Whirlwind Heat - Types Of Wood Album Review

Whirlwind Heat
Types Of Wood
Brille

Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Whirlwind Heat were spotted by Jack White and have since toured with his band, as well as Beck and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The band also take responsibility for their videos, design their own clothing, and have developed their website.

Starting as a hectic piece of electro-rock, "Air Miami" soon reveals the limitations of Whirlwind Heat. An uninspired riff is repeated endlessly and there is no development to the track whatsoever, while the lethargic style of vocalist David Swanson fails to stimulate. The repeated chant of the title of "Up-tight" is reminiscent of Duran Duran's "Wild Boys", but the reliance on the rhythm section does the track no favours, and things take a further turn for the worse with "Gene Pool Style". Written about the process of sperm donation, it has terrible lyrics that are perhaps intended to amuse but fall short of even raising a snigger. It also contains a music break akin to the sound of Ash on "1977", which is good and well, but is out of place like an Eskimo in the Sahara.

The only times at which Whirlwind Heat are bearable is "Slugger", an upbeat and dynamic tune that could well become a frat-pack anthem, and also with the punkish "Umbrella People". They reach new lows on the appalling "The Sun Is Round", displaying poor ability at song and lyric writing. Two verses are incessantly used, one of which sees Swanson going through the alphabet, and the result is mind-numbingly painful. There is an old adage that states, "silence is golden", and when listening to records like this you realise it might just be true.

Alex Lai