Calista Fernandez here and I’m from the wonderful Bay Area in Northern California. Music has always held such a power with me because my parents enforced this love and escape of new music and concerts in my household, and that love and appreciation has always stuck with me. I heard of this band, The White Noise, through Spotify and discovered a newfound love for their art.
With a year full of change, some musicians also brought this change to their artistic style. One particular band who has signed with Fearless Records has managed to bring a new sound to their newest album AM/PM, is none other than The White Noise.
The OC made group contains Shawn Walker [vocals], David Southern [bass/vocals], Josh Strock [guitar], Bailey Crego [bass], and Tommy West [drums]. AM/PM is the band’s first full-length album released June 23, 2017, which had many fans anticipating the direction that the group would go in.
The album itself begins with the track “Innocent Until Birth”, which takes a heavy turn about a minute into the song. The instrumental at the start creates more tension and curiosity as it builds to the start of the lyrical part of the song. With heavy guitars and bass, this one can create a mosh pit within moments.
In fact, the next few tracks have the same effect. The tracks “Bite Marks” and “Picture Day” were actually released prior to the album release, which introduced the band on a heavier side when thinking about genre.
Though, as other artists know, you have to slow it down a bit at some point. That’s where “I Lost My Mind (In California)” comes into play. The song is paying homage to their home of Southern California and the way it can negatively impact oneself, especially those who romanticize the state and location.
The only other explicit song besides “Picture Day” is the song “Rated R…” which features Landon Tewers on vocals from The Plot in You, the band’s only collaboration on this album. We go back to the heavier sound as Tewers’ verse mentions that “their only way of feeling validated even though they hate it/is to sit behind a screen and type away from their parents’ basement,” a call out for those who send hate to the artist(s) in a way.
As the album continues, the track “Montreal” slows the pace down as “ILMM(IC)” did previously. And just as before, “24 Hour Revenge Therapy” picks up that slow song and body slams it, going back to the heavy guitars and drums that we were already used to hearing.
“Sunspots” is the final song, and similar to the beginning, the instrumentals lead prior to vocals. There is a solid mix of a heavier taste with more stripped vocals mixed together, reminiscent of the voices in one’s head which create chaos, explaining the lyrics “I’m out of my head, can’t you see, can’t you see me?”
Overall, the album has such a mixture of lyrical work and instrumental that create a truly memorable album. From start to finish, I found myself encapsulated with the songs I was hearing, and I continue to hear more that I enjoy with each play through. Make sure to check out The White Noise at Van’s Warped Tour this year and rock out with them!
Follow Calista on Twitter @shepaintsingrey
Spinning Thoughts 