Whitney
Forever Turned Around
Release Date: Aug 30, 2019
Genre(s): Pop/Rock
Record label: Secretly Canadian
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Album Review: Forever Turned Around by Whitney
Very Good, Based on 6 Critics
Based on rating 8/10
On their breakthrough debut, 2016's Light Upon the Lake, Whitney introduced their dulcet, country-inflected songs via a seven-piece led by the gentle falsetto of singer/drummer Julien Ehrlich. Co-produced by the band and Foxygen's Jonathan Rado, the album was an alternative hit and led to extensive touring over the next couple of years. Arriving in 2019, the follow-up, Forever Turned Around, features mostly the same players, with Brad Cook (William Tyler, Hand Habits) joining Rado as co-producer, and a pair of string players including Ohmme's Macie Stewart adding further acoustic texture.
Based on rating 7
Never underestimate the drummer. Always the butt of band-themed jokes... (Q: What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?) Often, they're marked as the hellraiser of the group, a legacy left by Keith Moon, Tommy Lee and Animal from The Muppets. But sometimes they have the habit of surprising us with a sharp ear for melody.
Based on rating 7/10
Smith Westerns could've been the peak for guitarist Max Kakacek and drummer Julien Ehrlich; the buzzy Chicago band disbanded at the height of their popularity in 2014. After some soul-searching, the duo founded Whitney, and their debut album Light Upon the Lake quickly earned critical acclaim and a sizable fan base thanks to their amiable tracks about seeking emotional intimacy amidst isolation on the road, wrapped in warm, horn-laden arrangements. It didn't take long before the new band fully eclipsed their old outfit. Sophomore ….
Based on rating 6.5/10
It seems it would be sacrilege for Whitney to release an album in a season other than summer. The Chicago six-piece's 2016 debut album, Light Upon the Lake, seamlessly incorporated a bright, jammy, but somewhat sluggish country-rock ambiance, the sound of sluggish August heat and the triumph of fresh, new love. They toured around the world supporting Light Upon the Lake for nearly three years.
Based on rating 3/5
The success of an album is often about the context as much as the content. Releasing debut 'Light Upon The Lake' in June 2016, during a balmy summer with the threat of Brexit fast becoming a reality, Whitney were the perfect escapist antidote: their comforting warmth an aural balm to the horrors around. Three years later however and 'Forever Turned Around' - a more restrained, understated take on the formula - feels slightly lacking.
Opinion: Great
The Lowdown: When Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek formed Whitney shortly after the dissolution of their previous band, Smith Westerns, few expected that in just a couple short years they would eclipse the stature of their former outfit. At last month's Pitchfork Music Festival, they played a prime Sunday evening slot that legendary artists like Pusha T and Stereolab filled on other nights, accompanied by special guests like Snail Mail's Lindsey Jordan and Soccer Mommy's Sophie Allison. Coinciding with the release of their second album, Forever Turned Around, Mayor Lori Lightfoot proclaimed August 30th Whitney day in Chicago, and even if it's largely ceremonial, remember that took until 2018 for Travis Scott to get the city of Houston to name a day in his honor.
'Forever Turned Around'
is available now