Remembering Her Eyes
You can't really talk about this song without mentioning the Arcade Fire, when about 2 minutes and 20 seconds in, the band bursts in a huge blast of Oohs and Ahhs while a martial beat rattles in the background. The whole thing is wildly epic, crashing down in a classic rock melody before it builds back up again quietly -- a lone synth fart accompanies the vocals before a soft echo closes the book. But, it's ok that it sounds a little like Canada's finest, since they're both on Merge. So that's settled.
I have not heard the whole album yet, but I have a sneaking suspicion that White Whale's upcoming record tells a story. I can't promise that it's Moby Dick, but with song titles like The Admiral and What's an Ocean For... you start to piece together a nautical theme. The ancient map of the world doesn't hurt either.
I wish I knew more about the band, but I don't really. I know that they're signed to Merge and that their record comes out in September, which seems like light years away. I love this song. I like most songs about the sea, and this one seems like a great sing-a-long number. I'd like to see it live. Hopefully I will, as the Merge showcase at SXSW. For those of you Austin-bound, you can catch them Sat 3/18 at Antone's. I'll see you there.
In the meantime, you can learn a little bit more about the band at their myspace page.