The Whigs have not yet made it ‘big’ in Australia, but that has not
been due to a lack of talent or effort. The garage rock trio from
Athens, Georgia (AKA REM’s hometown) were once named America’s
best-unsigned band by Rolling Stone. So if the goods on offer on their
third record, In The Dark, are anything to go by then world domination
may be around the next corner or so.

The group have often been
likened to The Replacements. But for my money their sound is actually
similar to a collective they also count as friends, Kings Of Leon. The
two bands have toured together in the past with the trio opening for the
famous band of brothers and learning a few things about stadium rock in
the process. 

The Whigs’ third record is their first one with new bassist, Tim Deaux, as founding member Hank Sullivant left the
group in 2008 to join MGMT. The band recorded In The Dark at Chase Park,
Athens with producer, Ben H Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective) –
the man known for producing the latter’s groundbreaking, Merriweather
Post Pavilion.

This time around the boys have let a Kings Of
Leon-type vibe permeate through the traditional garage rock, pop and
dusty honesty of their previous works. There is also a richness to the
sound here that is coupled with an overarching sense of maturity and
ambitious desire to do more than they’ve previously done.

But
that’s not to say this record isn’t without plenty of pure rock swagger.
From the clambering drums and cymbals found in the opening,
“Hundred/Million,” the listener is immediately hooked into a world of
catchy rock. It’s the kind of thing that makes for good road trip music,
best enjoyed with a bunch of your closest mates in a fine piece of
metal hurtling down a vast open road.

“Kill Me Carolyne” combines
U2’s guitars with The Pixies perfect spirit and some grungy bass. The
result is a perfect synchronicity of some of the best musical elements
from the last few decades. In a similar way, “So Lonely” continues this
thread by sounding like it’s the lovechild of REM and the Foo Fighters.
Boasting the lyrical honesty and substance synonymous with the former
with the rock balls of the latter, it’s heavy but with heart.

In
The Dark is best summed up as post-teen angst and anthems for the
underdog backed by great walls of rock sounds – all gritty guitars,
ferocious drums plus the scratchy and occasionally boozy vocals of
Parker Gispert. It’s tight rock music and a solid effort from a group of
musicians that have been around the block a few times and now sound
like they have the beginnings of tunes ready to fill stadiums for their
famous friends and to rid themselves of the tag, “plus guests”.

Review Score: 7.5/10