White Lung is back with this new single, Magazines. The first one is totally sold out...nice work.
With 'Magazines'...this direction there's lot's of nice guitar work, weird high muted harmonics piercing everything right before the chorus. I love these little weird touches...I'd be happy to hear them go a little more experimental even...it doesn't have to be all power chords. Get into a little Deerhoof territory, bring the weird sounds to the punk, I appreciate the effort.
If they are playing near you in Vancouver, please tell me about it, I'm curious how this is working out live. I want to believe this kind of energy plays out in shitty alternative spaces nightly.
I think 'Therapy' is the B-side and they show no signs of letting up anytime soon, this is even better, the guitar cramps-y line is sinister and great...another weird unexpected line of thought. This is really sounding like the YYY's, unintentionally I'm sure...but I could see them succeeding in the same circles. They have that potential for sure...this latest stuff is even leaning more that way then the kicked out of the garage sessions.
Mish has an insane voice. It's really serious yelling, she has to have had some kind of vocal training or she's going to be a mess after some kind of week long punishment like SXSW...how could you just sing yell like this? It's kind of low and she's growling like every other verse. You have to take this voice seriously...it's powerful. Like Karen O or something, it's unique, I think it's more than the standard punk too. The rest of what's going on musically seriously has to compete with these vocals. It's working out so far, maybe pushing guitar lines to standout more than usual...trying to come up for air. It's a nice fight to hear.
This is Sleater Kinney to my ears but actually even better, the second coming, or let's say SK for today.
I have to say I'm really liking their shirts too and if that isn't punk rock, then I don't know what fucking is. In fact I'm jealous...I want to make 7inch shirts like these. They are so awesome. Tape up the name on a black shirt and spray it with brown paint.
From Deranged records they still have colored or black vinyl...nice.
WHITE LUNG-Magazines 7” (Deranged/DY131) $4.50
After a short hiatus while Mish (singer) spent part of 2007 in Europe, Vancouver’s White Lung return with their most triumphant 2nd 7” featuring three new tracks which pick up where their first 7” left off. For those who missed their amazing debut 7” on Hockey Dad records, I included some reviews below and as if you still can’t read the writing on the walls, well I’ll do my best here. Take 1 part Bikini Kill and mix it to 1 part early UK post punk (like Wire) and you get White Lung! With any luck we should see an album in 2009!
yeh the singer's alright, but to say that her vocals are pushing the guitar player to come up with better guitar parts to keep up is (no offense) laughable. I think the guitarist in White Lung is incredible (not to mention the bassist and drummer are both very competent in their own right). The singer has certainly improved since the last record (less grating/whiny sounding), but it just comes across as straight-up yelling sometimes, and I have to wonder if the vocals could stand on their own in another band setting with less catchy music. I'm not saying she's not good, but I think you induldged a little here. I wonder how many takes they did on each song seeing as the website says they did 1 take of each song on the last 7"? Either way I think it sounds great. I wish I could see it live too. I'm from Austin so unless they tour down here doesn't look like I'll get the chance.
ReplyDeleteI think I was hearing the fight between the guitar and vocals to take front and center...kind of improving both by fighting for attention maybe...
ReplyDeleteI wish these tracks were one take also...my only real complaint with this is it could be headed a little too produced for my taste...I just love the stripped down garage demo sound and I think white lung could rule in that genre.
yeh, I hear what you're saying about the one take aesthetic, but I also appreciate the fact that they didn't try to simply reproduce the last 7 inch and the sound that was successful to them, and I can respect that that might be a bit boring for a band that wants to be around long term. They took some risks that might not be perceived as "cool" in the sometimes snotty punk scene that seems to have embraced them. When I was listening to it I thought that the back and forth play between the guitarist/bassist was really cool, espcially in the take Therapy and in Magazines also, where the guitarist in particular really shines.
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