{"id":24683,"date":"2024-05-08T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=24683"},"modified":"2024-05-07T21:34:52","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T21:34:52","slug":"the-whole-damn-affair-the-whole-damn-affair-self-released","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=24683","title":{"rendered":"The Whole Damn Affair \u2018The Whole Damn Affair\u2019 (Self-Released)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Listening to the debut album by The Whole Damn Affair (WDA for simplicity\u2019s sake in this review) has reminded me that there is a whole genre of music that has really disappeared from the mainstream over the past 30-plus years. There was a distinct category that we could refer to as rock music, and people would have a general idea of what it might sound like, whether it ranged from the J. Geils Band to Bruce Springsteen to Tina Turner to Bryan Adams. There was a crossover with the likes of George Thorogood & the Destroyers, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and other similar acts. With all the increased boxes some people have used to label bands, this one really doesn\u2019t get utilized much for new artists with legacy artists being deemed classic rock, nostalgia, etc. So, what does this have to do with WDA? Musically, this is a timeless rock album with very well-crafted songs and excellent use of female backing vocals and horns to enrich them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a final track list order still in flux, I am going to run through this version which may or may not end up the official one per Mister Jimmy. Things kick off here with second single \u2018Elegant Ruse\u2019 which introduces itself with a cool drum pattern and then some subtle electric guitar. This song has really grown on me with multiple listens. This one utilizes some horn in the verse that is subtle in the mix but really takes a great song to even loftier heights. The hook isn\u2019t over the top but extremely catchy. The build-up in the song turns into a well-done guitar solo and sets up the end to a song that should be dynamite live. Hints of blues and soul fill second song \u2018Rid a Me\u2019 with a full dose of character and a great mix of guitar and horns. The female backing vocals here fill out the sound and make sure there is not one wasted second in this song. The bridge again shows the band knows how to create dynamics within songs, and this is another of many favourites on the album for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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