KIDS THAT FLY

Composed of college comrades, Nick Smeriglio (vocals/guitar), Blake Henry (guitar/synth), Braden Frandino (bass/vocals), and Ryan Hendry (drums/vocals), alternative pop/rock band — Kids That Fly — formed in the fall of 2018, while attending the University of Connecticut. It wasn’t long before they fell into a rhythm playing shows in and around CT while simultaneously commuting in and out of New York City for recording and performing in both Manhattan and Brooklyn; and they have been on a trajectory ever since. From the band's inception, they shared a passion for creating alt-pop/rock music, and it couldn’t be more evident on their third forthcoming five-track EP, Tracks of the High Line, slated for release on Friday, December 9. Having grown up in Connecticut, the crew has had a lot of influence from other Connecticut musicians such as Rivers Cuomo from Weezer (who grew up just down the road from UConn’s campus), and indie alt/rock duo MGMT. “Most of our friends who are in bands or produce music are from Connecticut, so we’re still heavily tied to the CT music community, as well as that of New York City because of the close proximity,” the band explains. Each of the members have played music in the indie/alt rock spheres, even dabbled in jazz, but their broad collective music taste that includes The Black Keys, The 1975, The Killers, and Catfish and the Bottlemen, has kept them tied to a more alternative rock sound. Tracks of the High Line is the “next logical step in the band’s evolution,” shares Nick. Composed of songs written throughout the heart and tail end of the pandemic — various themes encompass Tracks of the High Line, but most notably, it’s about navigating life and relationships in your 20s, an already pivotal part of one’s life — all amidst the trying times of a global pandemic.