The Devil Whale: “Golden”
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The name the Devil Whale chose for themselves might conjure up big things: big mammals, big waves, big ships. But the band’s music is decidedly intimate, hinging on a clever turn-of-phrase or a neat guitar lick. That kind of attention-to-detail is all over the group’s second album, Teeth, which saw a release last year but is picking up more and more steam, especially with high-profile supporting tours for Seattle’s the Head and the Heart.
The Devil Whale started out in Salt Lake City, Utah as a trio among longtime friends, but it soon became apparent that more instruments would need to be added. As a five-piece, the band released its debut album in 2008, Like Paraders, a more subdued affair that only hinted at things to come. 2010′s Young Wives EP and Teeth are two sides of the same coin, finding the band beefed up not just in numbers but in overall sound as well.
Still, songs like “Golden” benefit more from small touches rather than any increase in recording fidelity. Guitarist Jamie Timm colors the Teeth track with varying melodies, while singer Brinton Jones lives up to the song’s title with some golden singing of his own. Currently, the Devil Whale is working on a new album back home, but they won’t be resting for long. There are bigger things to get to.
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