The Water Cycle
Boston-based trio The Water Cycle, featuring Joe Kerwin, Jack Kerwin, and Olivia Mastrosimone, from left to right respectively.
Who They Are
The Water Cycle is a three person, self-described “jitterpop” indie band hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. The group is comprised of brothers Jack and Joe Kerwin and Olivia Mastrosimone, with Joe on guitar and vocals, Jack on drums, and Olivia on bass. Since the release of their first EP, Other Boys, in 2017, the group has become a staple of the Boston DIY music scene and has been touring regularly up and down the Northeast.
Why You Should Listen
The Water Cycle is, if I had to describe them in one word, authentic. There is a genuine honesty to their music that hits close to home; whether you’re going through a breakup, crushing on somebody who doesn’t know your name, feeling apprehensive at the idea of growing up, or ruminating over how you feel out of place, Joe Kerwin’s lyrics feel as though you’re reading your own diary. The music is stripped down to punchy rhythms, repetitive catchy guitar licks, and driving, yet simplistic bass lines. It’s music that you could grab a guitar and jam to alongside a group of enthusiastic beginner musicians, and most importantly, it wouldn’t matter if mistakes were made, because you all were having too much fun to care. The Water Cycle embraces the homegrown vibe, which they’ve perfected after years of playing together. From “I Went on a Date for the First Time in a Year and Cried Afterwards” to “(You’re so Square) Baby I Don’t Care” to “Old Enough”, the Water Cycle manages to encapsulate the awkwardness, uncertainty, and doubt that we all experience as we grow up and try to figure out what the hell is going on and who the hell we are.
What You Should Listen To
They have two EPs, Other Boys (2017) and The Water Cycle Falls in Love (2018) out right now on Spotify, each consisting of five absolutely stellar songs. Considering that’s only ten songs total, you should listen to all of them. Standouts include the aforementioned “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care”, which is a sweet and quirky tribute to an unlikely pairing with a bouncy feel, and “Don’t You Take”, which is a softer ballad with a folk-style fingerpicking guitar melody.