Category:
Roots / Pop

Try if you like:
Aqualung, Elliott Smith, Josh Rouse, Ron Sexsmith

I don't know a lot about the musician known as Whitley but I do know his real name is Lawrence Greenwood. I couldn't find any reference to where the Whitley name came from or why he didn't just go by his real name. Regardless, The Submarine is a very impressive debut album. I do hear some similarities to that of the Brit Aqualung. Although not quite as elaborate. Whitley and his album have been tagged "Folk" but I feel that pop would be a much better genre for this artist who does indeed have some roots to his music. 

Whitley's voice reminds me of Josh Rouse. It's got that very understated and yet amazing and enchanting quality to it. The folk tag may have come more from the traditional instruments that Larry chooses to use on tracks like his appealing cover of Jeff Buckley's "Mojo Pin". Maybe its the finger picking on "More Than Life" which ends up more like an Elliott Smith song than a folk song. The opening track, "Cheap Clothes" ushers you in ever so gently with a cello and quiet vocal melody, just before a banjo takes you by the hand and leads you down the forest path. "Lost In Time" takes an Elliott Smith layered vocal approach and is more upbeat than the rest of the album. This could be a key track for getting this sold to unbelievers. Next up is my favorite track, "A Shot To The Stars", again feeling that huge Rouse connection here.

The more I delved into The Submarine, the more I enjoyed it. One of my favorite pop/folk albums of the year, undoubtedly.