Song(s) of the Day # 3,663 Whispering Sons

 

I am considering the possibility of a short break in Belgium at some point this year. I'm getting wanderlust for one reason or another and am looking into the possibility of a whistlestop tour of at least one of the low countries. Eurostar to Brussels. A couple of days in Liege, a couple in Antwerp, then Bruges, Ghent perhaps, then home. The thought appeals.

Perhaps my trip might coincide with a gig by Brussels favourite offspring Whispering Sons. While I pondered the possibility of continental travel and experience over cereal yesterday morning I listened to and enjoyed their latest album The Great Calm.

Calm was not necessarily the adjective that immediately came to mind. Urgent perhaps, certainly assured and with a sense of direction and purpose. They're a band that certainly know what they're doing which is always a relief.

They are, whisper it ... Post Punk. Certainly. You probably guessed already.Certainly if you've looked at any band photos where they generally do their best to look moody and stare in different directions. Don't spill your cookies and turn the page just yet though. Because Whispering Sons are a rare good example of this much abused term. They take Joy Division most obviously as their guiding stars but singer Fenne Kuppens is less full throttle and in immediate need of emotional concern amd support than Curtis was, almost from the very beginning,

But this band share JD's intensity, differentiation of  instrumentation, and specificity of task objectives for different players. This is a proper group effort. The Great Calm is a great ride and I would love to see them live..Meanwhile the record is more than enough.