Whigs: Give Em All a Big Fat Lip

By Dave Atkinson

It doesn’t happen too often, but sometimes music just makes sense—the sound, the energy, the vocals—everything just comes together beautifully. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle of music—without the inconvenience of plane crashes and mysterious disappearances.

With foot tapping beats and a sound even funkier than their clothes (just check out their MySpace if you don’t believe me!), The Whigs prove sometimes you really can have your cake and eat it too. With their new album, Give Em All a Big Fat Lip, this Georgia-based pop-rock outfit deliver a real audio knock-out!

The Whigs are Hank Sullivant (guitar/vocals), Parker Gispert (guitar) and Julian Dorio (drums). Together the trio have served up a rich selection of musical delicacies on Give Em All a Big Fat Lip. Combining strong vocals and brilliantly constructed beat combinations, the group present an engaging, emotional collection. From the drifting melancholy detachment of “Nothing is Easy”, to the frustrated aggression of “All my Banks”, the musical and emotional range of the album cannot be taken lightly.

Structurally, some of the tracks are almost flawless. From the muted guitar tones that open most tracks, vocals and beat build in energy and intensity, to stunningly addictive choruses and a thoroughly captivating sound—there is an energy and emotion unique to every track, and they really need to be discussed in detail to properly convey any message about the album as a whole. Actually, they really should be listened to, but in the alternative I will try to find the words to do them justice!

The title track, “Give em all a big fat lip”, is a pleasure to listen to, and the highlight of the album. With a voice packed with frustrated aggression, Sullivant belts out the vocals, demanding respect and acknowledgement from the world around. The emotional conviction of the vocals creates a captivating sound, as Sullivan shouts "I will keep going, keep going, and give em all a big fat lip", as if challenging anyone to doubt his sincerity. This is arse-kicking, we’ll-show-them music, and the vocal delivery and energetic, emotive sound provide these rather generic sentiments with the authenticity needed to achieve the desired impact.

“Written Invitation” is completely different. With a simple guitar and drum backing to match the longing of the vocals, the track is equally engaging. Harboring a subtlety of sound and excellent lyrics, the trio show their versatility and emotional maturity on this track. This music doesn’t need a thumping beat in the background to captivate you and the simplicity and fragility of the music combine with beautiful effect.

“Violet Furs” is similarly impressive in it’s ability to captivate and engage with subtlety. The beat has far more energy, and the pace is much quicker, yet the emotion is still omnipresent. With a love and longing, Sullivant sings "I wanna see you, see you… everything else feels so fine, it’s that way all the time…you’re mine."

The album concludes with the same energy and originality with which it opened. The aggressive “All my Banks” is a completely different sound and arrangement yet again, and the agility of the group to adapt and surprise adds an unidentifiable quality to the music. To call it mysterious would be misleading, but the success of the music in challenging the listener makes the musical experience far more eventful and enjoyable for the listener. The Whigs offer sounds that are fresh and diverse—there is no chance of boredom due to repetition here!

With a unique sound and approach to their music, and an ability to confront, surprise and delight the listener, Give Em All a Big Fat Lip is more of an experience than an album. Don’t just take my word for it—get out there and buy the album yourself, and enjoy The Whigs' diverse musical journey!!