Tucked in the corner of the Indie Rock category of Spotify lies a band known as the Bad Bad Hats, whose third album Walkman, offers catchy songs that capture the essence of a sunny room. Lead singer Kerry Alexander’s velvety voice carries music that is light on the ears and invokes a sense of adventure, onto a completely different plane of feeling.

   Two noticeable features throughout the album were the uniform guitar strumming and consistent vocal range—it either attracted or bored the more adventurous listener who was looking for a more daring sound. 

   According to entertainment website The AV Club, “mild mannered” is the more negative term used to describe the less wild and experimental music in rock. They argue that the album Walkman, is “as easy on the ears as it is engaging to the mind-an album so full of hummable melodies and bouncy pleasant rhythms.”  

   In the opening song named Walkman, “You’re the only sound that I can’t tune out; and the room spins and my head spins, so I give in; and we dance this dance again,” is just a fraction of how deep the lyrics can reach. 

   Sophomore Tatianna Cruzado enjoyed listening to this unique genre of music. “It’s a very feel-good album—I see myself playing this in the morning and getting ready for the day.” A versatile album that can serve as background music, but upon closer examination, the lyrics don’t fall short either when matching the feelings. 

   Junior Kiley Irizzary gave her take on one of the more poignant songs in the album, Priority.

“I really like their sound, and the lyrics even more. Indie rock has so much room for expression.” “When I walked into the kitchen, you were already dead / Just a glowing television, and the ghost of things unsaid,” was one of the many instances where Alexander sends powerful messages to the audience with conviction. 

   Right behind them are other bands like Boygenius, The Regrettes, and Japanese Breakfast– slowly climbing the ranks and delivering not “mild-mannered” music, but music that stirs the soul through pleasant sound.