Houston, We Have No Problem

The Whigs have a chip on their shoulder that's been tough to shake. Expectations for the band skyrocketed through the roof before they were even signed to a label, and when that first album didn't fully deliver on that promise many were disappointed. Yeah, too much hype can be a bad thing, especially when you're called "the next huge band out of Athens, GA" and that someday you'll "be mentioned in the same breath with greats like R.E.M." The pressure was on from the start. I sincerely hope that's all calmed down a bit now that The Whigs released their second studio album "Mission Control" yesterday. Expectations were hopefully lower this time, as I keep hearing people say they're pretty impressed with the final product this time around.

"Mission Control" is very much a great album, but I guess only if you're a certain kind of person. This is music that actually plays well to the masses and satisfies easily. People hoping for something brilliant and revelatory in the manner of TV on the Radio or Panda Bear will be sorely disappointed. In fact, I don't know that The Whigs have much originality to offer. Their sound is very much reflective of past garage rock bands, from The Clash to The Replacements to modern-day bands like The Strokes. There's bits and pieces of all those artists across "Mission Control," and I'm not calling that a bad thing. If you're going to imitate or even pay homage to some of the legendary bands of the past, you had better do a damn good job of it- which The Whigs do.

Is "Mission Control" worthy of all the acclaim and stadium-size audiences a band like R.E.M. brings to the table? Not quite yet. But from what the album shows me, this band has some really great hooks and the instrumental prowess to potentially ascend to greatness. It may not be with this album or even the next two, but if they're still at it 5 years from now I'll be intrigued to hear how they've evolved and grown. This won't be the last time you hear about The Whigs, let me say that much. If you're looking to get in on the ground floor with this band, start with "Mission Control." Now is as good of a time as any.

The Whigs- Like A Vibration
The Whigs- Right Hand on My Heart

Buy "Mission Control" from Amazon

Labels: the whigs