The Submarines

Forming an indie pop act known as the Submarines, John Dragonetti, also recognized as Jack Drag, joined forces with Blake Hazard after first meeting during their separate solo projects in Boston. Mutual friends arranged the introduction that quickly led to both a musical partnership and a romantic connection. Dragonetti handled production duties on Hazard’s initial solo release, the 2002 album Little Airplane, after which the pair began sitting in with and performing alongside each other’s respective groups. Seeking a milder climate, the couple relocated from Boston to Los Angeles to advance their work, yet the relationship dissolved in 2005. The separation nevertheless sparked fresh songwriting from both parties, and because Hazard continued laying down tracks at Dragonetti’s studio, the two started exchanging the material each had written about the split. The exchange ultimately restored their bond; they reconciled, committed the breakup songs to tape, and later married. Under the Submarines name they issued the resulting Declare a New State! through Nettwerk in 2006. A follow-up, Honeysuckle Weeks, appeared in May 2008 and leaned toward brighter themes while placing greater weight on Hazard’s lead vocals. Tracks from both albums found placement in advertisements, motion pictures, and series such as Nip/Tuck, Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, and the film Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Remaining on Nettwerk, the duo delivered the full-length Love Notes/Letter Bombs together with The Shoelaces EP in 2011, and additional new songs again surfaced in visual media. Hazard issued her second solo album, The Eleanor Islands, in 2013; the record functioned largely as a breakup statement reflecting the abrupt conclusion of the couple’s marriage. Although the Submarines never issued any formal statement regarding their status, Dragonetti turned his attention to scoring projects for film and television while Hazard brought out her third solo effort, Possibilities at Sea, in 2017.