Moon Ska must be waiting for the money to roll in...
Whitmore are one of those local bands that you grow up listening to. As a pigtails and baggy-trouser wearing fourteen-year-old, I’d spend many Saturday nights at my local Arts Centre or village halls, jumping in unison with my friends to Whitmore, who never failed to put on a great show. Three years later I’m pleased to say that the pigtails and huge trousers are dead and gone, but Whitmore are still constantly touring and playing to new audiences around the world, extending their ever-growing fan-base with every show.
And Solstice Rise, Whitmore’s second album released on Moon Ska Records, sees the band as alive and energetic as ever. Whilst still continuing down the ska-punk path many of the songs experiment with reggae and melodic punk, showing a more confident and experienced band who aren’t afraid to incorporate different music genres with their trademark melodic ska-punk. This increasing confidence may possibly have something to do with the fact that their first album, Smoke The Roach, shifted a staggering 10,000 albums in the UK, making the record one of Moon Ska’s biggest sellers along with the label’s Spunge and Less Than Jake releases.
“Too Long Too Late” is incredibly catchy and picks up where “Smoke The Roach” left off. In typical Whitmore-style it may be fairly simplistic but the strong melody and potent lyrics ensure that it won’t leave your head for days. The pure ska track “Sober Days” follows and has a much more laid-back vibe to it, with guest appearances from Sledge and Jack Ruby Jr. from the American ska band, The Toasters. Unsurprisingly, “Dim Blue Light” is a live favourite and shows Whitmore at their best, brimming with catchy ska melodies and that all-important sing-a-long chorus. “Promises”, “October Ends” and “Bad Intentions” leave out the ska and feature honest lyrics and thrashing, melodic punk, whereas “Flicking The Bean”, “People Say” and “Side By Side” opt for the ska-punk fuelled, furious noise that Whitmore never fail to serve up. The chilled-out, Sublime-influenced “Skunk #1” offers a large dose of reggae, and is followed by radio-friendly, punk-pop anthem “Fighting For Today”.
The band also bravely take on The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love”. Choosing to cover a classic song has often left bands wanting to forget the recording ever existed, but thanks to their ska-punk take on it, Whitmore really make the song their own.
The lighters-at-the-ready, melancholy “Ethics” brings the album to a pensive close. Rob’s final words may be, “I’m sorry, for failing”, but after listening to this record, it’s safe to say that Whitmore have never sounded as passionate, assured or powerful. If you get the chance (and by the looks of their recent touring schedule, you probably will), go and see these tracks performed live, as despite the album sounding great (and featuring an enhanced video of “Drop The Bomb” recorded in London last year), nothing quite beats the atmosphere of one of their live shows.