Why White Lung Are The Answer To The New Punk Generation.

What is it about White Lung that changes the game for modern punk?

Only two years ago, upon the release of 'Deep Fantasy' White Lung were to be pointed into a new direction of ferocity and inner expression.  Ultimately, this album would lead to Mish Barber Way, Kenneth William and Anne Marie Vassiliou to become the sore thumbs of punk. A band that have paraded themselves out of Canada, as an exposure of every angry voice seething into a record of cathartic proportions. With third album 'Paradise' done and dusted this month, I explore why we must listen intently.



As one fan noted after their set: “Mish Way is still a goddess and that

means everything to me”.

 White Lung once lurked in the corners of the music world, perhaps being ready to pounce at any moment. Touring North America and Europe extensively in this period with just a years break has provided the perfect storm of technically maturing for the band, in particular from Mish Barber-Way; the old stuff is till out there to find in the abyss of online streaming and a still standing Bandcamp page, but she alongside the band must inevitably move on from the times of youth fuelled, ruthless onslaught. What White Lung have effectively done is take no prisoners on this progression. Undoubtedly between 2010-2012 their release of L.P  'Sorry' made the most satanically raw and ravaging period. By 2014, 'Deep Fantasy' gave the band consistent performance. Tracks such as 'Drown With The Monster' and 'Wrong Star' were bold, structured to wake our ears. The foundation was set. Hence what I enjoy largely of being a White Lung fan is that they don't by any means, forget these roots of guitar squander and lyrical empowerment. Ever.

So fast forward into 2016, the thudding abrupt choruses remain, sexual confrontations are brimming and in seconds are projectile vomited back onto the surface of newly released 'Paradise'. However the ability of freedom should be the leading factor of triumph in and out of each track. Freedom is what puts this album on top. In answer to my statement of White Lung being 'The Answer To The New Punk Generation' it must be asked that, when was the last time an actual punk band held the finger to the origins of their past three releases? Without making a fuss to anyone, they have made a sonic conversion. The result has produced a world class album.

'World Class' may sound exceptionally pretentious in this context, but if you think it's wrong go read the continuously incoming 5 star ratings of the record. After all, punk fans historically have been recognised as vilifying their idols for wanting success. White Lung don't give in to this, rather than digging deeper and deeper into their own souls, White Lung turn to artistically expanding lyrical and thematic horizons. It was Mish herself who stated that this time, lyrics were at the forefront of 'Paradise' and within a recent interview with DIY Magazine had clearly identified this swing from the indulgent 'Deep Fantasy' to a form of art where "I wrote from the voices of other people. I got schizophrenic. I made up these fairy tales in my head, hyper inflated stories." In this sense 'Paradise' manifests itself in a more brilliantly obsessive nature than ever. So breaking down this record into its gory detail and screaming anatomy is what has actually provided us with undoubtedly the best punk record of a decade, needless may I say beyond.

Getting things started in White Lung doesn't exactly seem like a hard issue. This is why 'Paradise' at the same time as seeming like a punch in the face from a band who haven't simply faded away into their own 'scene' is also digestible. Especially the finger tingling feeling as soon as you dive in with 'Dead Weight'. Having been written a fair amount of time before the rest of the album, it odes a little more repulsion and discomfort. During the verse Barber Way reels, " I bleed until I'm cold" with reference to abortion of not having " a life to please". The song is almost in denial of its own might . What is so warming about this opener is that White Lung don't ditch everything. The manic drums of Anne Marie lead into the record, the middle 8/ pre choruses of the song is combined with some pretty gnarly riffs, retreating back into White Lungs hyper intensity. 'Dead Weight' expresses the narrator of the song as waste, asking their partner to " spare your good seed" there is a high concentration of victimising seen within 'Paradise'. The outro of "I'm Gone!" effectively powers into second track, 'Narcoleptic'. The listener, as usual in their songs feels like they haven't had time to catch their breathe. All three members want to leave you exhausted. I can safely say that both on record and live,these starting tracks are the most throttling, and brutally satisfying as a pop structure.

