The Whigs
Modern Creation
Album · Rock · 2014 · New West Records
The Whigs are a band who in 2014 are labeled “traditionalists” for playing the type of guitar-based rock ’n’ roll that from the '60s to the '90s was simply the way many bands did business. Marketing professionals called it classic rock; overnight, guitar-based rock that wasn’t punk, indie, or metal was in danger of being seen as retro. But there’s nothing old about the members of The Whigs. The Athens, Ga.–based trio merely play the music that comes naturally to them. Nowhere is that more obvious than on Modern Creation, where they recorded all 10 tracks live with limited takes at PLYRZ studios in Valencia, Calif., and completed the album in two weeks. Producer Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Wilco) gives the group a crisp sound where Tim Deaux’s bass pulses with Julian Dorio’s drums so fluently that they appear to be making more music than is possible between two people. Singer/guitarist Parker Gispert uses the remaining room to sing and play deliberately thin, shimmering lines. “The Hit” crafts a bit of dance groove, while “Friday Night” goes for lean, tight rock. A solid album with two notable sides.
Modern Creation
The Whigs
The Whigs are a band who in 2014 are labeled “traditionalists” for playing the type of guitar-based rock ’n’ roll that from the '60s to the '90s was simply the way many bands did business. Marketing professionals called it classic rock; overnight, guitar-based rock that wasn’t punk, indie, or metal was in danger of being seen as retro. But there’s nothing old about the members of The Whigs. The Athens, Ga.–based trio merely play the music that comes naturally to them. Nowhere is that more obvious than on Modern Creation, where they recorded all 10 tracks live with limited takes at PLYRZ studios in Valencia, Calif., and completed the album in two weeks. Producer Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Wilco) gives the group a crisp sound where Tim Deaux’s bass pulses with Julian Dorio’s drums so fluently that they appear to be making more music than is possible between two people. Singer/guitarist Parker Gispert uses the remaining room to sing and play deliberately thin, shimmering lines. “The Hit” crafts a bit of dance groove, while “Friday Night” goes for lean, tight rock. A solid album with two notable sides.
