Harrison Kendell first made waves in the alternative art scene as Fordë, drawing in a niche crowd with his raw, gritty music that thrived on pure honesty. His music was rough around the edges, a diamond in the rough, but it sparked something fierce in the hearts of the misfits and dreamers. Then, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, Fordë shed his skin and became Junk Season – a comet tearing through the blandness of the music scene.

photo by @junkseason

Junk Season’s sound is like a punk rock party crashing into a pop concert, with lyrics that pack a punch. His debut album, ‘Rooms We Crawl In,’ hit the scene like a storm, each track packed with the kind of energy that gets right under your skin.

Looking at Junk Season, it’s immediately clear that it’s punk rock. An energetic, sometimes reckless vocalist, driving guitars, and a rebellious spirit—it’s all there. But Junk Season also knows how to surprise and evoke feelings. His music contains a melancholy that seeps into the soul. Despite the driving motifs, there is a certain sadness in his songs, more like a nostalgia for something lost, for love, or for unfulfilled dreams. In some songs, elements of emo rock slip through. This doesn’t mean Junk Season turns into a weepy teenager, but he isn’t afraid to express his feelings, even the darkest ones.

“Rooms We Crawl In” screams of cramped corners and tight spots we’ve all been squeezed into. You can almost feel the walls pressing in, forcing us down to our hands and knees. Crawling—it’s what you do when standing tall is just not in the cards. Maybe it’s about clawing through the mess inside your head or dragging yourself through the rough patches life throws your way.

There are tracks here tracks that tear into the raw, gritty bits of life, peeling back the layers to show the nitty-gritty of battling through your darker days. Think of each room as a chapter, each crawl a step—tough, bruising steps, but honest ones. It’s about those mental battlegrounds too, where you find what you’re really made of. And sure, it’s a struggle, but that’s where all the good stories come from, right?

The album kicks off with a bang called “Mid-20’s Crisis,” and pure punk rock fills your ears like a wild wave. The guitars here are no joke—they produce a sound that literally blows the roof off, a true mind-blowing groove. Despite the noticeable heaviness of the sound, the entire track remains incredibly uplifting, giving the album a commercial style, and even a light romantic touch. This feeling continues with “TEETH.” Kendall’s vocals fluctuate between anxious heights and melancholic depths. The tracks on the album are arranged in such a way that they don’t let you catch your breath. You’ll experience the full spectrum of bright rock from Junk Season in “Oh, Lord!” I can’t stop listening to this track and mentally going back to the times when posters on the walls were my whole world. It’s a very personal, deep, and captivating track that seems to return to its roots, extracting the best from the rock sound we so love.

photo by @junkseason

The track “Missed Calls” is a true hit of the album. From the first chords, you fall in love with the perfect guitars and the deep sound that just doesn’t let go. It’s one of those songs that makes you forget everything in the world and just enjoy the moment.

Midway through the album, “October Smoke” flares up with its stunning drum line that instantly pulls you into its rhythm and heats up the atmosphere to the max. It’s impossible to resist giving in to this beat, not to start swaying in time. I like how Junk Season plays with tempos: accelerating and then slowing down to minimalist motifs with vocals and drums at the center of it all. This track makes you want to dance until dawn, shouting the chorus down the whole street.

Then, to take it down a notch but keep the buzz alive, in comes “Facades (Interlude).” Its slow, syrupy rhythm seeps right into the soul, stirring up a storm of feelings. To me, it’s the perfect lead-in to the next track, “Glass House,” where airy pop-rock vocals mesh with a groovy arrangement. The vocals split into dual lines, mesmerizing us with his play.

But the real showstopper from Junk Season is saved for the finale. In “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet, Kid,” a return to the slow, viscous sound crafts an anthem-like atmosphere, a confession of hidden feelings. The final “can you call home” shatters all expectations. Starting with a lone guitar and the raw vocals of Junk Season, it unfolds as an unexpected but delightful surprise. The demo-like sound, raw and live, breaks down the fourth wall, dissolves barriers, and storms into the heart with relentless passion.

The album “Rooms We Crawl In” is like a sketch of each of our lives, only presented under the guitar noise of pop punk rock. Junk Season isn’t trying to dazzle with stardust; he’s just the guy next door, straight from our neighborhood. He doesn’t try to be an unattainable idol—he’s real, and that’s where his strength lies. You’re drawn to him without further questions because his music resonates with your own experiences, victories, and defeats. This genuine connection makes his music so valuable.

For “Junk Season,” this is just the beginning. Ahead of him is a path strewn with future achievements, and watching his steps is a pure pleasure. The spark he has ignited is only intensifying its flame.