The Backseat Lovers are an American indie rock band formed in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2018, whose single Kilby Girl turned the debut When We Were Friends (2019) into a streaming phenomenon. Waiting to Spill (2022), their Capitol debut, stretches into longer, more textured arrangements. Shop The Backseat Lovers vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
The Backseat Lovers formed in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2018. The band consists of Joshua Harmon, Jonas Swanson, KJ Ward, and Juice Welch. They built an early following through local performances and the breakout single Kilby Girl, which became a significant streaming success and led to a deal with Capitol Records. The band has toured widely and developed a strong audience among younger indie rock listeners.
The Backseat Lovers play indie rock with elements of folk rock and alternative, built around guitar interplay, dynamic shifts between quiet and loud passages, and earnest, coming-of-age lyrics. Their second album moved toward longer, more textured arrangements compared to the more immediate songs of their debut.
Vinyl pressings of both albums have appeared in colored variants, with the debut of interest as the release containing Kilby Girl. Capitol-era pressings of Waiting to Spill have been issued in multiple configurations.
Listeners new to The Backseat Lovers often start with When We Were Friends (2019) for Kilby Girl, then Waiting to Spill (2022). For related listening, see and.
