Panther in the Dollhouse
Glam and sleaze, desert grit and subway rats, scum-bags and fakers, hot messes and cold shoulders: welcome to the world of Whitehorse. Whitehorse's brazen sonic breadth encompasses psychedelic surf, arid border rock, lo-fi ingenuity and icy 80's sparseness. New album, Panther In The Dollhouse, brings a twist to Whitehorse's studio approach with the addition of beats and bleeps from NYC hip-hop production duo LikeMinds (Kanye West, Snoop Dogg). But while each new album sees the duo's sound evolve, the essence of Whitehorse's musical identity remains their dizzying guitar playing and vocal chemistry. On Panther In The Dollhouse, Whitehorse delves deep into body politics and explores ques- tions of consent, self-determination and, ultimately, freedom, largely from the perspective of women. Layers of retro psychedelic pop bubble up on "Nighthawks", a song that explores the constructs of perpetrator and victim on the streets. "Nighthawks" is a companion piece to the slow-burner "Evangelina" from the album Leave No Bridge Unburned, which reimagined the sex worker as superhero in celebration of those who challenged Canada's prostitution laws at the Supreme Court of Canada in 2013. Panther In The Dollhouse also sees Whitehorse fully embraces cinematic fiction with neo-noir drama and high-gloss showmanship. From the grindhouse ballad of "Die Alone" to the perox- ide burn of "Trophy Wife", Panther In The Dollhouse is packed with inventive sonic elements and neo-noir drama, full of flawed characters, foiled plans and anti-fairytales. Whitehorse is a 'space cowboy' duo from Toronto with an innovative approach and intense chemistry. Together, Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland defy the math of one plus one with a big sound based on guitar wizardry and intense harmonies. Whitehorse's debut album, The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss, showcased psychedelic-meets-Spaghetti Western twang, sparkling acoustic ballads and pop noir numbers. The follow-up, Leave No Bridge Unburned, was similarly dramatic in tenor, offering a bigger, bolder sound with songs that further developed their take on southwestern rock. The duo's most recent project, The Northern South Vol. 1 was a modern translation of blues grooves and melodies from the 1950s and 1960s.
Whitehorse's Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet aren't resting on their laurels. Despite throngs of fans, Polaris Music Prize shortlisti...