The Whalers' post punk / surf punk sound on "Keep It Quiet" jams

Keep It Quiet by Austin, Texas based The Whalers starts off with a swelling sound that for some reason has a Polaroid 60's vibe. When the choppy guitar, drums and bass explode around it, along with Gus Smalley's evocative vox the post punk meets surf punk tone is stamped firmly on the song... and then it happens. About 1 minute and 12 seconds in, and right after the chorus, the bottom drops out and you hear that swelling sound again this time with an incredibly infectious guitar hook. A hook that will stick to, wrap around your brain for days. The post punk / surfy sound makes me think of a blend of The Cosmonauts, Tijuana Panthers and The Buttertones (early versions). By the way, while I might think of surfing at Huntington Beach and ripping up rooster tails at Sunset as I listen to this song, lyrically Keep It Quiet is based loosely on one night when Smalley was invited to a house party only to be threatened with physical violence. Oh, not cool but the song is.

The Whalers are Gus Malley (vox), Dan Martin (guitar), Todd Horner (bass), Milos Bertram (drums) and Kyle Rother (guitar).

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Robb Donker




THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM- PRESS NOTES:

Whalers has grown up in the ten years since its formation, but the group hasn’t forgotten the infectious, boyish vitality that helped carry them out of the rehearsal space and onto some of Austin’s most reputable stages. From a collection of towns around Texas, the five men of Whalers rallied together in Austin in 2009 and have released two EPs (2010's How the Ship Goes Down and 2011's Paddle Easy) and released their first full-length album, Submarine Sun, in 2014. 2015 saw the release of the Death Drive - EP, a collection of B-sides from the Submarine Sun sessions.

Though their recordings are packed with an untouchable energy, Whalers’ contagious vigor is best felt in their live performances. The group’s music is a striking blend of power-driven rock, complete with strong riffs from Dan Martin and Kyle Rother (guitars), and smooth, dreamy surf rock, reminiscent of bands like Real Estate and Wild Nothing. Gus Smalley (vocals) and Milos Bertram (drums) stitch the two sounds together seamlessly, and bold lines from Todd Horner (bass) drive the band’s collection of songs forward with every beat.