This Michigan trio supported The White Stripes on their recent UK tour, and are here produced by man-of-the-moment Jack White. But while Jack and Meg have disregarded the bass, Whirlwind Heat have dispensed with the guitar, replaced instead with frontman David Swanson’s squalling Moog synth. It’s an abrasive sound that best recalls indie near-misses Mo*Ho*Bish*O*Pi, who shared the same boundless energy. The songs are often as cryptic as their titles (all names of colours) and only opener “Orange” boasts a strong chorus. Do Rabbits Wonder? is as punchy as The White Stripes’ debut, but the question to be answered is whether they have the tunes to make an Elephant.
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