The Whatmans

The Whatmans from Navan in Ireland have been around for about four years. John Brennan (Vocals) , Padar Mulvey (Guitar),  Franny McGinn (Bass), Aidan Carolan (Drums) and Elizabeth Oakes (Keyboards) mix shoegaze and Rock, creating material about their perspective of life around the world. They are making an impact across the UK, Ireland and North America as their wide spread touring has taken them to new and diverse audiences.

Navan, or should I reverse that to Navan, yes it is a palindrome (I spend too long playing with words – one of the few Palindromic place names in the world) is home to some interesting bands, which as I have mentioned on other articles, sits too close to Dublin, yet too far away, for bands from this neck of the woods to get any sort of an easy break. Anyway, you aren’t reading this to hear me droning on about irrelevances, what are The Whatmans like?

Committed, hard-working, creative, relevant and tight…. Erm… As regular readers of the site know, I write with my ear-phones on listening to the music as I type and I am enjoying it too much to want to actually knuckle down. High energy rock is harnessed without the vitality of the music being compromised. This is a professional group of artists, who take their music seriously and are aiming to provide a powerful sound which resonates with their listeners. Uncomplicated by frippery, yet adding depth of composition with flair. The Whatmans,  have not forgotten why they got involved in music in the first place, as it retains a playful energy, which is the classic root of new bands, but after four years, they have rounded this superb weave, which unlike the recent history of carpet making in Navan, is unlikely to become threadbare any time soon.

They manage to swerve between the heavy reverb guitar of shoegaze, through the power politics of 2nd wave punk to  swinging open rock of the likes of Queen with no effort, taking the listener on a superb ride, while the vocal focusses on issues around the world, yet manages to avoid sound preaching. In other words The Whatmans flirt with musical clichés, which they brush aside with aplomb.

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Dave McGoldrick first made contact with me last year about The Whatmans and I have no excuse for a review taking me so long.

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It is always a pleasure to write about bands who expend energy in developing their craft and audience with no expectation that someone else will step in to the breach. It takes true commitment and belief in their music and The Whatmans I hope retain that belief as they have for sure, something to add to the world of music.

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