By marty

  Listening to The Whigs’ new album, “Mission Control,” an avalanche of rock musical styles tumble over you. 

  Nearly every shade of the rock-n-roll experience during the past 30 years is represented here.  This Athens, Georgia trio mixes and matches styles as diverse as grunge, garage, new wave, Britpop, jamband, alt-country and indie.  And the multitude of catchy hooks is delicious.

  Although some has dismissed this musical array as nothing more than sound and fury signifying nothing, they are mistaken.  The band’s versatility is its strength.  At times, it is exhilarating to hear.

  Comparisons have ranged from Superchunk meets Replacements to early Wilco, to Guided By Voices.  What I hear is a heady brew of Midwestern garage rock guitars, Dave Grohl Nirvana-era drums and Southern Rock vocals topped with Pet Sounds’ melodies.

  “Right Hand On My Heart”  sounds like the next great My Morning Jacket song blasting out at Coachella.  Parker Gispert’s raspy drawl provides the perfect accompaniment to his ringing guitar and the sick tom-rolls of drummer Julian Dorio.  

  After listening to “Mission Control” nearly non-stop for the past week, Dorio’s hard-thumping drumlines take over.  They are hypnotizing.  I can not think of a recent rock album where a drummer has made such an all-encompassing and impressive statement.

  On “I Never Want To Go Home,”  the martial drums are melded with indie pop riffs and melodies to produce a song that will settle into any college radio’s playlist for a very long time.

   After a successful and wild album release party this past weekend at the famed 40 Watt Club, the Athens boys will leave home for two months of heavy touring that starts with David Letterman (1/28) and  ends at Austin’s SXSW festival.  They are a welcomed addition to the scene.