Referring to any band as a "great college rock band" might strike some as a backhanded compliment, as it often implies more enthusiasm than technical accomplishment. In 2004, the Whigs weren't short of either. At the time, Parker Gispert, Hank Sullivant, and Julian Dorio were enrolled at University of Georgia in Athens, the same town that spawned the quintessential college rock band, R.E.M. Like Athens' most famous sons, the unsigned Whigs separated themselves from their peers early on, courting an audience well beyond the campus gates. Their headlining shows in Atlanta were almost always packed-- and not just with weekenders from fraternity row. Watching the Whigs in those early days, it was easy to understand the appeal. The band's jangly, Southern brand of indie rock was never especially novel, but their rare combination of power and raw, naïve energy ensured that their sets were always pushed to the brink without ever spilling over.