Call me, Ishmael

Forget The Whale delivers a memorable album

Forget The Whale, an impressive Jersey ensemble with seven members including trumpet, trombone, and sax, certainly qualifies as “indie rock.” The group’s new album, “The Devil You Know,” will be released to streaming platforms next Friday, January 31, without benefit of a “major” (or in fact, any) record label. But one listen and it’s clear we need a new word for this stuff.

The term “Indie rock” never technically described a sound so much as a business strategy, but it became associated with rock bands that presented themselves with a certain scruffy charm, from the shambolic bar-band grit of the Replacements to the post-hardcore squawl of Husker Du. Forget The Whale, whose members live scattered across New Jersey including Jersey City, don’t sound “indie” at all. They sound like a band your parents might have loved in another generation. They sound like Fleetwood Mac jamming with Van Morrison. They’re tasteful. Tuneful. Timeless.

This is nothing new. Forget The Whale’s “You.Me.Talk.Now,” was my favorite local album of 2021 in the Jersey Journal. The elements that made that release stand out remain: Full-bodied songs that eschew genre classification, with sleek melodies and exquisite arrangements that owe more to The Great American Songbook of another generation than the noisy clatter of rock ‘n’ roll.

It starts with those gorgeous vocals by Alishia Taiping, who voice exudes confidence and calm from the first notes of album opener “These Hills.” She’s backed by a diaphanous blend of Pete During’s nimble electric guitar, Dan Pieraccini’s melodic basslines, and AJ Zienowicz’ propulsive but never intrusive drumming, enveloped by Amy Elise de Jong’s buttery keyboards and accentuated with horn parts from John Sequiera and Dan Landers.

“They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains,” said Sherlock Holmes. He might not have been talking about music but could well have meant Forget The Whale, whose fulsome arrangements turn every track into an aural adventure. “These Hills” begins with Taiping’s voice reaching out as if over an open meadow, until a chunky accompaniment swells and an arpeggio of tinkling piano leads us into a full-bodied chorus. There’s a bridge with a short, tasty guitar lick, and then an unexpected call-and-response vocal part, before the track cruises home on that dreamy chorus.

Surprises like that pop up throughout the album: Sassy, driving R&B on “Poison;” a hint of a ska beat on the ebullient “Regrets;” the reflective reverie of “Slow Dancing With Your Ghost,” embellished with a rolling organ and lovely background harmonies; the otherworldly atmospherics of “Space Lullaby,” followed by the rollicking swampy rock of “Vampires,” enlivened with licks from a scorching blues harmonica.

And, to commemorate their 2023 set at Jersey City’s Ghost of Uncle Joe’s as Tina Turner, the band throws in a luscious, unironic cover of “Simply The Best” that would have sounded completely at home on Eighties FM radio.

“Indie rock?” Well, kinda, but so much more.

Forget The Whale will celebrate the January 31 release of “The Devil You Know” with a performance at South House (149 Newark Avenue, Jersey City) on Thursday, January 30, presented by “Dancing Tony” Susco and his Rockitdocket Productions. Showtime is 8 p.m. and admission is free.

MAXCITO BRINGS THE SPICE
January 31 also marks the release of “Moments,” the new single from Jersey City’s Max Di Biaggio, who performs as Maxcito. The lush, romantic track with a stirring Latin vibe includes some notable players: Session player extraordinaire Vick LeCar on lead guitar, Columbian drummer Jimmy Riveros, and bassist Aleks Dolgy, a Ukranian freedom fighter.

Maxcito regularly appears at Nick Ciavetta’s “Friggin’ Fabulous” showcases at Café Peanut in Jersey City. The stirring “Moments” might have been plucked from the “Coco” soundtrack. The poetic lyrics beseech the listener to seize the moment and cling to love when it’s found, because it often lasts for only a moment. Maxcito is a gifted guitarist whose style incorporates elements of jazz, pop, and flamenco, but it’s the emotion conveyed by vocals that truly set him apart. For more information and upcoming shows, visit Maxcito.com.

ANOTHER BILL AT BILL’S PLACE
Bill Hamilton’s loft in the Neumann Leather Building has hosted shows for years, but a new teams of young promoters are doing regular shows there now that promise an infusion of exciting new talent. Following last month’s sold-out show with 3 Dollars, Bill’s Place will host singer-songwriters Kevin Donald and Gregory Thomas Pease (of Jersey City’s Flycatcher) as well as The Fightscuffs from New York City. The entrance to Neumann Leather is a 333 Newark Street. Showtime is 7 p.m. and admission is $10. Advance tickets are available from eventbrite.com.