Patio Unplugged: Rock group Awkward Silence create rousing music with confessional lyrics

Mumbai-based Awkward Silence was formed back in 2014 after the disbandment of the rock-group Worst Case Scenario. Four friends – Sidhant Bakshi (vocals and guitars), Nishat Chaddha (keys), Prashant Sukumar (vocals and guitars), and Yash Rohra (bass) – came together to form Awkward Silence; a pop-punk group that reminds you of Jimmy Eat World circa the early 2000s. Along with Jatin Katyal (drums), the group of five last year released their debut single ‘Chlorine’; an acoustic guitar driven pop-rock track with a melodious hook laced with unflinching sounds of a piano. Now, the band is out with two new singles, ‘I Wouldn’t Save You’ and ‘Red Words’, on the new edition of Patio Unplugged. Awkward Silence’s music and lyrical themes will take you back to the sounds and feels of the early 2000s alternative rock and pop-punk bands. Be it Taking Back Sunday or The All-American Rejects, the pop-punk bands immensely popular at the start of the new millennium wrote songs about the feelings of insecurity and inferiority, and about self-acceptance. Awkward Silence too, in many ways, talks about feelings that most are hesitant to discuss. The band’s music is about embracing what might seem ‘uncool’ or ‘unconventional’, and Awkward Silence try to manifest this into their music as much as possible. On ‘I Wouldn’t Save You’, the band create an easy-going and carefree tune that talks about the happiness one is experiencing when in love. Prashant, one of Awkward Silence’s vocalists and guitarist, wrote the song for his friend as a plea to not try and save him when he’s “drowning in love”. The track comes off as extremely laid-back; something you’d listen to on a summer’s day by the beach.

The second track, ‘Red Words’, is a more serious, and a much more reflective song. Sung by Sidhant, ‘Red Words’ is a song about the vacuity and craziness of the life of a celebrity. Songs about the perils of fame and wealth is nothing new. Rockstars, rappers, pop-stars have all written and sang about it in the past, but ‘Red Words’ gives us a take on how non-celebrities view the excessive lifestyles of the rich and popular. Awkward Silence paints a clichéd picture of the life of a celebrity – going insane, losing their grips, and unable to ascertain the real from the fake.

Pop-punk and alternative rock bands were staples in the playlists of every high-school kid in the early to mid 2000s. With them they brought attitude, angst and a kickass bass-line. Awkward Silence, too, can bring in much more to the local rock scene as they move further and explore the possibilities of being a five-piece rock band.