White Whale

WWI

[4/5] Some whales are the stuff of legend, and this particular catch of nautical rock hailing from landlocked Kansas are no exception. With a lineup featuring Matt Suggs (Butterglory), Robert Pope (the Get Up Kids) and most of the members of Thee Higher Burning Fire, White Whale are the indie answer to Velvet Revolver’s supergroup paradigm, turning out songs with the vim of vintage Sunny Day Real Estate with the wit of the Decemberists. The atmospheric mood hangs on “Fidget And Fudge” like sea foam on a coast, while “The Admiral” begins with a loungy bossa nova that unfolds into a melancholic exercise of John Lennon-sized proportions. Too big for the shallows, White Whale are at their best when pushing out into the depths of dense melodies and sea-breezy lyrics. (MERGE) Casey Lynch