A beautifully upbeat record, Model  by indie-pop band Wallows has come just in time for summer, released on May 24. Listening to Model, it is not difficult to imagine rolling your car windows down and blasting the album after a long day at the swimming pool. Short and sweet, the album’s 12 tracks last 37 minutes, proving that an album does not need to be lengthy to be of good quality.

Kicking off the record, Your Apartment  tells a tale of infidelity and insecurity in one’s relationship. The lead singer of Wallows, Dylan Minnette, gives an extraordinary vocal performance, encapsulating the emotion felt while undergoing such intense feelings of doubt. Joined in the chorus by Wallows’ bass player, Braeden Lemasters, Minnette and Lemasters’ voices blend, adding an extra element to the narrator’s feelings of there being another person in their relationship.

Anytime, Always  is the second song of the album and the shortest of all twelve. With themes of acceptance and moving on from past relationships, the shortness of the song puts an emphasis on the few lyrics present. The chorus consists of the repeated line, “You can call me anytime, always,”  which highlights the significance of the narrator’s feelings towards the subject of the song.

Released as a single on Mar. 21, Calling After Me  deviates from the first two songs of the album, as the narrator sings of how he wants his relationship and love for another to be public. He details their progressing relationship and the growing compatibility between the two of them. A soft guitar line turned electric expresses the lines with beauty, translating emotion into smooth, sonic perfection. Calling After Me  is the most popular of the five released singles, garnering over 17 million streams in its single month of release.

With a mystical instrumental backing the lyrics, A Warning  is the most sonically unique track on the album. A duet between Minnette and Lemasters, the track is themed around the realization that the narrator’s partner has fallen out of love with him. The narrator utilizes metaphors to describe the cold nature of his partner and how he realized she was no longer in love. Minnette and Lemasters’ whisper-like, soft and longing vocals move the listener through the emotions they sing of, entrancing the listener and evoking a strong empathetic sense.

The final single put out in anticipation of the release of Models, You (Show Me Where My Days Went)  was released only three days prior to the album’s release on May 21. Touching on feelings of deep nostalgia and longing, this track is easily relatable to many listeners. The thematic focus of the track is mistaking feelings of being unfillment in life with the want of a romantic relationship, adhering to the popular belief that engaging in a relationship will solve all of a person’s problems and make them happy.

Canada  is an upbeat and electric track describing the whims and excitement of falling in love with someone new. Minnette thoroughly sings of his enthrallment with a new person and his eagerness to engage in a relationship with her. The high-pitched instrumentals mirror the butterflies-in-stomach sensation of meeting a new crush perfectly. The entire song is an exact representation of the feeling of new love to a tee, sure to give any listener chills of elation.

Singing of the multi-faceted personality of the narrator’s significant other, She’s an Actress  describes the woman’s see-through personality and how she lacks authenticity. However, there are also descriptions of how the narrator doesn’t care that she is not true to her personality, as he is willing to do whatever it takes to be in a relationship with her. With a steady beat, She’s an Actress  stands out for a multitude of reasons, from the unique lyrics to the carelessness represented in the song.

The confusion and panicked state of mind represented in Going Under  is represented through the heavier instrumentals and strain of voice throughout the song. The true meaning of the song is not hidden behind any calm instrumentals or vocals, but instead shown vividly throughout all aspects of the track. The fear of losing the comfort of a close companion or loved one is shown perfectly in this track, as Minnette puts on a performance like no other.

Only Ecstasy  is the closing track to the album and perfectly encapsulates the intense love portrayed throughout it. The longest track of the record, the song is by far the most beautiful and emotional. This passion is seen through the lyrics, “I can see generations in your face, I see the eyes of unborn daughters,” and “You ran to pick me flowers, then you brought them up to me. Engraved that day and smile, you gave in to my memory,” as the narrator describes his deep and eternal love for his partner. The pure love and devotion conveyed in the track casts a spell on listeners, cementing the song a spot in their regular rotation for years to come.

Model  is an album that focuses on love, showcasing both the positive and negative sides of passion in relationships. Backed by melodic instrumentals, the complete and utter complexity of the album proves it to be Wallows’ best. Capturing the process of growing and learning about life through the lens of love, Model  proves to the music scene that Wallows still knows how to create a flawless and skip free indie-pop record.