Short Fictions return with new song "Don't Start A Band," sign to Lauren Records

Pittsburgh emo band Short Fictions have signed to Lauren Records and released a new single, “Don’t Start A Band,” their first new song since their much-loved debut LP Fates Worse Than Death, which came out in 2019 on Acrobat Unstable.

“The writing process for Fates happened throughout my early 20s; I think a lot of people feel chaotic and uncertain at that time in their life, and that definitely comes out in the music,” guitarist/vocalist Sam Treber tells us. “I look back at some of those song structures and wonder what could have possessed me to compose like that. I’m more at peace with myself and the world these days, which is nice. I can definitely see us returning to a more spastic sound in the future but sometimes I just wanna write a jammer than everyone will have fun with. I think touring with Origami Angel may have inspired a poppier era of Short Fictions writing. This song is a little more straightforward than some of the Fates songs, but it still shreds hard, and it’s not just a basic pop/rock song by any means. Also sonically speaking, Fates was an album that we recorded totally on our own in bedrooms and closets, whereas “Don’t Start a Band” was largely tracked in a real studio (shout out Mount Moon in Highland Park, NJ). With the (very) moderate success of Fates I decided it was time to crawl out of the DIY trenches and release a proper recording haha.”

In a press release, Sam added:

There is no pursuit in this world that is as equally fulfilling, and devitalizing as being a musician. The thrill of being on the road juxtaposing the squalor of living out of a van is one of the most unique dissonances I have experienced in my adult life. “Don’t Start a Band” captures the introspection that comes with dedicating all your time (and all your money) to an artistic pursuit as your 20s slowly slip away from you. The high-spirited bounce of the song contrasting the sense of futility in the lyrics sets this feeling to a rhythm that I think is relatable to many, but hopefully not too much so. Nonetheless, if this sentiment is meaningless to you, you can at least enjoy the song for its catchy back and forth vocals, its hooky bass lines, and it’s abundant and oh-so-gnarly guitar harmonies.

The song is indeed less chaotic and more of a concise power pop-infused emo jam, but still with plenty of the mathy noodling that you want from Short Fictions. Check it out below.

Sam and Short Fictions bassist Alex Martin recently told us about their favorite albums of 2021, and they’ve also got a short upcoming Midwest tour in February with Your Arms Are My Cocoon (whose split with Pictures of June, Floral Patterns, and Lights Strung Like Stars landed on our list of 40 great punk EPs from 2021). All dates are listed on the tour poster below.