IMC Listening guide

Best weather to enjoy this album

Sunny day

Best time to listen

Midday energy boost

Best place to listen

On the road, or at home

Does this album haunt the silence?

Melody lingers

Goosebumps scale

Chills guaranteed

Our thoughts

Let’s go not far from our friend Kahone Concept, into the streets of Philadelphia, to discover Trainwreck Boyfriend, a band of six friends: 4 guys and 2 girls. Vocally, the band is carried by Greta et Kristin’s voice. Yes, an alt-rock band fronted by girls! It’s quite rare, and it’s a detail we loved from the first seconds of listening to their debut album, simply titled Trainwreck Boyfriend.

As soon as you hear wonderful female vocals on “Freak Show,” the opening track, you get pulled back into a very nostalgic place. We immediately thought about a blessed era, when we were listening to bands like Hooverphonic, The Cardigans, and even The Corrs. Those unforgettable melodies that stay in your head, strong and well-built, pushed forward by female voices. That’s exactly what you’ll find on this album, and it’s honestly impressive how solid it feels from start to finish. There’s also one obvious thing that connects everything: you can hear the pleasure the band had while putting it together. You can feel it in the details, and you can feel it in the choices they made all along the way.

You get sounds we really love on tracks like “Apartment Life,” which mixes piano, strings, and electric guitar in a way that just works. It’s the kind of balance that only Moby used to pull off so well. Sometimes the electric guitar takes a bit more space, like on “Checkmate.” Sometimes it’s the synths that take the lead, like on “Love, Emily.” Nothing feels forced. It’s just natural, and it keeps the album moving.
Trainwreck Boyfriend also explores a lot of different territories. “Feels Like Summer” almost makes you think about reggae rhythms, while “Invisible” reminds you that yes, you’re still listening to a real alt-rock band, and a talented one. The band mentions The Cure, The Pixies, and The Smiths as influences, and it makes sense. You can hear that rock DNA, but with a soft heart behind it. And most importantly, the songs carry messages that mean something.

All through the album, you go through chapters of the human experience: the highs, the lows, the wounds, the vulnerable moments. And it’s done with lyrics that are written and controlled perfectly. Greta even told us she has a bit of a perfectionist side when it comes to writing:

“Writing thoughtful lyrics is very important to me. I put a lot of pressure on myself to get that right”.

She also gave us more context about how the songs are born. Most of the time, it’s Billy who starts things by throwing around a dozen riffs to the others every week. Then Greta tries to go through that whole mess and find a vocal melody on top of it, using nonsense words at first. And when it finally sounds right, it becomes real lyrics. Lyrics that will get rewritten again and again until everything feels perfect, and until it matches what they wanted to say.

That perfectionist side is everywhere on the album. You hear it in the vocals (there are absolutely no wrong notes), in the melodies, and in the production, which is clean down to the smallest details. The record was produced by Kyle Pulley at Headroom Studios, and the result is almost too clean for an indie band, in the best way. It’s exactly what makes you want more, because it sounds good instantly, and it stays good after many listens.

And since this is the band’s only album so far, you basically have two options. Either you play it on repeat. Or you take out your old Cardigans CDs and blow the dust off. But whatever you do, you’ll get a really enjoyable musical trip, where the listener is respected every second, because this album is clearly made for them. A great example of altruism from a new band with a chemistry that feels special.

A bit more about Trainwreck Boyfriend

We’re based in Philadelphia, and we’re Trainwreck Boyfriend: a female-fronted band serving up raw indie rock with riffs, melodies, and thoughtful lyrics that prove life’s a mess… but it sounds great. Our sound draws influence from The Beths, Momma, Veruca Salt, and timeless bands like The Smiths, The Cure, and The Pixies. We aim for the right balance between polish and grit, writing songs that hit with honesty and emotion, like a soundtrack for life’s imperfections. Each track feels relatable to us, capturing moments of tension, heartbreak, and hope in a way that stays grounded and still feels fresh. We’re excited about our self-titled album, and we’re looking forward to a coast-to-coast tour.

Reach out to Trainwreck Boyfriend

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