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The right amount of compressed fuzz can change the balance of a song — for better and worse. Whitty Remarks channeled the soundscape nicely to craft their new soul-soothing track, “Song for Dolores.”
A Milwaukee band at heart, the group evolved from experimental folk/pop duo Golden Coins, with Travis and Ashlee Whitty acting as the core. Their DIY nature invites a rotating cast of local musicians to add their own sonic perspectives to the band’s story. Currently, that includes Travis Whitty on guitar/vocals, Ashlee Whitty on vocals, Christopher Porterfield on guitar/pedal steel, Luke Bassuener on drums, Barry Paul Clark on bass and Peter Vartanian on piano. It’s a big lineup with a whole lotta love.
“Song for Dolores” — the lead single for upcoming EP Paltry Sum — was written for Travis’ grandmother and is part of a six-track narrative that looks to contextualize the lives of his grandparents. Juxtaposed with the band’s earlier album, Nary a Care, which spoke on a five-year grief cycle between father and son, you could look at this next project as the gold at the end of a dark and complicated rainbow.
Focusing on growth, respect and love, “Song for Dolores” oozes warmth out of every musical element contained within a barely 3-minute track. It has strong bones that hold up flourishes from the two guitars and pedal steel, effortlessly drowning the listener in a syrupy instrumentation.
Every piece of the song starts and stops at the same time, which can be overwhelming when you press play. But the distinction between the Whittys dreamy vocals and the snarl of the rest of the band cradles the eardrums:
She could save us all
With one plot, I know
Independent of
Every bulb and row
Row
Dreamt of Agent Calm
Eyes a resting ground
Emblem carries on
Mind is mended now
Calm
The lyrics are sharp and poignant, painting a picture of someone seemingly in all of our lives whose fondness for life can’t be forgotten. The Whittys’ voices sit at the top of the soundscape and act as a light, guiding you through spinning guitar solos that percolate and build to a sudden release.
This is a track that captures the sanctity of love through a dynamic and well-crafted soundscape. The emotions Travis shares are ones most people can relate to, and not just in familial settings. This is a kind of love that can come from mentors, friends and others you look up to. It’s a love that brings hope and comfort to our lives, and you can hear it all through this “Song for Dolores.”
Jonathan Joseph is a Milwaukee-based multimedia freelance journalist who specializes in art and culture writing (and all things Milwaukee), with work appearing on Radio Milwaukee and in Milwaukee Magazine. Contact him via email or find him on LinkedIn.