White Whale – WWI

Fire Away, Ahab!

Keeping up this decade’s tradition of indie supergroups, Butterglory’s Matt Suggs teams up with former Get Up Kid Robert Hope and members of the Higher Burning Fire to form White Whale. Their name foreshadows an intriguing nautical theme that lyrically permeates their debut album, WWI. Unfortunately, it also presumes certain mythical qualities that the band, despite a valiant effort, can’t quite seem to achieve.It’s not as if Suggs and company aren’t looking in the right places. “The Admiral” begins as a sauntering exercise in vintage Bowie-isms before erupting into an epic choral crescendo worthy of The Arcade Fire, while “What’s an Ocean For?” is a galloping, glimmering love letter to Echo & the Bunnymen. Other highlights include “We’re Just Temporary Ma’am,” whose jangling take on Americana suggests where Iron & Wine would go if Sam Beam pushed a little harder on the distortion pedals, and the Madchester-meets-Catherine Wheel climax of “Forgive the Forgiven.”

The problem with WWI is that these moments never amount to more than that: moments that keep listeners interested but not satisfied. Too often, the echoes of White Whale’s influences drown them out. “Fidget and Fudge” is pure Pink Floyd filler, and “I Love Lovely Chinese Girl” only proves that the Bowie sword can cut both ways. Meanwhile, tracks like British Sea Power-esque “Nine Good Fingers” and “Yummyman Farewell” don’t rock nearly as hard as the band seems to think they do, implying that influences aside, White Whale may not have anything interesting to say.

But that’s a debate for album two, and there’s certainly enough mild promise to justify an album two. White Whale just need to lift anchor and set sail with a little less pretension. Right now, they’re idling in the shallows.