WHITEROOM
Whiteroom, a Montreal
band headed by Alex Dray and Eddy Silva, is attracting much attention
thanks to a well-orchestrated series of tracks that swing between many
moods, with an undeniable fascination for the sulky laments of Thom
Yorke & co (Radiohead). The
songs on this album are similar in style, yet each is unique in sound -
giving a musical variety that together flow flawlessly as one album.
The first track on this album is “Pampillions”, the epitome of what Whiteroom calls
their genre, “Neo-Romantic pop”; indie rock that moves seamlessly
between urban beats, Latin jazz, romantic cinema soundscapes and
haunting trip-hop. The melting pot of these genres is complex, intelligent and emotional yet still fun.
“Barrio Chino,”
is the only Portuguese track on the album with a very lulling romantic
guitar, adding a nice spice to the album…not like its needed! This track may be lyrically different but its underlying style is followed throughout Whiteroom. If you’re surprised by the lingo change, just wait! “At
Odds”, the fourth track on Whiteroom, is a mix of French and English
lyrics, giving a surprisingly sophisticated feel to an indie song.
One specific track that catches my attention here at BeatPick is “Barcelona”, a tribute to John Lennon’s “When I’m 64”. This track captures exactly the atmosphere of the song it tributes and includes a magnificent trumpet solo. It’s quite unusual to find a band that has the courage to tribute the Beatles’ more complex, orchestral, Sgt. Pepper-phase works within an indie-produced debut album. Just one of many reasons why WhiteRoom’s album is a surprising and an ambitious piece of work. With a firm grasp of classic song-writing, this album has a sense of dream-like storytelling that captures many moods. It’s as if Whiteroom had no trouble emulating each genus and matching it with its lyrically poetic counterpart and mashing them together. The
band has recently been playing various clubs in their home area and if
there’s any divine justice in the world, WhiteRoom will be the Next Big
Thing to emerge from Canada. So keep an eye out and an ear! If you want to hear it free, click here!
