Blowing out your speakers next week should be The Whigs new record, “Mission Control.” Some folks make serious music, others come to party. The Whigs do a little of both, kinda like late-era Replacements, but the emphasis of the music is on powerful beats and heavy riffs. “Mission Control” is a solid album that doesn’t bother taking risks or making statements because it doesn’t have to. As soon as the first track, “Like a Vibration,” began, I was in pig heaven. Or I should say Whig heaven. It begins with one long, expanding, 12-second riff, before the vocals kick in and the stellar drums take control.

There’s so few bar bands making good, solid rock and roll these days that the Whigs are a welcome addition to 2008. If you don’t know The Whigs, you should.

For fans of: Johnny Lives!, Paul Westerberg, The Blakes, Marah, and good-time rock and roll.  Oh, and The Foo Fighters, because when my buddy was listening to this, he heard asked me, “Hey!  When did Dave Grohl let a new album out!”

Right Hand On My Heart

Like a Vibration

Whigs on tour:

01/25 Atlanta, GA/ The Earl =
01/26 Athens, GA/ 40 Watt
01/28 Late Show with David Letterman
01/30 Chapel Hill, NC/ Local 506
01/31 Baltimore, MD/ 8 X 10 #
02/01 Brooklyn, NY/ Music Hall of Williamsburg #
02/02 Philadelphia, PA/ Johnny Brenda’s #
02/04 Buffalo, NY/ The Mohawk
02/05 Toronto, ON/ Horseshoe
02/06 Pontiac, MI/ Crofoot
02/07 Cincinnati, OH/ Madhatter
02/08 Cleveland, OH/ Grog Shop
02/09 Chicago, IL/ Shubas
02/12 Minneapolis, MN/ Varsity
02/13 Madison, WI/ Majestic
02/14 St. Louis, MO/ Creepy Crawl =
02/15 Indianapolis, IN/ Birdy’s =
02/16 Milwaukee, WI/ Rave Bar =
02/22 Fayetteville, AR/ Majestic
02/23 Nashville, TN/ Mercy Lounge #
02/26 Asheville, NC/ Grey Eagle #
02/27 Charlotte, NC/ The Visulate #
02/28 Charlottesville, VA/ TBA #
03/01 Lexington, KY/ The Dame #
03/04 Omaha, NE/ Waiting Room #
03/06 Denver, CO/ Larimer Lounge #
03/07 Colorado Springs, CO/ TBA #
03/09 Albuquerque, NM/ Launchpad #
03/11 San Antonio, TX/ TBA #
# with the Spinto Band
* with Dead Confederate
= with Wax Fang