Whitney’s sophomore album, Forever Turned Around, released at the end of summer, is the perfect prelude to fall. Always singing nostalgically of golden days, their soft rock melts your heart in the coziest of ways.

The album starts with “Giving Up” which features the classic song-making style of Julien Elrich and Max Kakacek—swinging and upbeat but with lyrics that don’t always follow that same positive tempo. Forever Turned Around is about relationships, whether romantic or platonic, you’re often left free to decide that for yourself. They tackle loneliness, doubt, fleeting feelings, and change. It’s unclear how they are able to evoke simultaneous melancholy and sunshine, but they do so masterfully.

Sonically, it sounds strikingly similar to their debut album, Light Upon the Lake (2016)—and you likely wouldn’t notice much of a difference if you interchanged a few of the tracks. But their style is so unique, it’s hard to hate them for it – simply because you won’t find anyone else like them.

In the first half of the album, we feel the sun setting on summertime. They address change in a new way in each song. Beginning with “Before I Know It,” they start with change sneaking up on you. “Song for Ty” is about instability and fleeting feelings—the worry of change coming at any time. And “Valleys (My Love),” ends this section most directly, “I never want to fade away/ Want to turn as the seasons’ change/ Every time you come around/ The days just slow down,” sings Elrich.

As usual, Ehrlich and Kakacek are backed by a large band including multiple guitars, a trumpet, bassists, and a keyboard. We get a full taste of their instrumental work in “Rhododendron,” which hits at the center and serves as the album’s interlude. It’s a smooth and bouncy tune stuffed with a trumpet and guitar.

They quickly jump back into those wistful lyrics, but this time there’s a slight shift to lightness—now their words seem to be fueled with less anxiety. Where “Used to Be Lonely,” at the beginning of the album, addresses the fear and struggles in loneliness, “My Life Alone” features a dancing-with-myself kind of acceptance. The next two tracks bring a sense of nostalgia and daydreaming as they lead up to Forever Turned Around’s namesake song that curbs the album with a sleepy finish.

While Forever Turned Around is a solid album as a whole, you might find it hard to pick a favorite. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—the album drags out like one long happy day or a sticky night lit with fireflies. Its easy listening radiates warmth and euphoria. The music may fall in and out of your focus, but you’ll likely be nodding your head with a dreamy smile through all ten tracks.

Forever Turned Around navigates both the expected and unexpected feelings. Its music will help ease you into coming change, all while wrapped up in an iconic Whitney bow.

Upcoming tour dates:

Fri. Jan. 24 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
Tue. Jan. 28 – Evanston, IL @ SPACE
Wed. Jan. 29 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
Thur. Jan. 30 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
Fri. Jan. 31 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
Mon. Feb. 3 – Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
Tue. Feb. 4 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Moon
Wed. Feb. 5 – Miami, FL @ The Ground
Thur. Feb. 6 – Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
Fri. Feb. 7 – Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm
Mon. Feb. 10 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Tue. Feb. 11 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
Wed. Feb. 12 – Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theatre
Thur. Feb. 13 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
Fri. Feb. 14 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
Sat. Feb. 15 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
Sun. Feb. 16 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Fountain Street Church

The post Whitney’s “Forever Turned Around” carries us through the changing seasons appeared first on Quip Magazine.

I like Whitney. I really do. I bet they’d like me if we met. I went to their latest concert in Toronto and thoroughly enjoyed their solid, albeit slight, output. By now you may be waiting for the ‘but’ so here it is: But I’m not sure why they released Light Upon The Lake: The Demos a mere year after dropping said debut. Was it to show how very similar their final product is to the original demos? Was it to show how the final polished album is better, with a cleaner sound, sweeter vocals and a more driving feel to it? Or was it to show that there isn’t a whole lot of back catalogue material for them to draw upon?

The big difference is that the demo is missing “Red Moon” and, to make things confusing, the title song of the album itself, “Light Upon the Lake”. There are two ‘new’ tracks that fans will be happy to get their ears on: “You and Me” and a cover of Alan Toussaint’s “Southern Nights”. I can attest to the delight fans felt in hearing them play that last song when I saw them live. “Another Song! Hooray! The concert will be longer than I thought!” This provides a clue as to what’s going on. As the band says in their press release, they have been touring nearly non-stop for two years. And they have been remarkably successful with only that one album. They may be feeling pressure to put out some new material.

They did release a two song EP earlier this year (You’ve Got A Woman/Gonna Hurry), featuring, like here, an original and a cover. I was happy to hear it – though, like the demo, it was not up to the standard of their debut. They should have released the new songs as another EP. The demo is a curiosity which you can safely ignore (unless you’re a die-hard, although buying only the two new songs would likely suffice even so).

Apparently, the band is looking to complete a second album soon. I hope they don’t rush out material for the sake of doing so but take the time they need to match their first great outing. Because I like Whitney, and I hope they still like me after this review.

The post Latest Output by Whitney: “Light Upon the Lake: The Demos” appeared first on Quip Magazine.

On Saturday Pitchfork started with a dilemma, Kevin Morby or Royal Headache? I had recently seen a set by Morby at Schubas so I opted for Royal Headache. I did stick around for one song by Morby and Will Miller from Whitney was joining them on stage to play trumpet. Some of festival highlights tend to be those mini collaborations that a large co-location of artists easily affords.

