I confess that I slept on the self-titled album from The Whimbrels, and it’s a shame because as it turns out I like it. The band has a traditional rock format but with three guitars, and the band takes full advantage of that over the seven songs on the record.
A short pedigree of the group reveals Glenn Branca, Swans, Heroin Sheiks, J. Mascis & The Fog, and a lot more. The main thing I hear when spinning the record, though, is Sonic Youth, the late ’80s to early ’90s period, maybe. That might make sense given The Whimbrels’ deep roots in NYC underground music.
The band’s label calls the music “power art-rock.” I think it’s more on the noise rock end of things, but to me that’s a plus.
The lyrics are kind of loose: “The sky is raining lead / And it feels just like a tomb” and so on. The CD package is spartan, with lyrics available on the band’s website. The songs have long passages of guitar layering, with the rhythm sometimes falling over itself in a circle until it finally clicks in the listener’s ear. In places it kind of sounds like the band isn’t playing together right, but then I realize the guys must be doing that on purpose, pushing to the edge of being in time because that’s what they want it to sound like.
It’s the mark of a good record that when it’s over, you want to listen to it again in the near future. That’s what I get from this CD from The Whimbrels.
Music Videos
The band released three videos for the album, for “She is the Leader,” below…
and “Scream for Me,” below…
And “Four Moons of Galileo,” below. All three videos have interesting visuals.
Where to Buy the Record
The self-titled album from The Whimbrels is available on LP, CD, and digital from Dromedary Records.
Photo: Dromedary Records
