The Whigs - Give 'em All A Big Fat Lip

Genre rock Publisher ATO Records External Links Official The Whigs Website Official ATO Records Website

Athens, Georgia trio The Whigs is one of those all too rare bands these days, one that slowly crawls onto the scene without bucketloads of advance buzz and blog hype. Thing is, they are probably more deserving of that buzz than a good eighty percent of the bands clogging up MySpace bandwidth right this second.

Blending a tantalizing mixture of jangly indie rock, classic sixties pop-rock, and just the right amount of country influence, The Whigs manage to hit all the right switches while creating a wholly original sound on their full length debut. Its little wonder that Dave Matthews' very own ATO records was quick to not only sign them, but to push the originally self-released Give 'em All a Big Fat Lip right into the national spotlight. Little did I think I'd find myself tossing praise in Dave Matthews' direction, but thank god, this is a solid little record that deserves to be heard.

Led by raspy voiced singer and guitarist Parker Gispert, The Whigs tear through an exhilarating set of tunes over the course of Big Fat Lip as they bob and weave through their influences without allowing themselves to be pinned down by anything too obvious. Many hip young bands can boast impressively large record collections, but very few of them have completely absorbed theirs as completely as these three kids have. "Nothing is Easy" kicks the album off with a jaunty, almost waltz-like beat that might have once fit the Kinks fairly well before it catches a groove and runs out its course on the back of Gispert's charisma and guitar work. This upbeat start is continued right through the inspired brief horn blasts at the end of the rocking "Can't Hear You Coming" and the hugely melodic "Technology" before finally slowing down a bit for "Written Invitation" (complete with its Bob Pollard inspired intro) and the distinctly southern flair of "Don't Talk Anymore". "O.K., Alright" and "Violet Furs" reflects the poppier side of the band on the second half of the disc, but it's "Half the World Away" (almost disappointingly not an Oasis cover) and epic closer "All My Banks" that showcase this band at it's best. The former rides along on chiming guitars that are very reminiscent of the 1980s alternative sound we might have expected from an Athens band, not to mention some sparing touches of organ that spruce things up nicely. As for the latter, I hate to toss a huge name out for them to have to live up to, but let's just say that it's a stunning coda worthy of mid-period Wilco complete with controlled dissonance and a trumpet solo.

It was a very pleasant surprise to hear how well this album holds up over it's entirety, but it was downright shocking when I flipped through the liner notes and saw that the band produced everything themselves. Not only are they a very talented trio with a fresh tale to tell, but they sound like thirty-year veterans when it comes to laying down the sonic fields in which they frolic. The arrangements are tight and punchy from start to finish while each and every instrument is extremely well placed, never over-used or under utilized. Give 'em All a Big Fat Lip is a stunning achievement for such a young band, a great record for anyone else, and a huge indication of the wonderful things we can expect from these guys in the near future.