Review Summary: nothing to be sorry for
Because female-fronted bands are necessarily rarer than their male counterparts, there seems to be an underlying tendency to view them (especially in the punk realm) as sort of a novelty at times; they become ‘special’ merely because of the subsequent vocal shifts and judged on a different scale. White Lung and frontwoman Mish throw this platitude under the bus in their second LP,
Sorry. The output is aggressive and rattly, but not quite so much as their debut
It’s The Evil, and all the better because of it. Instead, the Canadian fourpiece concentrates more heavily on melody and it pays off in the form of catchy, little grooves that make nearly every song a highlight in its own right. There’s nary a straggling track to be found, as the remarkable sense of pacing and energy from the band makes up for what are rather unremarkable lyrics.
Sorry exists in a comfortable middle-ground between abrasive and poppy, and never commit too heavily to either side. The manic energy is uncontained and angry, at times, but always led on a straight path by the pure exuberance and bounciness of the record. The entirety is awash in influences and comparisons, from the unrelenting lack of tempo shifts a la 80’s hardcore punk, to the almost pop-punk-esque listenability to tracks like “Bag,” where guitarist Kenny McCorkell shows off lick after lick of talent. Luckily,
Sorry retains its own swagger and identity; more so in the form of the pure adrenaline rush the album elicits, as opposed to the mere fact that it features female vocals (which have been aptly labeled as a neo-female Bob Mould). It’s surprising that White Lung has yet to break the ice that separates them from more critical acclaim this year, as the infectious release has definite potential to hit it big.
Sorry leaves White Lung with nothing to be sorry for.
