The Graduate


HQ: Springfield, IL
NOW PLAYING: Anhedonia (ICON)

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW 'EM: College diplomas don't mean squat when a band like the Graduate can write songs so catchy you'll need a crowbar to get 'em out of your head.

YOU LIKE? YOU'LL LIKE: Mute Math / Jack's Mannequin / the Junior Varsity

"None of us graduated from college," admits Corey Warning, singer/guitarist/keyboardist for the Graduate. "Well, we all graduated from high school, but none of us from college, so the name's kind of ironic."

Sure, it's ironic, but the Springfield quintet-Warning, bassist Jared Wuestenberg, drummer Tim Moore, guitarist/keyboardist Matt Kennedy and guitarist Max Sauer-didn't need a formal education to land a label deal and record their debut full-length with the help of super-producer Brian McTernan (Circa Survive, Senses Fail), all within a little over a year of forming. Named after the term that refers to the inability to gain enjoyment from pleasurable things, Anhedonia was written over the course of three tireless months, during which Warning hit some major writer's block. "I was a having a lot trouble getting inspired," he remembers. "We had a ton of music and no lyrics and I felt like I was really falling behind and couldn't think of anything to sing about. We ended up writing a song about that feeling and decided it was a good fit for the whole album."

Sure, everything happened super-fast for members of the Graduate, but all the self-imposed pressure was worth it. "Everyone was just really, really driven to make this happen," explains Warning. "We would joke, 'Okay, let's try to make this under a year,' and it actually happened, which was a huge surprise to all of us. There was a lot of pressure, but I wouldn't want it to be any other way." -Emily Zemler

Label Website: http://www.iconmes.com


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