Pigeon Club is not, as the name suggests, a highly specific bird-watching organization. It is a vessel for the music of Wayne Whittaker, a multi-instrumentalist/songwriter living in Los Angeles. His band, Pigeon Club, is on the rise in the world of new indie music, with exciting developments on the horizon.
Pigeon Club intersects genres, from indie singer-songwriter tropes to jangly influences of The Beatles to a hint of classic rock. This genre-merging could not exist without the many inspirations heard in Pigeon Club's sound, from the '90s classic rock of R.E.M. to the '50s pop-rock sound of The Beatles to Wilco's folksy, Americana sound.
Pigeon Club has collaborated with artists such as Dawes, Diane Coffee and Haerts. Its upcoming album, “Another Year In The Minors," was recorded in collaboration with Grammy-winning co-producers John Would and Amy Wood (Fiona Apple, Warren Zevon). "Liar" is the first single released off of the upcoming record. If the track is any indication of its contents, listeners are in for a gem of an album.
The band's first album, a self-titled compilation of nine songs, was released in 2021. From start to finish, "Pigeon Club" is an evocative, no-skip album. Each song represents Whittaker's distinct style, but they all differ in energy and concept, allowing them to flow together beautifully into a comprehensive study of the realities of human existence.
"Pigeon Club" contains plenty of melancholy songs, like "Worry About It" and "Ways to Fill My Days." "Worry About It" is heavily influenced by the '60s, from the classic Beatles sound to the Bob Dylan-inspired harmonica and sliding guitar. "Ways to Fill My Days" leans heavily on the tragedy of everyday living, exemplified in the lyric, "I'm working on the fine art of malaise." It's the kind of line you have to pause the song to fully process. These songs exemplify the down-to-earth production quality of Pigeon Club -- professional, yet not fake and over-processed.
In addition to these slower numbers, the self-titled album includes some upbeat songs. Whittaker's lyrics are all laden with ennui, and they all achieve a sense of subtlety as if his poetry tries not to draw attention to itself while still containing a devastating brilliance. Some of these upbeat yet lyrically rich songs are "Not so Sure" and "Living Proof I'm a Fraud." The latter leans heavily on grunge influence, demonstrating Pigeon Club's energetic side.
Whittaker's creativity shines through in "What If I Don't Get Sick" and "Little Yellow Legal Pad," which are deep and unfathomable song concepts. Whittaker's voice is also essential to the magic of Pigeon Club. He has a charming haunt to his voice, containing both dejection and passion all at once.
In 2022, the band released a single called "Is Will Soon Be Was." The song is a perfect example of the '90s influence, featuring a jaunty tambourine in the chorus, along with heavy, distorted guitar and layered harmonies. "Is Will Soon Be Was" encapsulates the vibe of a coming-of-age movie opening scene.
Pigeon Club's latest release, "Liar," was created with a dedicated group of friends and backing musicians. All of the creative forces on the track culminated to document a major transitional period in Whittaker's life.
"This was a really hard song to write," Whittaker said. "Structurally, it came together very quickly. But once I read it back, it became clear that this was going to be a particularly exposing three minutes. Thankfully, the touched-upon themes are unmistakably human, so at the very least, I've confirmed that I am indeed only human."
The main focuses of "Liar" are the rhyme scheme and the drum pattern. Both shine through and highlight the humor and heart behind the wistful track. The song chronicles a defense mechanism backfiring, which is accentuated by the distorted background vocals, giving the song a trippy edge.
The song's comedic music video shows a traveling entertainer and his puppet sidekick struggling to engage with an audience through card tricks, sleight of hand and magic. The visuals demonstrate this deception's toll on the psyche and the entertainer's inability to let it go.
Pigeon Club's upcoming album will be released this spring and promises more themes of self-reflection, doubt, honesty and self-effacing humor, all told through satisfying and thoughtful indie rock ballads.
