White Whale may hail from land-locked Kansas but on WWI that doesn't stop the band from dreaming of life on the high seas. Throughout the album, imagery of admirals, ships, and overseas travel ride the crest of the band's anthemic rock-- which is often as expansive as the ocean itself. Musically, it's the stuff of 1970s rock radio: Melodic verses give way to huge choruses as the band chugs along with both toughness and panache.
There's also a generous hint of glam, courtesy of former Butterglory member Matt Suggs' breathily dramatic delivery and impressively constructed, elliptical lyrics, which are so full of effortless alliteration and internal rhymes that, as on David Bowie's "The Bewlay Brothers", it takes a while to realize that he isn't saying a damn thing. On the downtempo intro to "Fidget and Fudge", Suggs feigns meaningful statement, declaring, "Oh, what parasites we are/ Sniffing through the darkness with our snouts." Elsewhere, he surrenders to wordplay and silliness, as on opener "Nine Good Fingers", where he urges a lover to "lay your nine good fingers on me" and "keep that lone one wrapped in gauze." As capably as the band-- which also includes three members of Thee Higher Burning Fire and the Get Up Kids bassist Rob Pope-- rocks, it's Suggs' theatrical charisma that steals the show.
White Whale's roots may be in classic rock, but the band still has the good sense to embellish its music with less expected accents. When, in "O'William, O'Sarah", the middle section boils down to a bass line and reserved drumbeat for several minutes, the rest of the band keep things interesting with circular piano flourishes, screeching guitar, and chaotic, megaphone-treated vocals. On "The Admiral", WWI's best song, the tune is introduced with programmed beats, burbling synth bass, and a whirling delay effect before transitioning to more organic instrumentation.
Unfortunately, as with music that draws from familiar musical influences, White Whale occasionally lapse into more predictable territory. If it weren't supported by more compelling material, "Nine Good Fingers" would be bar-band fare. And their stabs at lo-fi experimentation, like "I Love Lovely Chinese Gal" and "King's Indian", just don't float, particularly alongside standouts like "The Admiral" or "What's an Ocean For?" In the end, WWI shows promise, and Suggs all but declares his dedication to the band's cause, singing on "One Prayer": "We must not forget, dear/ It's our duty to go down with the ship."
