Ones2Watch Home

Ohio's Equipment rise to new heights on their latest double single release, "LO/FO" and "Username." The Toeldo-based band, comprised of vocalist and guitarist Nick Zander, guitarist Jacob Scott, bassist Ellie Hart, and drummer Jake Pachasa, show off their multi-faceted sound highlighting their ability to create story-driven, heartfelt, and deeply relatable music.

The first single, "LO/FO," is an anthem against arrogant internet jerks, taking inspiration from bands like Weezer, illuminati hotties, and PUP to give it a short, sweet, and snarky sound. Zander, who wrote the track when he was 23, shifted his online output to being more optimistic, reserving any negativity for government and societal injustices instead of wasting time with online bullies and trolls, ultimately inspiring the quippy, summery tune.

Accompanying "LO/FO" as a b-side is "Username." The track is a post-breakup analysis that results in the realization that you were the problem and features harmonies and backing vocals from the honorary fifth member of Equipment, Tori Scott, sister of guitarist Jacob Scott. Sonically, "Username" shows off a different side of the band with atmospheric drum effects and spacey synth taking center stage alongside weird time signatures applied to their already pop-centric songwriting style, making for a unique glimpse into what the rest of this record might be like.

Alongside the double release is the accompanying music video for "LO/FO." The whimsical video intercuts a hodgepodge of scenes, including the band birdwatching, hanging out on a yacht, and performing the song in a cramped bathroom. "We always knew we wanted to do a video for this song," shared Zander. "I had a couple vague ideas that sounded really silly -- like the synchronized birdwatching or dressing all white like a boy band -- but we weren't able to expand upon any single idea in a deep way. We ended up spending the summer filming a few takes of the song for every funny idea we had, like, quantity-over-quality style. Filming the video was basically 80% hanging out and 20% 'Oh yeah we should probably do that video now,' so we'd change into our goofy outfits and get a few takes. It looks like we're having fun in the video because that's pretty much all we did, we just turned the camera on long enough to capture it.

Throughout the upcoming, Zander dives deep into his many insecurities and flaws. Similar to some of his inspirations like Jeff Rosenstock, Rivers Cuomo, or Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years, Nick looks at his peers in high-paying jobs and wonders if he made the right decision chasing his music dream instead. He spends the majority of Alt. Account playfully poking at this imbalance and its many nuances, constantly flowing between a hot mental health mess and a cool, calm, and collected chaos.

Be sure to check out Equipmet's latest double-single release, "LO/FO" and "Username," today!