Everyone loves a messy band breakup story full of bitter arguments, clashing egos, and grudges that fester for years after (at least until the inevitable cash-grab reunion tour). Still, there’s always something refreshing about a group that calmly acknowledges when its end date is approaching, with its members’ friendship still intact.
On Hold With The IRS is a group of Washington University seniors (except for bassist Solomon Lerman, who is a junior), each with just one semester of school left. After graduating, the group expects to be scattered across the country, unable to perform together any longer. With just a few more months together, On Hold With The IRS has decided to record an album in order to have something permanent to take with them after graduation.
Stay up-to-date with the local arts scene
Subscribe to the weekly St. Louis Arts+Culture newsletter to discover must-attend art exhibits, performances, festivals, and more.
“Recording an album now is about creating something that will last after the band ends,” guitarist Charlie Morrison says. “When we say, ‘Hey, we were in a band,’ and (our friends at home) say, ‘Oh, cool!’ we’ll say, ‘No, it’s not cool. It’s the best thing you’ve ever heard, and you just don’t know it yet, and I’m going to show you because we’re on Spotify.’”
While details about the album are still in discussion, the group plans on recording it either on the Washington University campus, or in one of St. Louis’ major recording studios. The goal is to release the album by this April, and to commemorate it with an album release show.
On Hold With The IRS formed in October 2022, when most of its members were sophomores. Morrison always wanted to form a band, but he was inspired to make it happen after spending the previous summer at home in San Diego, where he saw around a dozen concerts throughout the break.
“There’s something about seeing live music that, to me, is incredibly inspiring,” Morrison says. “After the fifth show, I was like, I want to do this.”
Morrison was determined to start a band— but he had no idea how to actually do it. Where to rehearse, where to book shows, or where to even find musicians was a mystery to him. But rather than letting his lack of experience stop him, he took advantage of Washington University’s vibrant music scene and asked other artists for advice.
He was eventually put in touch with drummer Jake Tindall by a mutual friend. Lerman was then discovered through Washington University’s Performing Musicians Resource Group (PMRC).
The band then connected with former singer Abbey Russell. After Russell stepped down, singer and pianist Caroline Haber joined, followed by saxophonist Nick Rodriguez, who was also discovered through the PMRC.
Each member brings their own distinctive set of influences to the group, resulting in a sound that blends pop, alt-rock, and jazz. Their approach to songwriting and performing is similarly democratic. At live shows, for example, each member is usually given the opportunity to play a solo, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard at least once. When writing songs, everyone is encouraged to provide equal input, and major band decisions are determined by a vote.
“It’s like hiking,” Lerman says of the band’s songwriting routine. “You don’t know where you’re going to go. There are different paths, and if you take a wrong step, someone stops you and suggests something different.”
The group is dedicated to putting on elaborate live shows (their next is at the Blueberry Hill Duck Room on February 21), with setlists that vary wildly at each performance. They are particularly fond of covering pop songs by everyone from Stevie Wonder to Cardi B, often with a unique spin.
The group almost unanimously agrees that its December 7, 2024, show at Joe’s Cafe provided the best encapsulation of its live energy. The weeks leading up to this show were especially stressful—like many college bands, On Hold With The IRS is more used to performing in basement settings, often with poor sound quality. Because Joe’s Cafe is a seated venue with a sophisticated sound system, performing there meant rehearsals had to be even more strenuous than usual.
There was even some uncertainty about whether the band would go through with the show—but everyone is grateful that they ultimately did. Highlights included a breezy, sax-laden cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Help Me” and a rendition of Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street” punctuated with a lyrical guitar solo from Morrison. Tindall’s 9/4 drum workout on the original song “Faces in the Clouds” was another standout moment. But the centerpiece of the night was easily a stomping rendition of “New Body Rhumba” by LCD Soundsystem, tied together by Haber’s incendiary synth playing.
After two and a half years together, On Hold With The IRS calls itself a family rather than a band. It might be tempting to write this off as a mere platitude, but the group’s stage energy renders it entirely believable.
The only drawback of performances like this, Rodriguez says, is that he and his bandmates, all of whom are out-of-state students, usually can’t invite people from back home.
“The biggest bummer about being in a college band is that I can’t invite my family to come see us, because they live too far away,” Rodriguez says. “I’ve never been able to share our music with my mom and my siblings and all of my family apart from phone recordings.”
Of course, this is where the album will come in handy. While the group is upset that this chapter of their lives is coming to a close, their main focus right now is to ensure that they have something to remember it by.
“Recording an album now is less about putting something out that’s going to help us grow and reach more people for me,” Morris says. “It’s about creating something that will last forever out of a band that has only a few months left.”
Follow On Hold With The IRS on Instagram for updates on the album show dates.
