EP Review: The Wicked Whispers – The Dark Delights of…
Take the edge-of-macabre organ stylings of The Doors and apply it to a slowly swaying, retro-jangle with a British accent. Add some plaintive harmonies and a slightly modern sensibility a la House of Fire’s overlooked 2008 album, and what you end up with is Wicked Whispers. On their debut EP The Dark Delights of the Wicked Whispers, the group is careful not to offer up anything too new, and that will suit plenty of listeners just fine. They’re from Liverpool, but they don’t sound a whole lot like what they call “that other group” from their hometown.
There’s a dreamy, swirling ambience on all five tracks. A bit of sunshine pop creeps in, but the group’s sound remains solidly structured around the broken-chord Farfisa organ work of leader/songwriter Michael Murphy.
With a title like “Amanda Lavender” you’ll have some idea what to expect. The song gently ebbs and flows, and there are many elements here to hook the listener: the organ lick and the chorus harmonies are but two.
“House of Peppermint” kicks off sounding a bit too much like “Amanda Lavender, Part Two” with different lyrics. Same key, similar organ run. As the track unfolds, it goes some slightly different places, but one wonders if some more creative track sequencing should have been considered.
“Flying Round in Circles” changes key and time signature, thank goodness. The waltzing number has a vaguely folk-rocking edge (or, more precisely, lack of edge), not wholly unlike Fairport Convention…with a Farfisa.
On “Odyssey Mile” the band finally kicks into gear, employing a stomping beat (and even a brief bass solo line), but any potential heaviness is leavened by Murphy’s “riding on a unicorn” lyric (no, really). But befitting that other group’s legacy, the four songs on The Dark Delights of the Wicked Whispers are short and to the point. Time will tell if the band is able to expand on their approach and craft a full album’s worth of music. The style’s great and the execution is precise; it’s more variety that’s needed. Worth watching.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.