When Us For Once first stumbled across the Whining Pussys, we expected to hear some solid, no-frills, good rock music. However, it’s always important to search deeper than first impressions, because what we found was- indeed, good music… but with a huge twist that left us smiling, thinking, and most importantly, writing.
The Whining Pussys are an actively touring band from Huntington Beach, California, made up of Clark McSteven (guitar and vocals), KZ Anarchy (guitar), OG Steve (bass), and Brother Jameson (drums). What’s their sound? Well, they make rock music… and punk music, and alternative with a touch of pop, and a little bit of reggae too. These guys are no strangers to pushing the envelope and going off to explore their creative whims, and their stylistic versatility isn’t the only thing that makes them stand out.
The best way to explain how this band is unique is by just jumping right in and reviewing the tracks. When it comes to technicality, this band knows their stuff. “I Taught My Dad” stands out as being an extremely well-built song. Vocal screams, guitar solos, and fantastic drumming makes this angsty garage grunge punk track one that’s not to be missed. Similarly, “Whining Pussy”, is a high-energy track with a classic punk rock feel. Straightforward, electric, and built on catchy repeated guitar, drum, and bass patterns, “Whining Pussy” gets straight to the point, saying: “We’re pissed. Let’s headbang”. However, the best part of this track is the lyrical content. The song’s undoubtedly pissed off and annoyed, but the Whining Pussys tackled this theme with lighthearted, blunt, and funny lyrics, like the chorus’s “wah wah wah, I’m a pussy and I whine”. It all went uphill from there, as we soon discovered that these guys do not care at all about being subtle. Tracks like “It’s Easy To Reproduce” and “Facebook Is An Asshole” don’t cover up their intentions at all, coming off as brash, mildly inappropriate, and totally refreshing. In this day and age, it’s rare to come across people brave enough to actually say what’s on their mind, and to hear this type of humor and confidence in the world of music (that’s so often full of people trying to take themselves too seriously) is a welcome arrival.
“Wasted” and “Cool Like You” are testaments to the Whining Pussys versatility. The former has a very pop-y intro that leads into a self-deprecating tune proving that this band is capable of delivering more than just straight punk rock. Lastly, “Cool Like You”, is sublime (no pun intended). Their newest music video release has a reggae vibe, but is still built on an extremely solid instrumental foundation and great vocals.
The Whining Pussys’ clever lyrics and bold attitude set them apart from other acts on the scene. They have a winning combination on their hands: music that not only sounds great, but is also entertaining to listen to. Whether they be about Facebook, chronic complainers, or getting down and dirty, their songs are definitely creative, and bound to be fantastic conversation starters. Upon further inspection of this band, Us For Once was reminded of something really important. Art doesn’t have to be serious all the time. Music doesn’t have to be serious all the time, it just has to sound enjoyable and able to evoke some kind of feeling in the listener. (And truth be told, we’re feeling pretty great about this!)
Want to find out more or connect with the band? The Whining Pussys can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandsintown, Reverbnation and Youtube!