Interview: Short Fictions
Short Fictions
Pittsburgh-based emo band Short Fictions have caught the attention of both press and fans with their introspective lyricism, dynamic sound, and strong DIY ethos, embodying the resilient spirit of their hometown. Since the release of their debut album Fates Worse Than Death in 2019, the band has continued to evolve musically while staying true to their roots, blending emotionally charged narratives with political and environmental themes.
Earlier today, they revisited one of their standout tracks, "Cities Under Water," releasing a newly recorded version nearly five years after its original debut. In our exclusive interview, the band reflects on the decision to re-record the song, how their sound has grown since Fates, and their place in the ongoing emo revival.
What prompted you to revisit "Cities Under Water" nearly five years after its original release?
It's the only song that's been in our set since it came out, so it's one that we all really like to play. We've also added members since Fates came out in 2019 and I never require anyone to perform exactly what I played on the record, and thus the song has seen a lot of evolution and I wanted to highlight that. Maybe more than anything else, I just wanted to rerecord it at higher BPM haha, we usually perform it like, 1.5x times faster than the original and I came to like it better that way.
Fates Worse Than Death was widely acclaimed. How has your sound evolved since then, and how does it reflect in your newer material?
Fates definitely harkened to old school emo, and our sound now is a bit more straightforward. Looking at Cities specifically: there's a lot of shredding and the song structure is all over the map. Nowadays I'm way more inclined to write a hook haha. I don't think either style is inherently better or worse, and there are definitely songs that have come out since then that could have been on Fates without standing out. Interestingly none of our newer material has been quite as critically claimed so maybe we should go back to being a little more spastic...
Your music often explores environmental themes. How do you use your platform to raise awareness about these issues?
I often put social/political themes in our music, and you can see me tweeting similar ideas not irregularly. It's not because I think that I need to include these things or that I will convince anybody of anything: these things are just on my mind so they come out in the art. I don't think it's a band's job to do any humanitarian work, but it is a little sus if those kinds of things NEVER cross your mind, especially as a person of privilege. I wish we were more popular and could give back more. Fugazi donated something like a quarter of a million dollars to charity while they were active. I think those kinds of acts really distinguish a band from just being some dudes rocking out, versus being something that matters. Again it's not required but if you have the power to for positive influence I think it'd be crazy not to use it.
Pittsburgh’s music scene is known for its DIY ethic. How has the city’s culture influenced your approach as an emo band?
Pittsburgh is a magical place and it never ceases to give me things to write about, good or bad. And of course, there's a lot of ethos in Pittsburgh for working hard. You might say that that spirit is still lingering from when we were the furnace of America. Of course, we are also home to probably the most important strike in American history so Pittsburgh has long prided itself on not licking the boot as it were. There's also so much community in Pittsburgh - people often talk about it being a very friendly town. Mister Rogers lived here after all. So basically we're strong, tough, and loving at the same time. That's Short Fictions lyricism in a nutshell I think.
In the current emo revival, where do you see Short Fictions fitting? Do you feel connected to that resurgence?
It's interesting because Fates was lauded pretty nicely in the 5th Wave Emo movement, and a lot of our stuff since then has been a little less dramatic and twinkly but I would still say that fans of emo music do enjoy us. We're kind of in an in-between where we're not quite emo and not quite indie rock. That being said, I feel like the emo crowd has always had our back and a lot of those folks are really supportive of the bands that they like. Indie rock is a lot more broad so to tap into that market has a lot of potential but like, we're not drawing any comparisons to The Smiths or the Strokes or anyone like that. Basically I guess I'm just going to keep writing the music that comes to me and whichever fandom wants to claim us can have us haha.
What personal experiences shaped the creation of "Cities Under Water"? How did they influence the emotion behind the track?
