Enjoy the Company

Enjoy the Company

To find a new balance in their approach, the Athens, Ga.–based Whigs trekked to the bucolic environs of Woodstock, N.Y., to hole up in a recording studio (in a historic church) with producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Son Volt). The eight-minute "Staying Alive" is the perfect snapshot of all The Whigs have become in 2012. There's melody, there's a lightness of touch, and there's a maelstrom of sound that segues back beautifully to the central riff. "Gospel" packs a concise punch, turning in a guitar-heavy track that never drowns out the simple but sweetly executed vocals of frontman Parker Gispert. "Summer Heat" adds a narrative and a cathartic chorus. Even "Rock and Roll Forever" manages to be both well thought out and instinctual. Few younger rock 'n' roll bands know how to pay homage to the music that got them here and still keep it fresh, personal, and universal. The Whigs pull it off on album number four, which reflects rock 'n' roll's past, present, and future.

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