...AND THROUGH IT — Melodic Noise

Getting By isn’t just a clever band name, it’s also the overall refrain that weaves through “…And Through It” as the haunting reverb layered vocals tinged with sadness and optimism guide you through the peaks and mostly valleys of relationships. The fuzzy distortion of the EP will draw you in and the relatable lyrics will keep you listening on repeat. “…And Through It” has some seriously relatable lyrics; such as “I thought about creeping on you, but I blocked you instead” from the opener “Young & Dumb,” and the line “I cry while you listen to a podcast” from “Break Up and A Half.” One thing I particularly enjoy is that these lyrics don’t shy away from referencing technology, but instead embrace it, as this is love, life, and break-ups in the modern hyper connected world. “Colder Nights” feels like the best use of the wonderful vocal harmonies, but the closer “Selfish > Helpless” with it’s rawer vocal delivery and extra fuzzy guitars is my personal favorite track. Look for “…And Through It” Wednesday, March 13th and let me know which track is your favorite!

You can listen to “…And Through It” here. Tour dates below.

Getting By:
Hailey Jacobsen – Vocals/Guitar
Emily Peck – Guitar
Allie Pikala – Drums/Vocals
Aaron Frederick – Bass

(Melodic Noise) How's your day going?
(Getting By) Our day is going well! Staying busy preparing for our EP release and tour!

(MN) How do you define your genre?
(GB) We like to call ourselves “chill bop” Like think pop-punk with a shit-ton of reverb!

(MN) What is Getting By’s origin story?
(GB) Emily & Hailey met through teaching guitar for She Rock She Rock! They quickly bonded over tacos, Moscow Mules, and geeking over Now, Now, so naturally they decided to form a band! While jamming and talking about life, they realized they're just trying to get by in life…make a difference, fuck up, and create tasty jams, and through that Getting By was born. The band wasn't complete without a drummer so we asked Allie Pikala to join our band and we were so stoked she said yes! After recording our first EP "...And Through It", we added Aaron on bass and the rest is history. We've been making bangers ever since.

(MN) Do you have a label?
(GB) We are working with Hotdish Records which is our guitar player Emily’s label/promotions company!

(MN) Is there a story behind the EP title?
(GB) Emily: Our EP is titled “...And Through It”. The title came from the last track “Selfish > Helpless”. In the second verse Hailey sings “I’d rather be selfish than helpless. And we’re all just getting by and through this”. Selfish > Helpless was the first song that Hailey and I wrote before we were a fully formed band. We struggled to write that second verse. Hailey and I were at a conference for Girls Rock Camp in the middle of nowhere New Jersey (where we had a lot of personal reflection happening) and Hailey wrote those lines and we both instantly just fell in love with it. It kind of just sums up the band and the theme of the EP. We all are just trying to get by and enjoy life.

(MN) Lyrically what stands out on the EP?
(GB) Emily: “Selfish > Helpless” is a song that encompasses the band pretty well in my opinion. Personally, “Pacific Northwest”, which is our single for the EP, was a very liberating song to write lyrics for. I’m not the best at writing lyrics. I was at a show and I was feeling particularly sad about a certain someone and I wrote about 90% of the lyrics right then and there. They just came out so easily, which was so surprising. Hailey helped me finish the lyrics for the second verse and instantly it became my favorite songs of ours.
Allie: I wrote most of the lyrics for “Break Up and a Half,” so that one’s very dear to my heart. It’s the first breakup song I’ve ever written (and may just be the only one I ever write). The song was born as a relationship was ending, so it gave me closure, and I’m very proud of how it turned out. The bridge still gives me goosebumps every time I listen to the recording (mad props to Hailey for both her vocal performance and the badass guitar solo).
Hailey: Wow I didn’t think this would be such a tough question! “Selfish > Helpless” stands out to me for a number of reasons. I think for me it’s a reminder that it’s okay (and important) to put yourself first and that can sometimes mean having to distance yourself from people who aren’t sparking joy in your life (can you tell I’ve been watching a lot of Marie Kondo? haha). If that makes you seem selfish...well, it’s better than being helpless.

