by Sebastian Mackay
Pop punk may be the land of pizza and never ending friendships but there aren’t many pop punk vocalists that can say they’ve been trapped in an elevator. Let alone trapped in an elevator in a haunted house – Taylor Jardine (who fronts We Are The In Crowd) is one of, possibly the only one who can say she has been.
“It was terrifying because it was shot in a haunted house.”
It happened during the filming of the “Rumor Mill” video (off their first album Best Intentions). Naturally, it’s not something she would want to again, but if she were to she’d be stuck with her three siblings. “That sounds so lame but they are my true foundation.”
For fans of We Are The In Crowd (and if you haven’t caught up yet, then go get on the Youtube machine) it’s good it’s only a hypothetical. Since 2009, the band has been on an upwards trajectory and their new album Weird Kids (released on February 18th) will serve to speed up that climb to the top. The band has been listed on FUSE’s most anticipated albums of 2014.
“Which is super flattering!” says Jardine.
One listen to the album shows that they’re on FUSE’s list for good reason. It’s catchy, dynamic and incredibly honest. All things that Jardine says come together to create a great album. New albums and growth go hand in hand and Jardine says what sets this album apart from Best Intentions is their growth as people, hers as a songwriter and a long tour.
“I think touring for as long as we did on the last record was also a huge learning experience. You get an idea of what fans really like. The in-person reaction was very beneficial to us.”
She also says this album is much more personal having overcome the thought that thousands of people were listening to her lyrics. “I learned to overcome [it] on this record, which is why I think this album is so much more personal than the previous. It is the most liberating thing to be able to completely let it all out…I definitely gained more courage in this writing process than I ever have before.”
Part of being more open and personal was the track “Windows In Heaven.” Jardine says, “when we were writing this record we didn’t want to hold back any feelings. W really wanted to see what we were fully capable of.”
The track stands out for being a different style, musically and in terms of vocal delivery, to the others on the album. “So with that limitless attitude, we went for something different that really captures the mood of the song.”
We Are The In Crowd are bringing their emotional side along with their kick ass energetic side to the First Unitarian Church on February 21st. The show is after the new release and Jardine says to expect some new tracks.
“We are playing a lot of new songs but still keeping the fan favorites in there as promised. I think the flow of the set is one of my favorites to date.”
