skip to main |
skip to sidebar
After listening to the 3 CDs I picked up from In The Whale, I'm guessing this is the first of the three. My reason for saying this is because the tunes, although still rocking and intense as ever, have a more demo quality to them and sound like the band was developing their sound. There's also a distinct difference in the quality of individual track recording. The most obvious of this is 'Grandpa Pete' and 'On A Roll'. 'Grandpa Pete' sounds great but you don't realize how monotone it actually sounds until 'On A Roll' kicks in and you hear the enormous depth of the track.
There's a lot happening on this disc. In The Whale combine elements of punk, alt. country, southern rock and metal to make a unique sound all their own. I can't stress enough how exciting this group is live. They've also been able to lay down the same energy on their recordings. The tracks seem like they were recorded live in the studio.
The theme on this record appears to be sin. The first track deals with the legend of blues guitarist, Robert Johnson who supposedly, sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the ability to play the guitar. Both 'Sunbeam' and 'Lake Of Fire' preoccupy themselves with damnation, and 'Grandpa Pete' has its own creepy quality one can only chalk up to severe perversion.
"Nate N' Eric" has a super raw element to it and it sounds phenomenal. As of yet, I haven't heard a single disc from these guys I didn't liked. They're a pretty solid band as far as I'm concerned and I highly recommend picking up some of their exciting discs.
IN THE WHALE - NATE N' ERIC
01. Robert Johnson
02. Wedding Bells
03. Lake Of Fire
04. Grandpa Pete
05. On A Roll
06. Girlfriend
07. Sunbeam
This is another E.P. I picked up by the band, In The Whale at the Electric Six show. They were the opening band. Once again, the disc is loaded with rocking material. In The Whale is a guitar/drum duo who really bring the intensity and the noise. As a live band, they're both exciting and engaging. On disc, they're able to convey the same level of energy and excitement they produce in a live setting.
I picked up three discs by them and this is the second I'm reviewing. 'Whiskey Gin + Beer' strikes me as a Southern Rock number. It's got a great swing and I could easily see it racking up fans of that musical genre. The first track is 'Radio' and it's an aggressive hard number that sets up the disc rather well. There are some interesting vocal techniques used and overall, I quite like it.
My favorite song on the disc is probably 'Cavity'. I like the rockabilly swing on this tune and it's the track I enjoy singing along with the most. 'Johnny Two A Day' is another blasting rock number performed with a more traditional metal vocal.
Surprisingly, the final track, 'Mail', is an acoustic ballad sung almost as a duet with a female vocalist. I think the reason I like this track is because it demonstrates the band is so much more than just a rocking force of nature. There's melody and substance there as well.
I'm happy to recommend In The Whale to people who are looking for a new group to discover or something to rock out with. My final words: WELL WORTH YOUR TIME AND MONEY.
IN THE WHALE - FULL NELSON
01. Radio
02. Whiskey Gin + Beer
03. Cavity
04. Johnny Two A Day
05. Mail
Transit-Cast is another band I saw play live the other night. They're a local Salt Lake band and they opened the Electric Six/In The Whale show. I wasn't sure what to think about them when they first started. I had a hard time understanding what they were saying but that was due to the crap sound at the club. Once I got past that, I thought they were pretty good.
They're not a flashy, over the top sorta group, but they're solid and the members play well together. The lead singer has a strong tempered voice in the tradition of rock bands. The biggest difference between this group and the more standard fare metal would be the subject matter they tackle with their lyrics. The songs of love are taken from a place of devotion.
The music is pumped up and rockin'! The disc maintains a strong tempo all the way through and it's enjoyable to listen to.
Now here's where I'm gonna be a little rough with this group... It's obvious from the music on the disc and the live performance, that these guys are all fairly experienced. They're great on their instruments and they know what to do. They play in the pocket together and everything is right in line... But I feel like the music isn't where it should be. They're not challenging themselves or breaking any new ground. With as much experience as they have, they shouldn't be relying on such formulaic songwriting to fill an album.
I love a lot of their ideas and I think the songs are nice, but they lack that "umph!" a good rock band needs. Let's take the song 'Bullseye' for example... It's got a huge amount of potential. It's got a hook in the guitar bits. It's a little busy and could be more power chord, more simple, but when the song starts, that hook is played lower in the mix. It should rage and be right up front. Everything should bow before it. The lyrics offer the vocalist a chance to scream, shout, drone or even speak lyrics. But he sings in the steady voice he's used throughout the entire disc. There's no variation or change up. Of all the tracks, this one to me shows the most potential lost in the arrangement.
I think the right producer could challenge this group and get them to kick their game up a notch. Let's face it, metal singers are a dime a dozen. You've got guys with great voices singing in their showers and garage bands all over the world. The groups that cross over or really make it do so because they bring something unique and different to the game. Both Electric Six and In The Whale do a great deal of work on the vocal arrangements. In both cases, they've developed a sound that can be associated with them alone. Transit-Cast hasn't found its voice yet. But its there. It really is.
The biggest concern I have for this band is without pushing themselves and their songs, the group can easily sound dated. If that's what they're trying for then they've captured the 80's hair band sound exactly. If they're trying to do something new and exciting, it's time to shake things up.
This is a sensible band. A group of great guys who I'd like to see more of and who I'd like to see do more with their music.
They gave copies of their album out for free at the show. I think you can get a copy through their facebook page. Just search for Transit-Cast. At the end of it all I think this is a great band with a lot of potential. My final words: ON THE VERGE OF FINDING THEIR VOICE AND SOUND! AN INTERESTING DISC WELL WORTH LISTENING TO.
TRANSIT-CAST - TRANSIT-CAST
01. Red Red Roses
02. Beautiful Babies
03. Of Love
04. Come Over
05. The Good Ones
06. Something Out There
07. Disco Chicks
08. Follow Into This
09. Bullseye
10. Maybe
11. Count The Clocks
In The Whale is a band from Denver, Colorado. They are a guitar and drum duo currently on tour with Electric Six and these guys can really bring the noise. As I do with most bands I see playing with E6, I looked In The Whale up online before I actually saw them play. I like to have an idea as to whether or not I'll like a group before I see them live. I immediately liked what I was hearing. This is an exciting group!
They had three discs on sale at the show and I picked up all three... I'm reviewing "Cake" first because it has my current favorite song by them on it. Of the four songs on this disc, 'Heels' is my favorite but all of them are quite compelling and listenable. In the tradition of The White Stripes, Pucifer and Little Hurricane, this group rocks you relentlessly from start to finish.
Although the sound at the concert wasn't all that great, (in fact, it was absolute crap), you could still get the feeling for what they were capable of bringing. Live, they are dynamic, engaging and a lot of fun! In person, they were friendly, shy and even flattered by attention. Definitely a group worth following and hearing more from.
I can't recommend this group enough. You won't find their CDs through traditional means. You can find them on bandcamp though. And I believe you can order a physical copy of their "Cake" EP there. All of these tunes are worth owning so don't wait! Go pick up yours today!
My final words: AN EXCITING NEW VOICE IN ROCK MUSIC EMERGING FROM THE ROCKIES!!!! YOU WANT THEM, YOU NEED THEM, GO GET IT!!!!
IN THE WHALE - CAKE
01. 34-28-32
02. Woman
03. Heels
04. Shall Not Be Moved
