The Wrecks have been described as “alternative music’s best kept secret,” but nonetheless have made a name for themselves among fans for their lively tracks with meaningful lyrics that listeners can relate to. INSIDE : is following in the footsteps of their previous releases, exploring topics of mental health, friendship, and self-image; all while remaining catchy and upbeat, which is exemplified on the two released singles, “Always, Everytime” and “Speed.”

When talking about creating this record, frontman Nick Anderson shared that the process for the band is always homegrown, which is where the project’s title comes from. Anderson says his inspiration when writing came from the isolation of staying inside for a long period of time, as well as the realizations that come about during a long period of seclusion. “I call myself a homebody, but I think it’s more than that,” he said. “The record, INSIDE :, is about being locked away for so long that the outside world eventually starts growing in through the cracks of the walls because Mother Nature’s trying to set the score.”

While The Wrecks’ music and lyrics is something a lot of fans often resonate deeply with, Anderson says that relatability is not something that he often has on his mind when creating. He says that to him, the most important thing is to write down what he genuinely feels, and the connection to the listener will come naturally. “I think that if you write it from an honest enough point of view you could write a song about anything and people could connect and apply it to their lives,” he says. Anderson further proves his dedication to releasing music that he is proud of above all else when talking about his favorite track on the album “I Didn’t Use To,” which he submitted to the band’s label fully mixed, mastered, and completed before deciding to go back and add another minute to the song, as it was so important to him to put everything into the song that he felt needed to be present.

Beyond the initial process of creating the songs, Anderson shared that he and the rest of the band have put a lot of heart and soul into the visual and DIY aspects of the record. Fans have gotten to see clips of them performing the singles on the band’s social media for months now, and recently the music video for “Speed” premiered on MTV. The video was filmed inside of Anderson’s house, and he says the set was designed to represent his brain, coinciding with the fact that he considers INSIDE : to be his “neurotic brain child.”

Among the band’s strongest suits are their live performances, and that is something they’re excited to get back to and even talk about on the project, in the track “Milwaukee’s Best.” Anderson says the song is about yearning for being able to travel and live new experiences while on tour, which he was specifically inspired by when they were able to meet up with bassist Aaron Kelley’s longtime friends while in his home state of Wisconsin. That’s not all that he shared about their spring tour, however. Anderson also teased that fans will get to hear most, if not all, of the new songs live; there will be lots of funny moments, there will be shrubbery on stage, and he’s ready to have some crazy dreams on the tour bus.

Along with touring and, therefore, leaving the house, Anderson was able to tease the second half of the project that will follow, OUTSIDE. While details of this release have remained primarily under wraps, he shared the reasoning behind splitting the album into two parts as well as a bit of what fans can expect. As INSIDE : and OUTSIDE initially started as one project, Anderson recognized along the way that he was telling two different stories, one about isolation and one about exploration. “I realized at one point that I had all of these songs that … were coming from different points of view, and they were contradicting [each other], and they weren’t being honest with how I was feeling. And so if songwriting was this way for me to make sense of what I was experiencing mentally, then I was confusing myself,” he said. He went on to explain that, when all in the same release, the songs felt half-baked in a way he wasn’t used to. Separating his ideas onto different pieces of the record helped him to make sense of them.

Fans will be able to hear INSIDE : in its entirety on Friday, April 11th, and they are sure to be thrilled with The Wrecks’ long-awaited return.