MP3: Or, The Whale – “Call and Response”
Or, the Whale is a collective of members who prove power in numbers. With a strong DIY ethic, and a Carter Family chemistry, they’ve continued to warm hearts and move feet throughout the Country. They deliver honesty and energy every time, weaving driving indie-rock epics, sweet folk lullabies, boot-stompin’ country rockers, and gritty blues porch anthems into a seamless and powerful performance.
The band’s debut album Light Poles and Pines can be omnipotent and epic (“Life and Death at Sea”), painfully reflective (“Rope Don’t Break”), or both (“Fight Song”). On “Life and Death at Sea,” defeated, raspy lead vocals sink under a whining pedal steel until pulled up by rousing harmonies. In contrast, “Call and Response“, the CD’s lead single, is a whiskey-soaked energetic anthem with a raucous and contagious rhythm that belies a reflective commentary. And really, that’s the secret behind Or, the Whale’s draw: their songs are honest, intelligent, and offer a refreshing modern connection to traditional American music.
OR, THE WHALE
Jan. 16 San Francisco, CA The Independent
Or, The Whale
Light Poles and Pines
(Seany)
Street date: Jan. 20, 2009
01. Call and Response
02. Saint Bernard
03. Threads
04. Isn’t She Awful
05. Death of Me
06. Crack a Smile
07. Fixin’ to Leave
08. Rope Don’t Break
09. Life and Death at Sea
10. Gonna Have To
11. Bound to Go Home
12. Prayer for the Road
13. Fight Song
OR, THE WHALE LINKS:
MySpace – www.myspace.com/orthewhale
Band Page – www.orthewhale.com
Label Page – www.seanyrecords.com