White Whale -- WWI

White Whale is big on imagery. Anyone who's been to school for an hour understands the literary reference to Melville's great white protagonist, while only a truly obsessed record snoid will tell you that White Whale was a small Pop label in the '60s. This new White Whale, hailing from Lawrence, Kan., and guided by the inimitable Matt Suggs (Butterglory) and Rob Pope (Get Up Kids), draws from both ends of the reference spectrum, exuding an expansive baroque Pop atmosphere within the context of intimately constructed Indie Pop songs and textures. On their debut, WWI, White Whale impresses with turbulent energy and thoughtful calm, drawing on various musical decades for inspiration, from frenetically modern takes on classic Pop and Blues ("We're Just Temporary Ma'am") to ferocious Pop chops with a World Party vibe ("Nine Good Fingers") to the breakneck Pop/Rock swing of Supergrass ("O' William O' Sarah"). The result is an album that's infectious, contemplative and infinitely appealing. (BB) Grade: B+

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