Track-by-Track: The July Crowd Consider ‘The Way I Felt Last Year’

The release of The July Crowd’s new EP, The Way I Felt Last Year, feels like a weight off the shoulders. Driven by lead singer Dom Walters, the songs are a reflection of some very hard times that he has experienced. The five-track collection focuses heavily on themes such as loss, grief, and coping. More specifically, these new tracks explore what it’s like losing a loved one and physically and emotionally overcoming a broken home. It’s deeply personal, but very relatable for any listener. If you’ve overcome anything in your youth, you’ll find something to relate to on this new EP. With its open-minded, confessional nature, it feels good for Walters to get these feelings off his chest. The EP is directly intended for anyone working through real and difficult emotions.

The Way I Felt Last Year was released on March 27th via Manic Kat Records. Reminiscent of acts such as Knuckle Puck, Hot Mulligan, and Real Friends, The July Crowd’s sound has really taken a big step forward. This sound is heavier with heart and more sonically complex than their early pop-punk anthems. The British Columbia trio has really shown a lot of growth since their 2021 debut EP Roses & Adderall. 2023’s Seat of Your Pants emphasized their knack for sharp, driving guitars and emotive lyricism. Now with The Way I Felt Last Year, it’s another new sonic chapter for The July Crowd.

With the recent release of The Way I Felt Last Year, The July Crowd’s Dom Walters joins us for an exclusive Track-by-Track rundown of their new EP.

1. “Did You Ever Think of Me”

“Stage One of Grief. Losing someone is one of the hardest things we go through. It feels like betrayal, like sorrow, like anger, and so many emotions at once. This song is built to match several different stages of that grief. Sections that are fast and angry, choruses that feel like the earliest steps of acceptance, and the repetition of the title line to really drive home the question we just can’t help but ask: ‘Did you ever think of me?’”

2. “Like Home”

“‘Like Home’ signals a significant musical shift for us. Personal life and the past few difficult years have crept into the way we usually write songs, creating something much more cathartic, emotional, and expressive. I’ve been writing songs because they help me work through major events in my life. This time around, on ‘Like Home,’ I’ve been able to work through something I’ve been suppressing for a while now. Maybe others can find comfort, solace, or understanding in growing up in, or living in, a broken home.”

3. “Photosynthesis”

“Stage Two of Grief. I wanted to write words that could paint an honest picture of how the past year felt after losing the greatest inspiration in my life. There’s an alarming amount of detail here, but this song may be both relatable and perhaps even help bring closure to anyone who has lost someone too soon. I hope this is an emo ballad to remember.”

4. “One of These Days”

“Stage Three of Grief. This track is a continuation of the previous ‘Photosynthesis.’ Though instead of wallowing in the sorrows, it seeks to address the next stage of grief, accepting the pain and permanence of loss. The idea of remembering the pain over and over again stimulated this song’s motif, but it makes for a surprisingly fast-paced emo/pop-punk sing-along listen.”

5. “Since You Left”

“Stage Four of Grief. Definitely the heaviest track on the record. ‘Since You Left’ best encapsulates the final stage of the vicious cycle of grief: going through the pain all over again. Just when you think you are beginning to heal, accept, and move on, you see something that reminds you of who you lost, a photo, a face, a song, even a memory. The song opens with a drum loop and drops into a loud, expressive down-tuned guitar ballad.”

The July Crowd ‘The Way I Felt Last Year’ album artwork