Search - Secret & Whisper :: Great White Whale

Impressive Debut!

Baseball Fan | Hollywood | 02/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
Many great bands in the Christian market have been found in Canada. It seems that sometimes the best music can come from our neighbor to the north, and with native rockers Secret & Whisper getting signed to Tooth & Nail, they're out to prove that more great things can come from there. With their debut, Great White Whale, Secret & Whisper seems to have found a sound that borrows from others, yet may have enough originality to serve as their own.





The disc kicks off with a haunting intro, bizarrely titled "Blonde Monster." From that beginning, you'll realize you're in for an interesting ride. Some lyrics are quite cryptic, such as the heavy rock track "Spider Besider." Other tracks have a simple, yet poignant message to them, such as "The Actress," which talks of how we can get so lost in a film, from the impending drama. Intriguing sounds and effects lace all the way through the album, evident on the edgier rock tracks, such as "XOXOXO" (which serves as the key highlight of the album) and the soothing rock feel of "Looming Moon," and those tracks really give you a sense of what the band was seemingly going for with this record: a sense of mystery. Bordering on metalcore in spots, the band gives a new spin to the average rock we tend to get from Tooth & Nail, mixing in a haunting vocal by lead singer Charles Furny that just sucks you in from the very beginning.





The vocals may tend to cause distraction when trying to make out all the lyrics, but overall they work with the sound that S&W has achieved on this debut album. Other highlights on the record include the brutal-sounding "Attacker," the album's closer "Great White Whale" (which serves as a quasi-rock ballad), and the slow, passionate feeling of "Werewolves," which includes the thought-provoking line "With legs too weak to carry on, we fall apart like falling stars." For a band just starting out, this is an impressive and captivating debut. Secret & Whisper are definitely one band to keep an eye on as they start to make a name for themselves with Great White Whale."

An Amazing Musical Experiance

Matthew Burrows | Tempe, AZ | 02/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was also fortunate enough to find a copy of Secret & Whispers new cd "Great White Whale" at my local FYE and I am very excited I was able to get a copy becuase this cd is incredible. The melodies on this cd are like nothing I have heard in a while. Anberlin is similar but are a little more toned down than these guys.

This is one of those discs that you can play from beginning to end. You won't find yourself wanting to skip any songs. Make sure you listen to the intro and how it fades into track #2. It's one hell of a way to start a cd. Almost has a concert atmosphere to it.

Go pick upa copy of these guys and while you're at it grab Ivoryline's new cd as it is on the same level as these guys.

"

Absolutely astounding

Kyle VanWagner | Dallas, Tx | 05/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A lot of people say this sounds like Saosin or Circa Survive. While they do a little bit, it reminds me more of Sullivan, with heavier instrumentation.

Perhaps a mix of Sullivan, Saosin, and Circa Survive. Isn't alliteration amazing?



Anyway, I had heard their songs on their myspace before, and was intrigued. I went to Best Buy a few weeks after listening, was looking for some other stuff, and decided to pick this up as well.

Best move I've made in months, haha.



From beginning to end this album captures you and moves you. The music is powerful and has this way of grabbing your full attention. The melodies are beautiful and ethereal, the guitars are heavy, the way they should be. The lyrics are good, although sometimes beyond my grasp, I like the images they bring to mind, and I can relate to that which doesn't escape my mind.



Altogether this record is a masterpiece. Not a single song lacks anything. Brilliant band, that will have you dancing along with music that can't really be danced to.



(When I first bought the album, I threw it on while making a garden burger in my kitchen. I made two more, just because I enjoyed listening to it so much I didn't want to bother stopping it and moving the cd to another place. I pigged out simply as an excuse to continue listening)"