But what is creating so much atmosphere with this album? Mish's vocals are more clear and deliberate of portraying the stories of who she chooses to talk of. The deep

swing of pitch in 'Below' whilst being the slowest song of White Lungs' to date, actually gives the rest of the record an extra injection of adrenaline. You do have time to catch your breathe this time, which helps to add variation. This style is unexpected for certain.

White Lung avoid blasting through a sensitive subject, so this can surely elevate the emotion and energy of the song. Essentially Kenneth William's technical skill is manipulative of the mood starting each verse, offering a blood curdling frantic riff here, a high treble roaring solo there, jaw-dropingly perfected. As usual of White Lung, a concrete solid hook to build the skeleton of tracks such as 'Sister', 'Kiss Me When I Bleed' and 'I Beg You' .  They're sometimes gob-stopping, but in general are very solid. The atmosphere can change better between some tracks than others. Yet this is territory that most punk style bands don't ever bother with. As we have seen with punk bands in constant attempts to gloss their sound, White Lung have succeeded. You may get fans who detest the group's movement out of the Vancouver gutter. White Lung don't want to stay in repression, it's a fact that is politically discussed throughout the album.

Different this time, is the ability to embed guitar better into Barber Way and Vassiliou style. Refreshingly it really sounds like the band aren't outdoing each other on their instruments. The climatic 'I Beg You' captures the subject matter of argument, pain/love so well you can almost hear the outro hook as your skin practically "in flames" combined with when Mish's vocals are on an explosive snarl of " I'll fight back like a full-blown rotten cancer". This one line manifest the song as if you're actually in the argument with Mish, powerless, staring straight at her. 'Paradise' does catch on like a disease. Thus no holding back in this album is taken, despite the fact that the sound is controlled in this anger. A balance and quality is clear on the record, once you've taken the lyrical meaning of the songs and how well this correlates with the background noise. A method to use for any listener whilst getting into the true brain of each track.

Reinforcing the idea that White Lung have been able to emphasise the topic of their songs to a new level it what at times, makes it an uncomfortable but grateful listen.

Surely its easy enough to provide a gutsy riff or pummelling verse about your own feelings, but to confront the issue of a Las Vegan torturous rape, is another matter. Mish's own commentary towards the songs approach is "pretty straight forwards" and there's no doubt that the band haven't held back in bringing to justice a story, that has been lost and forgotten by social media, feminists and anti-rape culture in general. 

The fact that Cytherea, of whom 'Vegas' is directed at, faced less sympathy due to her fame of being a porn star still actually is a woman who chooses to empower herself through sexual confidence. The left wing press decided to trash this story due to all three low lived criminals being black. There was no way to avoid media racism whilst this woman was being tortured. Thankfully White Lung don't see it this way. Mish brings about the questions that everyone else is too scared to ask, " Her mouth bleeds/ Are you sorry?/ Was she worth it?/ Was her skin made of gold?." The very ingredients of what a woman has to be, or indeed what a pop album has to contain is being challenged to a relieving degree. This isn't just simply a 2016 'Celebrity Skin'.

By this point I am quite frankly exhausted. With greasy blonde hair dripping in adrenaline I've written this essay 24 hours after seeing White Lung live and have attempted not to sound like an utter fan girl. But love it or hate it, punk is finally changing. This album may just be the tip of the iceberg into Barber-Way's redemption of the outer world around her and how this effects our lives, man or woman, single or taken. White Lung never have or will be restrictive, even in their darkest moments of personal lyrics. Instead, as in all other work, they present a lyrical and thundering exorcism of empowerment. The highlight of the album being 'Paradise' as the last track; a rolling hook alike the anthem power of 'Hungry'. Track No.10 tumbles into Mish's own marriage, " We'll go so very far they'll never hear our copulating." Despite the heavy aspects of the album, their renowned  personality never fades. There is sense of irony in all this " Oh it's impressive!"

Yes White Lung it is incredibly and inspiringly impressive, in a record of 26 minutes you've shut absolutely everyone up.