the album’s first track, “Your Apartment”, which features a galloping drum groove that lands somewhere between the dance punk of LCD Soundsystem and the propulsive beat of Bloc Party. Piano chords highlight Dylan Minnette’s yearning vocals as he sings: “Who said I don't understand or that I probably won't remember/Time in the palm of your hand, we both let go together/But I promise, I get your sentiment/I wonder who's been at your apartment.” He’s equal parts defiant and heartbroken, creating a complex, emotive ass-kicker of an album opener. On its follow-up, “Anytime, Always”, they capture the crisp precision of The Strokes, and the specificity with which they arrange instrumentations signals a clear growth for the band.