Spark

Following the success of Whitneys breakthrough debut album, Light Upon the Lake, songwriters Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek returned to the warm, mellow, pastoral vibe they had established on that record for the follow-up, Forever Turned Around. Both albums reached the Top 25 of Billboards alternative chart. What wasnt clear to outsiders at the time was that the duo struggled to complete the latter album, which followed a blueprint they felt theyd outgrown. A romantic breakup, a move across the country (and back again), and pandemic shutdowns ultimately gave the Chicagoans the opportunity to give voice to immediate musical instincts and ultimately refashion their sound. While not a complete reinvention -- a languid, easygoing tone and Ehrlichs airy falsetto are still at the heart of their songs -- the resulting SPARK represents a surprising design overhaul on a 12-song production dominated by lush electronics and indebted to cited influence Dilla. It was produced by John Congleton and Forever Turned Arounds Brad Cook. Its a potentially jarring shift for those familiar with Whitneys original folk- and country-rock inspirations, even on a song like "REAL LOVE" that incorporates familiar timbres like Wurlitzer, guitar, and acoustic percussion, which they mix in this case with programmed beats and synths. A last-minute addition to the album, the forward-looking track was penned on the brink of widespread pandemic re-openings. Much of the rest of the record is breakup-minded, including opener "NOTHING REMAINS," which processes Ehrlichs vocals right out of the gate. Its booming, bass-reinforced opening beats set the stage for a slow reveal that adds guitar, then ringing keys, and layers of horns and strings for a dreamy introduction that feels at once familiar and like something contorted into a remix. (The albums opening words are: "Troubles never go away/But they change.") Whitney only broaden their experimentation on later tracks, like the druggy, drum-less "TWIRL," alt-R&B-tinged "SELF," and "LOST CONTROL," which channels elements of 70s Rundgren and Harrison within its fat-beats scheme. ~ Marcy Donelson

シカゴのデュオによるサード・アルバム。本作は多面的なポップスを鳴らしている。"Nothing Remains"ではJ・ディラに通じるスモーキーでねちっこいビートが刻まれ、"Twirl"の幽玄で甘美なコーラス・ワークは10ccの"I'm Not In Love"を彷彿とさせる。多彩なアレンジが印象的な内容は聴きごたえがあり、聴いてきた音楽の量が多い人ほどさまざまな先達の影を見い出せるだろう。ヴァラエティー豊かなグルーヴも聴きどころだ。たおやかなブレイクビーツによる横ノリが心地良い"Real Love"、ディスコなリズムが踊らせてくれる"Memory"など、ダンスフロアで流れても映えるような曲が目立つ。本作で彼らは、優れたポップ職人であることを改めて証明している。
bounce (C)近藤真弥