My love letter to Alvvays (Personal blog)

Hi there, it's Lev here, just your average downtown seventeen-year-old with a messy room and a massive crush on a Canadian indie-pop band, Alvvays. And no, that's not a typo, they really spell it with two 'v's. Kinda cool, right? They have this dreamy, lo-fi, aesthetic that just... does it for me. Like biting into a marshmallow, listening to Alvvays is soft and sweet, but also somewhat floaty.

Three years ago, my life was being packed into boxes, "In undertow" was playing as I said goodbye to my childhood bedroom, their lyrics like a comforting blanket amidst the chaos. My family moving countries, and I, Lev, was staring down the barrel of a new school in a completely different continent. Yeah, it was tough. But the 'Antisocialites' album was my constant companion. It was like the reassuring pat on the back I didn't know I needed. New school, new faces, new everything. It was like landing on Mars, except I didn't get a cool spacesuit. My only lifeline? Alvvays on repeat, their melodies floating me through the turbulence of culture shock. Listening to their hypnotic tunes gave me that feeling of floating, like I was in this dreamy alternate universe where everything was always going to be okay.

"Marry Me, Archie" is the tune I've earmarked for my wedding (provided I find someone who can tolerate my messiness and obsession with music). It's my go-to tune for belting out in the shower or dancing around my room. 'Marry me, Archie' wasn't the only tune that became a part of my story though; 'Ones Who Love You' offered me a sense of peace during the tumultuous times. I've earmarked that song for the time if I ever bite the dust - please play that song at my funeral!!

Music is magic, they say. Well, Alvvays was my sorcerer. Their song "Not My Baby" became my anthem as I stepped out of a relationship that was more toxic than expired sushi (refer to my previous toilet-breakup blog post). They somehow put words and rhythm to my tangled emotions, turning my breakup into a foot-tapping head-banger.

There were days when my grades spiralled downwards like a tragic rollercoaster ride and nights when the stress weighed heavy on my chest. But the band, in its magical way, reminded me that it's okay to fail, it's okay to feel lost, it's okay to be human. Picture this: 2 AM, messy room illuminated only by the soft glow of a laptop screen, papers strewn everywhere - and me, in the heart of the chaos, busting out some seriously questionable dance moves to the rhythm of Alvvays. It's a wild image, I know, but somehow, their music kept me going.

And guess what; I've never seen them live! But one of these days, I swear I'm going to be front row at one of their concerts, eyes closed, swaying to the rhythm that's been my constant through the whirlwind that is my teenage years. I would give my left kidney (and a box of the finest donuts) to see Alvvays perform live.

Alvvays has been a journey - a lifeline, a friend, and an echo of my own thoughts and feelings. It's a journey that I continue to embark upon every time I press the play button.

So, yeah, that's it. That's my love story with Alvvays. They've been the soundtrack to my teenage years - my ups, downs, twirls, and tumbles. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I guess you could say I'll always love Alvvays. Pun definitely intended.

So, here's to Alvvays, the saviours of my sanity, the soundtrack to my teenage years.