I was a climate doomer when I wrote that album haha. I still am but I was then, too. Thankfully Pittsburgh isn't the most effected place for climate disaster but, occasionally our downtown floods which include pieces of highway that lead in and out of the city. We've driven through hurricanes while on tour and I thought I was going to die. It just made me sad and scared, like, maybe we're not going to being able to tour ten years in the future because storms are going to be too strong, and gas is going to be $10 a gallon. It just makes me really sad, scared, and angry at the same time. I think the middle section where I'm like, "I swear it's true!" is so candid and strong because that can be what it feels like when so many people just want to pretend that this isn't happening, and somehow you yourself feel like the crazy one for being reactionary.
Your debut was covered by Pitchfork and Revolver. How did that attention impact your career, and did it affect the pressure on subsequent releases?
It definitely put us on the map! I think it made me want to make sure that we do things more professionally moving forward, and notably, Fates was the last album that wasn't recorded in a studio. Definitely put a little pressure on which was kind of a blessing in disguise, in that it made me work a lot harder. Anytime we fall short of our expectations though, I remind myself that it's a blessing to have any following at all, and at the end of the day I'm making music because I love it.
Your lyrics often have a melancholic, yet hopeful tone. How do you find that balance in your songwriting?
The basic Short Fictions mantra is, "we're all going to die, so let's have fun while we're here." I try to spread as much love as I can every day because life is a bitch and no one is looking out of us except each other. So you write about the bad, but you write about the good too haha.
Emo as a genre thrives on vulnerability. How do you handle laying bare personal struggles in your music for a wide audience?
I'm always very open, haha perhaps to fault at times. I wish more people were too so I kind of love writing candidly in hopes that it might be inspiring to others. I'm a Leo so I like people knowing about me haha. Realistically it's only annoying when I release an album and then I have to field questions from my family and close friends asking if I need help finding a therapist haha. But my mental health is actually astoundingly good, I just think heavy subjects make for better songs, and weirdly a lot of crazy things are always happening to me that are worth writing about.
How has your approach to songwriting changed between Fates Worse Than Death and your current work? What themes are you exploring now?
Definitely has changed style-wise. There are a lot of similar themes but a lot of new ones too. Love lost but not forgotten is a consistent theme. A lot of songs on the second album were about being in a band since the success of the first album had us touring a lot, and we were kind of making ourselves crazy. The third album has a lot of songs about relationships changing as we get older, and there's more than one song about friends of ours who are no longer with us. Moving forward I hope to never have to write another death song haha. Also, I'm engaged to be married now so we may be seeing less songs about unrequited love haha. But songs about the end of the world and my love for my friends will certainly keep coming.
What challenges have you faced as an emo band in a time when the genre is experiencing a resurgence, yet also evolving?
It's nuts, there's a lot of popular emo bands right now that are actually just pop-punk bands in a trench coat. And I don't think that there's anything wrong with that being the popular style right now, but it's just not what I'm personally creating. I think though that there's enough music lovers in this world that no matter what type of music you make, you can find an audience. I've tried in the past to make music that more aligns with the popular zeitgeist but ultimately it feels a lot better to just make what you want. Especially as a band that isn't even that popular anyway haha.
You’ve been a band for several years now. How do you keep your creative process fresh and avoid burnout?
Just listen to music that is new to you as often as possible and rip off the things that you like. I think as long as you can love others' music, you can continue getting fresh ideas. Also, acknowledge that putting out music takes forever, and if you're not putting out an album every year, that's literally so fine and normal.
Your music speaks to a lot of younger fans struggling with identity and anxiety. How do you feel about being a voice for these issues?
It's awesome! It is sincerely touching to feel impactful on anybody, especially young folks. It can be so difficult to find your way as a young person, and a lot of the resources that kids are offered can seem so dorky or ineffectual but if you can put on a record and hear your same thoughts on it - is there anything better than that?
Finally, what have you been listening to lately? Any artists, new or old, that are currently inspiring you?
Fans of Short Fictions will be surprised to learn that I basically only listen to The Beatles and The Beach Boys haha. Other than that I've also been enjoying the new Bright Eyes album, the new album Wildflower by our friends Mr. Husband, the Thin Lizzy live album, the first three Deep Purple albums, and 70s Herbie Hancock.
Short Fictions new version of "Cities Under Water", is out now and available for streaming on all your favourite platforms.
