Allow Me to Introduce You to Your New Favorite Indie-Rock Band…Meet Closebye from NYC
words and photos by Norah Jerinic-Brodeur
New York based indie-rock band, Closebye, have officially made their way to the west coast to support Kevian Kraemer on the second leg of his North American tour. The four piece band features lead vocalist and guitarist, Jonah, guitarist and keyboardist, Julian, bassist, Margaux, and drummer, Simon. Closebye originally formed in Dallas, Texas where Julian and Jonah started making music together in high school. The two eventually moved to Queens, New York, where they met both Margaux and Simon. The four have been making music together for the past five years; the rest is history.
Closebye has a variety of musical influences that shaped their unique sound including Radiohead, the Beatles, and the 1975. The band highlights the variety that comes with bigger pop songs featuring a deeper world beneath the surface. These types of records are particularly special because there are a lot of choices in how you connect and interact with the music, whether that be casually or in a more meaningful way. Although Jonah, Julian, Margaux, and Simon all have their own influences, these core bands remain a point of commonality in developing their musical growth during their more formative years.
Closebye’s sophomore album, Hammer of my Own, released in 2024 and remains a key feature of the band’s discography today. Although the album was challenging for the group to make at times, they highlight the more enjoyable experiences and overall meaning to them as a band. Jonah and Julian began the album-creating process as a duo and continued to run with themes of self-reliance and independence once Margaux and Simon joined. Not only was this the band’s first time writing together, but this record holds significant meaning. The album serves as a snapshot of where they were in their lives, both individually and as a band. Additionally, the band began to notice the beginning of fans meaningfully connecting with their music within these tracks, specifically “Two Knocks” and “Pilates”.
The band has just released their two newest singles since their album release in 2024, “No Troubles Left At All / Ann Arbor.” Lyrically both songs are honest and vulnerable, both covering themes of recovery and optimism. Closebye have taken both new singles and tracks from Hammer of My Own to their setlist while supporting Kevian Kraemer on the “Only if it Matters” tour. The band started their leg of the tour on July 25th in Seattle and will wrap up on August 12th in Nashville. Good news for you; they are still out on the road as we speak. Not only did I catch their set in Phoenix at the Valley Bar on August 2nd, but I had the pleasure of getting to know the band during an interview beforehand. Jonah, Julian, Margaux, and Simon were genuinely so fun to talk with and I really enjoyed getting to know them as a band, which made me appreciate their set even more. If you’re an indie-rock fan, or just love a good intimate live music show, I highly recommend you check out Closebye’s music. If you can, catch them at one of their last few shows on this tour or a headline show.
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