Royal Headache didn’t disappoint with a soulful, fuzzy lead by feverous front man Shogun. But you know who did disappoint?? Brian Wilson. Some things are better left in the past and I think The Beach Boys might be one of them. The sound was too crystal clear, like someone had simply pressed play on their MP3 player and when Wilson did attempt to sing, it was depressing. John Cusack did make an appearance but this is a music festival, not a film Q&A. The movie Love and Mercy came out this year and Cusack is a Chicago native so the choice for Brian Wilson to play made some sense. Except that what we got was a sad old man group trying to relive their glory days. I understand that Brian Wilson is a musical genius and I mean him no disrespect but I just don’t think that Pitchfork was the right setting.

Devonte Hynes paid Carly Back on Saturday when she came on during his set. He opened his set with the same intro from Freetown Sound, which is a poignant speech by Ava Raiin about race and feminism. It’s a fabulous intro and I’m glad he kicked his set off with it. Festivals are a great time for artists to make statements not just musically but socially as well. They hold a lot of power and have a lot of young, eager ears listening. He kept it light and fun though and had the whole crowd bopping and swaying. Empress Of also graced us with her presence to sing for the track “Best of You”.

Sufjan Stevens closed out Saturday and it was a bacchanalia of sound and colour. He and his band were decorated in various shades of neon and silver fringe on almost all their appendages. He had his signature angel wings and it took everything for this writer to not burst into tears. He played an amalgamation of “Illinois”, “Age of Ads” and “Carrie and Lowell”. Many of the songs featured synchronized dances from him and his back up singers along with him being held up on a ladder in a giant silver headdress. Of course, he finished the set with the beloved track Chicago and then a cover of Prince’s “Kiss”. Easily, my favourite set of the weekend. When Chicago started the crowded erupted into approval and Sufjan could have handed us the microphone, not a single lyric was missed. I love when things are joyous, whimsical and strange and Sufjan was all of that and more.

Sunday was filled with extremely sexy and danceable acts like Kamasi Washington, Holy Ghost!, Jeremih and Miguel. Jeremih’s set may have stolen the show with a guest appearance of Chance the Rapper. Once Chance stepped onto the stage, the crowd surged forward in a wave of crazed, enthusiastic madness.

Holy Ghost! was the great dance party of the weekend. In every observable direction all kinds of moves were being bust and inhibition was thrown to the wind. Final days of festivals are definitely the time when you need to get your ya ya’s out. I, for one, could not stop shaking it. The only break was had when front man Nick Milhiser stepped off the stage to light up a cig.

The weekend closed out with F.K.A Twigs and Oneohtrix Point Never. My fellow comrades have already referred to F.K.A Twigs as a goddess and I have to say her trippy, smooth performance could be lead by a celestial being. Per usual though, I want to give some clout to the under dogs, Oneohtrix Point Never was insanely intense and unlike any other set I saw at Pitchfork. Loud, unearthly, and trance like. They may not win a Grammy any time soon but if you’re looking to get weird, they’re the ticket.

Music Festivals feel like this magic place where reality is suspended. People are kinder and strangeness is not only expected but also encouraged. I love the whirling distortion that happens when the lights fall on Union just as much as the sun blazed dance parties during the day. Every year I think it can’t get any better but it always does. Until next year, kiddos.

Images by Garrett Duncan and Matt Lief for Pitchfork

The post Welcome to the eleventh hour: Pitchfork 2016. Part 2 appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Pitchfork started in a gray drizzle as my black, torn sneakers stepped into Union Park. Car Seat Headrest had already begun and Will Toledo’s unique voice was the perfect beginning to this festival. Pitchfork is known for showcasing emerging artists. The band soon started into Vincent and Toledo was in his fetal like position shredding on his guitar. His boyish good looks only add to his allure and the obscure lyrics like the ones in “Drunk Drivers” help engage the misfits as well.

It doesn’t take long for the weather to clear up and people start to trek over to the Blue stage. The sun could not have more perfect timing. Whitney takes the stage and sunny weather definitely matches their jangling fusion sound. Ehrlich leads the band though a set almost identical to the one they played for JBTV. He makes sure to introduce the band and even gives a shout-out to his folks. The set even features a string quartet to help out on the title track “Light Up On The Lake”. A perfect summer band, if you haven’t already hopped on the Whitney train, I highly recommend it.

Twin Peaks set was scheduled to play next on the Green Stage. A Friday 5:30 set was something I was surprised by. Two years ago, before the release of Wild Onion, they opened the festival, one would think they would have earned a Saturday playtime while touring behind their 3^rd album. Their set was the usual psyche freak out most of their sets are. The boys of Twin Peaks are much like their music. They’re raucous, wild mad men that you can’t help but love. They’re Chicago boys too so most of us were brimming with hometown pride. You could even see the Whitney boys on the side in support.

Broken Social Scene was second to last on Friday and there was definitely a wave of nostalgia as people reminisced over studying, hooking up, and breaking down to this band through their formidable years. Kevin Drew and crew haven’t played the states in over 5 years and they didn’t disappoint as they banged out the hits including: “Texico Bitches”, “Fire Eyed Boy”, “Shoreline”, and “Ibi Dreams of Pavement.” The crowd for the set was the largest one for the day if not the entire weekend. It makes sense though because BSS has a connection with the city of big shoulder due to spending a year here while recording Forgiveness Rock Record.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s set had a cameo by Devonte Hynes so it looks like her cred is only getting stronger.

Beach House closed out Friday is a dreamy, twinkling, Steven Soderbergh style of lighting. Their music doesn’t always translate the best live due to the light airiness of it but having the park to themselves definitely helped. Watching their set felt somewhat like floating through space. Front woman Victoria Legrand left us with inspiring words “Trust in those who love, because those are the ones who matter. Don’t let fear win.”

Images by Garrett Duncan for Pitchfork

The post Welcome to the eleventh hour: Pitchfork 2016. Part 1 appeared first on Quip Magazine.