Albums

Whirlwind Heat - I Fucked Up Types Of Wood

Sam Floy 28/01/2007

Rating: 2/5

This album opens by stuttering like Gareth Gates saying his name, the rhythm is frustrating and slow. I Fucked Up Air Miami is a strange beginning to Types of Wood and the bizarreness doesn't go away. Air Miami is like being in an old Texas barn with a single bee buzzing around the place and somewhat confusingly a tennis match is playing in the background.

“I Fucked Up Tight” is another unconventional track with 'Stephen Hawking' on vocals with his voice box. However, after this brief cameo an acoustic rough diamond is unearthed progressing up and down with gentle vocals and always returning to the familiar riff. Still there was the annoying signature addition of what sounds like a duck whistle almost always present in most of their songs.

All of their tracks are half-decent with soft guitars and at times slightly brash vocals, but it is not and unpleasant combination. However, to find the pearl of each song you have to aurally wade through unnecessary excess beeps, squeals, quacks, slurps, burps and any other number childish noises. Only then can you appreciate the potential they have, except this search can take up to two minutes so you can't always acknowledge what there is to offer.

Every track on the album is preceded by “I Fucked Up …” and seems to have little correlation to what is being sung about “Air Miami … Umbrella People … French … Electric Underwear” are all topics that are performed by Whirlwind Heat and none of them feature in the lyrics.

Overall, I can understand Whirlwind Heat's problem. They don't want to branded as just another 'nothing band' so to get some recognition they use obscure noises and begin everything with “I Fucked Up” as if it was on a McDonalds menu. I just don't find it works well as the obscurity ruins their chances of becoming a successful mainstream band, especially as they have so much more to offer.