Review: Whirr - Pipe Dreams

There is a common preconception that shoegaze is easy. However, after several toss-away debuts over the past few years have taught us, simply stacking loads of reverb on slow burning guitar riffs does not make an album hip, trendy, or exciting. While Whirr's newest release Pipe Dreams may not be of the garbage-bin quality that several of the most recent attempts at shoegaze have been, the band's latest record is not without its faults. When at their most adventurous, Whirr are brilliant. However, the shoegazing group have a tendency to hide boring tracks behind layers of reverb.

Reverse, the album's opening track, is fantastic. Its soothing female vocals and gentle fuzz are nothing more than a tease of what is to come. Junebouvier, Home Is Where My Head Is, and Toss are all enjoyable songs that I see myself listening to for a while to come. The two minute and forty second blasts of blissed-out fun do The Jesus and Mary Chain proud, and Flashback is more than a subtle acknowledgment of the work of Galaxie 500. However, these songs sit on either side of the six minute snoozer, Formulas and Frequencies, which is a bit of a downer in the middle of the album. Hide and Wait, two of the last few tracks on the album, also feel empty and unfinished. The B-Side will leave most listeners wishing for just a bit more.

Regardless of what you think of Pipe Dreams, it won't take you long to make up your mind. These three minute tracks are easily digestible and, for the most part, are worth a listen. Although the album can get boring, Whirr reach career-long highs on the standout tracks Junebouvier and Home Is Where My Head Is.

-Owen