Album Review: Time Flies by 13 Seconds

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Take a break from the clock with Time Flies by 13 Seconds

Oh, how time flies. Local group 13 Seconds dropped their EP Time Flies back in May, but with its old-fashioned pop-punk feel, this EP will forever be timeless. Formed in Needham, MA, back in 2019, this group of friends is young but mighty, ready to take on the punk rock and indie scene. Anthony Borrelli on guitar, Virginia Borrelli on bass, Cole Tometsko on vocals, and Nick Yee on drums will make you want to jump around your room playing the air guitar while dreaming of days at Warped Tour. 

Better Off Without Me” and “Daddy’s Money both give off Midwest emo and indie vibes that are hard to hate. Both songs are fast, upbeat, and pure entertainment — even with their subject matter. “Better Off Without Me” has some of the best percussion and bass lines in the album, with classic punk rock ties that instantly make you want to air drum your way through the song. Listening to “Daddy’s Money” is another full experience; it feels like you’re in a movie running through the city and witnessing a disastrous date happening in real time. It makes you wonder who you feel worse for — the girl or the guy with the empty bank account, sorry dad! Lastly, “Take Me Back” is slower than the other two and yet still upbeat and jam-worthy. With relatable lyrics, it gives a full almost nostalgic experience that makes you think “wow…time does fly by.” As you navigate through the song it is hard not to think back on your past experiences and wish to go back to a few of those core memories. 

While all six songs on this EP are essentials on any emo night playlist, these three would throw anyone into a dancing fit. “Famous” gives a glimpse into the life of burgeoning musicians. The opening lines say it all: “Wish everybody appreciated music like the way I do / And it would mean a lot if people thought my songs were cool, but / I’ll never be as famous as I wanna be / ‘And that’s okay, that’s okay’ / That’s what they say.”

 This track expresses that many want to make it in the music world, to get famous, and to have their work appreciated, only for others to tell them it’s okay if they don’t. While those words are comforting, they are also demeaning, as the dream of having your hard work pay off enough to make a name for yourself will always linger. In a way, this song makes you feel as if you’re witnessing some form of history being made. Finding a band while they’re small in hopes that you can see them in the future grow big is such an intimate fan-to-artist experience. Don’t worry 13 Seconds, we think your songs are cool. 

Less Than” is the grievance letter you’ve been waiting to send to that person who just needs to take a hint that you can’t stand them. Staying true to the punk rock vibe, this fast-paced track with relatable lyrics perfectly embodies the feeling of being at your wits’ end with that one person you can’t stand anymore. It almost makes you want to dance with your middle finger in the air as you navigate through the euphoria of finally not caring so much about hiding your annoyance. One of the most relatable lines that sums up this song’s vibe is “If I had a list of everyone I missed / You’d be right at the bottom of this.” It’s catchy and upbeat, so much so it almost makes you forget what the song is about. Blasting this track is nearly as therapeutic as finally being rid of that person you can’t stand. Send them this track and let the chaos begin… or don’t (but where’s the fun in that?). 

Before you know it, time has flown by and you are at the end of the EP. Concluding with the track “Middle School Breakup Song,” the song sets one up for the emotional rollercoaster that is recalling a middle school love, warning us that “this is definitely your average middle school break up song.” If that line wasn’t enough to prepare you to be thrown back in time to your cringy middle school days, then you’re not ready for the rest of this song. It follows Anthony as he tells us a story of his seventh-grade experience with a middle school ex who barely even knew his name; even worse, she went on to date his best friend which can only be described as one of the best lines in the song: “AWKWARD”! This song gives off the same vibes as Avril Lavigne’s classic “Sk8er Boy,” as the song starts with describing a memory and ends with a call to the present stating “And now I’m in a band / And my ex is not a fan / And I’m pretty sure that I’m not wrong / Cause she’s the theme of a middle school break up song.”

13 Seconds have won several awards for their outstanding music at the “Hard Rock 18 and Under Showcase,” and in 2024, they won “Top Instrumentalist” and “Best Band” in the Grand Finale Qualifier. Nostalgic, head-banging, and downright Warped Tour-worthy, this is a band you won’t want to skip on shuffle. 

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