(MN) What was the inspiration behind the EP?
(GB) Emily: Really we were ansty to write something and put it out in the world! All the songs fall behind the idea of trying to get by and doing what’s best for yourself.
Hailey: Yeah ditto to what Em said. It was just a way for us to process our feelings better and so why wouldn’t we just share that with the world?

(MN) What do you hope people take away from “…And Through It”?
(GB) Emily: I hope people can take the lyrics from any song and really be able to connect with them personally. I want people to be able to feel like they aren’t alone with shit going on in their life. So they have an outlet.
Allie: Speaking very personally, I hope this inspires listeners to break up with their shitty partners. Dump them! DUMP THEM!
Hailey: Bop to it, cry to it, feel empowered by it, put yourself first, find whatever meaning you can from our lyrics to help you get by.

(MN) Is there something that connects the songs together?
(GB) Emily: I think all the songs follow the same theme. Doing what’s best for yourself and choosing to take that step to grow.
Allie: They’re all about making mistakes and moving on. Letting go of people who don’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated.
Hailey: Wow I really shouldn’t have filled out this questionnaire last haha. Allie & Emily summed it up!

(MN) Locals or transplants?
(GB) Emily: I’ve spent the last half of my life in Minnesota, but I am originally from Arizona! I definitely feel a connection to both states and love them!
Allie: I’ve lived in Minneapolis all my life.
Hailey: I was born in MN but spent a few years in Germany as a kid. Both will always be home to me.

(MN) Who are your influences and Minnesota influences?
(GB) Emily: I listen to a lot of pop punk and indie rock. Now, Now is a band from Minnesota that I have been listening to since I was a teenager. Hailey and I instantly bonded over our love and appreciation for them. They definitely influenced the start of the band!
Allie: Two of my all-time favorite bands, Cloud Cult and Motion City Soundtrack, hail from Minnesota. Some of my other influences include Jukebox the Ghost, Simple Plan, and musicals.
Hailey: Like Em said, we super bonded over Now, Now’s music...they’re a big inspiration for our band. On a personal level, Lizzo is my absolute queen!

(MN) Favorite current Twin Cities artists?
(GB) Emily: Now, Now has always been my favorite! Bob Ross Mob Boss is a super awesome band (our bass player Aaron is their guitarist)! The Bloodies and With Iowa In Between (Allie is their bass player) are also some of my favorites!
Allie: Christof Rochel, Sass, ahem, niiice., Bruise Violet, Cave Light, Bob Ross Mob Boss, Sun and Moon.
Hailey: With Iowa In Between, Bob Ross Mob Boss, Ahem, Niiice, Lizzo, Now, Now, Gully Boys, Last Import, Dem Yuut ...wow this list could go on forever.

(MN) What is your favorite venue to play & see shows at in Twin Cities?
(GB) Emily: My favorite venue to play is the Kitty Cat Klub, hands down. I love the vibe of that place and it’s always a great show there. My favorite place to see a show is either Kitty Cat Klub or HiWatt House!
Allie: I really dig Moon Palace Books & Caydence Records. They both have show spaces attached to cool shops (selling books and records, respectively). Both do all ages gigs and have delicious baked goods, which are very important to me personally.
Hailey: the Kitty Cat Klub is my favorite place to play. Ryan makes us all sound way better than we are and I love all that dang mood lighting. Moon Palace Books is another favorite. Like Allie said, they do all-ages shows there which is super important and rad, and it’s a bookstore, and they have a cafe...what more could you want?!

(MN) What can fans expect when they come to a Getting By show?
(GB) Emily: We are all good friends so there is definitely a chemistry on stage. We just like to get up there and have fun. I’m pretty shy in general, but a lot of that goes away on stage!
Allie: That I will talk while everyone else tunes.
Hailey: I hope that our show will feel like one big inside joke and that you’re in on it.

