Mission Control

iTunes Review

This Athens, Georgia trio now turned duo write and perform unpretentious, straight-up pop rock that plays both tight and rough for their second album, 2008’s Mission Control. There’s more than a nod to the Replacements’ glorious raucous cacophony with their wall of guitars, and Whigs’ singer Parker Gispert emits a sandpaper growl that evokes Paul Westerbergian moments when pushed (“Hot Bed” could’ve crawled off the ‘Mats Tim release), but the Whigs also stack the guitars and harmonies like a true pop band with unabashed precision for the album’s commanding opener, “Like a Vibration.” “Sleep Sunshine” sends the group down the gauzy, psychedelic highway with slide guitars and a shuffling beat on one of the few tunes that reflects the touch of producer Rob Schnapf, who worked in similar touches with Elliot Smith and Richard Thompson. Here, Schnapf stays mostly out of the way, engineering a larger than the room sound that gives standard-issue guitar rock tunes such as “Already Young” a necessary, vibrant edge.