Heave Media

A Country for All of Us

Or, The Whale delves deep into the real roots.

Or, The Whale

Light Poles and Pines

Released on Jan 20, 2009

For every decent country musician in the world, there are at least five Big & Riches or Toby Keiths being spawned. Modern country music is a far cry from the original roots of the genre, and the stuff being put out today is bad enough to make Gene Autry or Patsy Cline roll over in their grave. Thankfully a genre of alternative country was born, mixing together the roots of real country music, classic rock 'n' roll, and the twang of bluegrass into one nice package. And joining the ranks of notable and promising alt country bands is Or, The Whale with their release Light Poles and Pines.

At first listen the band clearly shimmers with a bluegrass tinge, like a first or second cousin of Jon Langford or Uncle Tupelo. The music clearly leans towards its country roots in the opening track "Call And Response," a track mimicking bluegrass harmonization and sneaking in some fine fiddle playing towards the end. Alex Robins' off kilter vocals have a not so subtle twang, yet are comforting and familiar on warm and smooth tracks like "Saint Bernard" and "Bound To Go Home."

Although the band clearly can pen classic slower songs, they shine best with up-tempo infectious tunes like "Threads," a (if I'm not mistaken) steel guitar driven song lamenting the pains of a mid-twenties life crisis. Another rousing track is the foot stomping, piano jangling, and harmonica solo sing-along "Prayer For The Road," a track that could have been recorded straight from a back roads barn somewhere deep in the mountains of Tennessee.

Probably most surprising is the fact that Or, The Whale is a band based in San Francisco, a place not usually associated with banjos or harmonicas. I'd like to think the band started as a group of traveling troubadours in the rural American roots music towns of the South. The band sounds as if they migrated out towards the bay picking up along the way the bluegrass finger pickings in the hills of Kentucky, the Tex-Mex style of country in Northern and Western Texas, and finally settling out on the coast and blending a classic Americana sound. Or, The Whale has captured a slice of American musical history that tends to get lost and only shows up in books or museums in Nashville and Memphis. These classic sounds of country helped create the foundation of numerous contemporary rock acts, and are sadly forgotten in the mainstream country market of today. Jack White may make garage rock with the White Stripes and sell out huge venues, but he was the one that wanted so badly to produce and work with Loretta Lynn. Musicians know the importance of their roots, and thankfully bands like Or, The Whale are continuing to make sure the twang of alt country shines on.

Posted by Lisa White on Mar 03, 2009 @ 6:00 am

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