(MN) Favorite/crazy memory of playing a show?
(GB) Emily: We are still pretty new so we are still gaining those experiences, but our first show was at HiWatt House, a DIY house venue where a few of the members of Bob Ross Mob Boss live. I met them for the first time that night and now they are by far my favorite band to play a show with and we got our amazing bass player, Aaron, out of that!
Allie: Back in October we played some guy’s CD release party at the Kitty Cat Klub. I fell in love with him when I saw him perform and now he’s in love with me too.
Hailey: I think my favorite show was our first show. My other band, Cadence & the Wolf, has been together for 12 years so it’s been awhile since I’ve had a “first show”. I was super nervous and I stared at my feet most of the time, but people seemed to dig our music so that was rad. Everyone who runs HiWatt was incredibly nice, welcoming & supportive so it was the best “first show” I could’ve hoped for.

(MN) Who are your dream tour mates?
(GB) Emily & Hailey: Now, Now!
Allie: Jukebox the Ghost.

(MN) Other hobbies?
(GB) Emily: Music is pretty much my only hobby currently. I went to school for Music Business so I like working with other bands in my free time helping them promote their stuff!
Allie: I love writing (songs, nonfiction, fanfiction) and video games (mostly RPGs). I’ve also recently gotten into Dungeons & Dragons which is a lot of fun.
Hailey: I recently picked up a book/kit called “Crocheted Sweaters for Cats” so if you know any cool cats in need of a sweater, hit me up. Other than music and cats...planning my wedding is pretty fun!

(MN) What do you like about living in the Twin Cities?
(GB) Emily: There is always something to do. Really amazing arts scene and great bars and restaurants.
Allie: There’s always something going on when it comes to the arts community. Also, snow emergencies are fun.
Hailey: I love that you can feel like it’s both a big city and a cozy/close community at the same time. There’s endless things to do and experience within walking distance!

(MN) Is there anything that sets the Twin Cities scene apart from places you've toured/visited?
(GB) Emily: The Twin Cities is really the perfect size. It’s big enough where there are always opportunities, but not too big where you get drowned out and confused with all of the noise that the community is creating.
Hailey: There are tons of other amazing cities that almost make me wanna move (especially now with this endless snow), but nowhere else feels like home.

(MN) Where are your favorite places to grab food or drink in the Twin Cities?
(GB) Emily: I really dig Bauhaus for beer and Lawless Distillery for cocktails! Favorite place to grab food would be a Bahn Mi from Lu’s Sandwiches!
Allie: I will never turn down baked potato pizza from Pizza Lucé.
Hailey: The Cardinal’s got the best chicken tenders (or ranch shovels as Emily & I like to say), Matts Bar has the best juicy lucy & fries, and Icehouse has my favorite brunch drink “Escape Velocity”!

(MN) What do you do for day jobs?
(GB) Emily: I work at Starbucks and for an organization called She Rock She Rock!
Allie: I take care of children.
Hailey: During the day I coordinate lessons for a music studio called the House of Music, and then I teach music lessons there in the evening. I’m also the project assistant for She Rock She Rock.

(MN) What are the band's plans for the future?
(GB) Emily: We’re just getting started! More tours, writing, another EP (or maybe even a full-length)!
Allie: Making enough money to get merch.
Hailey: Write a full length album, get some t-shirts, make a cute music video, tour, repeat.

Getting By tour dates:
3/3 Milwaukee WI @ The House in the Middle / 7:30p
3/14 St. Louis , MO @ CBGB
3/15 Alton, IL @ Bottle and Barrel
3/17 Lincoln, NE @ Couch House / 7p
3/18 Des Moines, IA @ Lefty’s 5p
3/19 St. Paul, MN @ Side Pocket / 7p

You can listen to “…And Through It” here.

Review and Interview by: Andrew Perrizo
Edited by: G Blu