The Whigs In the Dark (ATO Records)
The Whigs sound technically competent on this, their third studio album, but there is precious little soul. The threesome built their reputation on sweat-drenched pounding live shows and their first two albums were well received as an artful combination of garage rock and Southern idiosyncrasy.
However, In the Dark was written on the road and - as the band admitted - influenced by the act with which they were touring, the Kings of Leon. In a few short years, the KoL have moved from alternative Southern rockers to playing arenas the world over and it seems that that's also The Whigs' plan: In the Dark's tunes are mass crowd pleasers with little to distinguish one track from the next.
The Whigs pack a punch for three players especially drummer Julian Dorio. They are still guitar-driven and raucous, but here their sound is a generic, dull turn after the success and promise of their first two albums.
