Balancing an emo-edged alternative rock sound with heavier intonations, Subtleties deliver honesty and urgency in equal measure on new EP, 'Barely You'. A palpable energy weaves throughout the record, driven by elements of the 00's alternative rock scene, along with flashes of the band's more present day contemporaries.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Harrison, Vocals

Jake, Guitar

Dan, Guitar

Hawke, Bass

Nick, Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Subtleties? How long has the band been around?

Subtleties has been a band for around two years, started by Jake and Harrison from the ashes of an old project. The band at first was a four piece, with Nick coming in for drums and a member of our old band playing bass. Harry and Jake have been in bands together since high school, one of which included Hawke, who is Jake’s childhood best friend. When the original bassist left, Hawke was ready to commit to being a full time member. We met Dan through the Western Mass scene. At the time he was in an outfit called Brain Habits, but has a long list of other ventures including bands like Crafter and Between Now and Forever. We wanted a second guitarist so we would have a better sound live, so when he asked to join it was a swift yes.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Subtleties was just a name Jake thought of in college. The project all came together sort of fast, and we were trying to hit the ground running as soon as possible, so we made a list of names and that’s the one that stuck. In retrospect we probably should have have picked a name that’s a little easier to read and pronounce (we get a lot of people saying “subtitles” or “subleties”, which isn’t even a word so who knows), but hindsight’s 20/20. 

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Jake and Harrison are the main song writers. They work well together because either’s weakness is the others strength, and vice versa. For instance, Jake has a hard time writing transitions, but he could go to Harry with a skeleton of a song and he’ll fill in the blanks. Right now we write a lot about what’s going on in our lives, and those who are around us. The new EP was a lot about the struggles people we know and love have faced, things like PTSD and Alzheimer’s, and how they have effected them or us. Above all we like to make sure that our songs are relatable to people that may be going through something similar.

Even if we have a concrete idea for what the song is about, we like to broaden it to let people going through similar things connect with the song in a similar way. I’m sure our song writing will mature in the coming releases. We’re all in our early 20’s, so we’re still learning and growing in a lot of different ways. I’m sure that in a couple years the writing topics with evolve and mature, otherwise we’ll just be stuck in one place.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

A lot of bands that inspire us are from the early 2000’s. Stuff like Saosin, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, and so on. The more modern stuff we’re inspired by would be groups like Can’t Swim, Like Pacific, or Rarity. We like to mix as much as we can into our songs, incorporating lighter and heavier sides or music, so our inspiration list could go on and on.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Nick and Harry definitely became infatuated with the band culture through their love of Metallica as teenagers. Jake and Hawke started playing guitar together when they were 9 and 10, and found a love for classic rock. All they wanted was to be like Guns and Roses or Motley Crue. They’ve calmed down a bit since.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

We like to set up quick, so out pre set is usually a little rushed. Usually we’ll all walk up to each other and ask if we’re all ready, and give hugs before the madness ensues. Last show Hawke came out dancing to “Alien Boy” by Oliver Tree, and I sincerely hope that becomes a regular thing. It’s spectacular.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

The release of the EP was really incredible. Seeing people positively respond to something that we worked on for two years was really special. The EP release show we had two days after the release was insane. So many people were there to hear the new songs, and some already knew the words. It was nerve-racking holding these songs back for so long, because by the time it was released we really didn’t know how it was going to go. Seeing the positive reaction was incredibly cathartic and a high point for all of us for sure.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Touring with any of the iconic early 2000’s alt rock/emo bands would be a dream come true. A Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, Hawthorne Heights, or The Starting Line tour would be insane. For current bands our go to answer is Can’t Swim or Rarity, just because it’d be a fun fit.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Check out our new EP “Barely You” everywhere now! Thanks to Kill The Music for having us!