Take it away 'white boy!'
Zachary Huff
Issue date: 2/27/07 Section: Life & Leisure
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Electronic music without any electronic tampering seems impossible, but a few creative guys pulled it off. The Whitest Boy Alive started out as a humble electronic project masterminded by Erlend Øye. As time progressed, the group decided to abandon most electronic elements and became an average, everyday four-piece that uses no production or effects. Strangely, the band keeps the overall sound and feeling of electronica, and turns their album "Dreams" into an extremely danceable chill-out of a rock album.
The band consists of Øye, who handles the vocals and guitars, Marcin Oz (bass), Sebastian Maschot (drums), and Daniel Nentwig (Rhodes and Crumar, two types of electric pianos). It is clear that all of the players are talented; all of the songs are carefully calculated and precise. A consistent drum flow and baseline combine with the repetitive guitar riffs keep things moving, while sporadic changes in tempo and random guitar outbursts to keep things interesting. Songs like "Burning" and "Fireworks" capture the allure of most electronica with the overall rhythm the band creates. It is hard to keep from tapping your toes to the beat, if you aren't compelled to get up and lose yourself to the rhythm.
The overall tone of the album, however, is much calmer and introspective than one would commonly associate with dance music. This is mostly due to Øye and his curious vocals; his voice reeks of melancholy in the best possible way. His lyrics are also deeper than most in their genre. On "Figures," he drops the line "there comes a time/ for everyone/ to sit down and access what's there and what is not there." Think about that for a minute, try it if you'd like. It's amazingly deep, and the answer might frighten you. He also sings about the futility of relationships on "Golden Cage": "so of course I miss you and I miss you bad/ but I also felt this way when I was still with you." The whole album is not overtly depressing; his deep, sometimes depressing lyrics are often backed by the most upbeat music I've heard in a while. On of my personal favorite tracks of the album, "Above You" is reminiscent of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (you know, that band from The Muppet Show) with it's breezy vocals and overbearing electric piano that drives the song.
Overall, The Whitest Boy Alive is an amazing endeavor in electronica. They offer a nice alternative to the loud, often overbearing beats and sounds of most dance music, and are the perfect choice for late night study sessions or quiet, introspective times. They also fit right in with other dance music, and I'm sure that anyone could hop around to them when they need a quick pick-me-up.
The band consists of Øye, who handles the vocals and guitars, Marcin Oz (bass), Sebastian Maschot (drums), and Daniel Nentwig (Rhodes and Crumar, two types of electric pianos). It is clear that all of the players are talented; all of the songs are carefully calculated and precise. A consistent drum flow and baseline combine with the repetitive guitar riffs keep things moving, while sporadic changes in tempo and random guitar outbursts to keep things interesting. Songs like "Burning" and "Fireworks" capture the allure of most electronica with the overall rhythm the band creates. It is hard to keep from tapping your toes to the beat, if you aren't compelled to get up and lose yourself to the rhythm.
The overall tone of the album, however, is much calmer and introspective than one would commonly associate with dance music. This is mostly due to Øye and his curious vocals; his voice reeks of melancholy in the best possible way. His lyrics are also deeper than most in their genre. On "Figures," he drops the line "there comes a time/ for everyone/ to sit down and access what's there and what is not there." Think about that for a minute, try it if you'd like. It's amazingly deep, and the answer might frighten you. He also sings about the futility of relationships on "Golden Cage": "so of course I miss you and I miss you bad/ but I also felt this way when I was still with you." The whole album is not overtly depressing; his deep, sometimes depressing lyrics are often backed by the most upbeat music I've heard in a while. On of my personal favorite tracks of the album, "Above You" is reminiscent of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (you know, that band from The Muppet Show) with it's breezy vocals and overbearing electric piano that drives the song.
Overall, The Whitest Boy Alive is an amazing endeavor in electronica. They offer a nice alternative to the loud, often overbearing beats and sounds of most dance music, and are the perfect choice for late night study sessions or quiet, introspective times. They also fit right in with other dance music, and I'm sure that anyone could hop around to them when they need a quick pick-me-up.
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