The Walters: Try, Try Again

The Walters are a truly hardcore representation of Chicago’s music scene, as they were bred from the inspiration of the city and very little else. The indie pop, folksy alternative vibes that you hear in their music is a reminder of the quiet and wholesome parts of the city that showcase the lower energy that forges some of the greatest understated qualities of Chicago. They show a new light on the production aspect of music in Chicago because they gravitate towards the small details that make it special as opposed to the loud in-your-face aspects of it. Both of which are important parts of the city’s make-up, but it is a fresh perspective for the music industry. While their sound is simple, their lyrics speak to greater and heavier experiences that also represent the Chicago experience and the genius of our artists.

While the band members themselves are not from Chicago, the namesake member, Walter Kosner moved from their hometown in Connecticut to attend college in Chicago. After realizing the school was wrong but the city was right, Walter dropped out and recruited the rest of the members to form The Walters in 2014. Their signature sound is a wild combination which reminds me of a grandparent reading to their grandchild. An eclectic story-telling ability, combined with an original and gritty sound, makes for a wonderfully saturated pulse by which The Walters have expanded on. Their first EP in 2014 was called Songs for Dads (favorite song Fancy Shoes) and also featured ‘I Love You So’ which is one of their most well-known songs, as well as the best representation of their vibration. I can personally say it did more than comfort me during my stays in heartbreak hotel. This was a song that was so abounding with remorse, passion, and hope all at the same time and provided a friend in times of grief. The thought and expertise that goes into writing a song like that deserves nothing more than absolute praise and adoration. Their fans seemed to agree as they rose to fame quite quickly with that release in 2014. Their first album was dropped called Young Men (favorite song Cottage Roads) in 2015 to firmly cement the establishment of their sound, and what they want their music to mean. These were 5 young men who were just beginning to find themselves in the world, let alone find what they would mean for others, which was the unfortunate start of their eventual downfall. Or was it? 

After multiple tours and headliner events, The Walters capped off their success streak with a mind-blowing performance at one of the biggest music festivals in Chicago, Lollapalooza. Their final track released in 2017 was semi-ironically named She’s Gonna Leave You. The band ended on a high as they quite abruptly posted to their facebook page the announcement of their breakup. There are many speculations as to why this was. Some say that lead vocalist Luke Olson wanted to pursue a solo career. The remaining members also formed a new band called Corduroy which led fans to believe that Olson was kicked out of the band, leading them to disband. In my opinion, these were 5 young men in their early 20’s who rose to fame so quickly that they simply couldn’t take it. The early 20’s are meant for exploring and finding yourself. This is no easy task when you are faced with decisions and opinions and transactions that are far too complicated for one to conceive with a still-developing brain. Frankly, the decision to breakup is the healthiest option they could have gone with. Many bands who are formed that young tend to burn out in far more unhealthy and explosive ways, but this was no ordinary boy band.

Thanks to the incredible tenacity of the internet and social media, Tik Tok picked up some of The Walters’ sound and made their hit song go viral as a sound. It was utilized in many clips for sentimental reasons representing relationships or dogs or family memories. The world seemed to still understand the concept that The Walters had set up for their sound, and certainly wanted more of it. When the band realized they were still deeply wanted by the world, they announced their reuniting. In 2021, The Walters were once again a band made of 5 men who had explored the world, seen other options, and come back to each other in a blaze of love and admiration. They released an acoustic version of ‘I Love You So’ in a gorgeously melodic return to the music industry as a band, and the fans have done nothing but eat it up! Other than the different variations of their hit song that they’ve released since reuniting, the first original single that was released was Million Little Problems, which reestablished their sound and dedication to their music in a new and brilliantly matured way. We see a lot of the journey that they experienced in their hiatus, and how they have each grown in a multitude of ways through their new sound. The band clearly held on to everything that made them special, but included new doses of their journeys apart, which only made them grow even more gloriously.

In 2022 they graced their fans with a new EP called Try Again (favorite song Eyes for You), once again, semi-ironically, and while it is a slower journey to the top of their widely popular songs, they are making more and more progress and releasing more and more music at a pace that they find suitable and honorable for their music. This is a band who is meticulous about honoring their sound and acknowledging the ways in which that makes them unique. You see the scars and successes throughout their lives and careers that make them stronger in the long run, and you can’t help but root for them. What’s next for The Walters? They have a few live shows in the books, seemingly getting a few smaller shows under their belts in order to re-enter the music scene in a gentle but productive way, and fans have their fingers crossed for a tour which will potentially round out in a return to Lollapalooza. The beautiful thing about this band is that they own their journey in the most exceptional and irrefutable way. They will grow and progress in the way that they choose to, and not allow others to make those decisions for them. They are no longer self-managed, and have been signed with Warner Music Group. While many may be concerned that signing with a label may change or taint their music, I’m fairly confident they will defend their harmonies in a graceful and confident way after they experienced the harsh pulse of life without it.