Whisper War Review

Release Date: Apr 29, 2008
Label: Fueled by Ramen
Genres: Alternative Pop/Rock, Emo
Number Of Tracks: 12
Spencer Smith of Panic at the Disco discovered them and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz signed them to his Decaydance imprint but can these Las Vegas upstarts live up to the hype?

Sound:	8.5
Lyrics:	9
Impression:	8.5
Overall rating:	8.7
Users rating:	6.9
Comments:	3

overall: 7.3

Featured review by: UG Team, on may 13, 2008

Sound: The Cab sound undoubtedly American. From the opening bang of “One of Those Nights, ” it doesn’t take long to find traces of dance and American funk pulsing through their infectious take on pop-rock. Actually, let me emphasize the “pop” in that last sentence. This Las Vegas bred quintet knows how to spool a tasty pop hook together and they do it all over their debut full-length, Whisper War. It’s almost as though every single vocal line was sprinkled with sugar and some kind of fairy dust. And at the risk of getting lambasted in the comment section under this review, I will say that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Vocalist, Alex Deleon is the kind of tunesmith that can quickly lead a young band into a long career. Ryan Tedder (One Republic) and Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty) are fine examples of how having a singer who can also write on his own, can be a godsend for a group. Deleon, while not on their aforementioned singer-songwriter’s level yet, makes a good case for himself with winners like “Bounce” and “Risky Business.” // 7

Lyrics and Singing: With all the super-processed vocal takes flooding recent releases by bands like Spill Canvas and All Time Low, it’s refreshing to hear a vocalist who sounds like he’s actually had some formal training. Sure, there is some Pro-Tools twinkling on “High Hopes In Velvet Ropes” but it’s used for effect and not to compensate for lack of power or talent. Deleon’s style channels Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) and to an even closer degree, JC Chasez of N’Sync. Yes, yes, I just mentioned N’Sync in an Ultimate-Guitar review! It might sound like a disaster on paper but the marriage of the two worlds delivers impressive results and fits the The Cab’s material beautifully. Stump even produced two tracks on the album and added some vocals. The band’s lyrics don’t really veer to far from the kinds of themes you would expect to find on a pop-rock record. So there aren’t any real surprises there but with hooks this potent, you really don’t miss them. // 8

Impression: As you’ve probably already figured out by my review, I hold vocalist, Alex Deleon in high praise here. Without his vocal command and melodic sensibility, this would be a different band all-together. Don’t get me wrong, the band’s musicianship is definitely accomplished on these twelve tracks and guitarist Ian Crawford really shows a lot of promise laying down colorful figures throughout. But ultimately, this is Deleon’s moment. Matt Squire (The Receiving End of Sirens, Boys Like Girls) produced ten of the twelve cuts and his attention to detail serves the songs perfectly. He never let’s the individual performances or general histrionics get in the way of the actual songs underneath. Sure, the album lacks the kind of bottom end and “earthiness” that I would have liked to find here but the intention was probably to get the band on radio and in that regard, he probably did his job. The band is reportedly going to spend the next couple of years on the road supporting this album. Hopefully the live experience will help inform their next batch of songs and help take Deleon’s fine pop impulses into an even wider direction. // 7

overall: 10

Reviewed by: arbocalaviv, on june 05, 2008

Sound: The Cab mixes pop-rock style guitars with piano to make a nice sound. The piano really adds to the music. I like every song on this CD almost equally, even though some vary in genres, from the Pop-Rock radio-friendly "Bounce" and "One of THOSE Nights" to the acoustic songs "Vegas Skies" and "High Hopes In Velvet Ropes". // 10

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics on Whisper War are GREAT. Some of my favorite lines are "Your mouth it moves, but fails to speak/And when you use your lips, they better be on me," "It's only a crime if I get caught," and "Singing myself to sleep (Whoa-oa-oa)/And you're still my favorite melody". Alex DeLeon (lead vocals) has an amazing voice, and it really shows in "Bounce," "Can You Keep A Secret," and "One of THOSE Nights". "One of THOSE Nights" has guest vocals from Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco, who sings the bridge, and Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, who sings the chorus over an acoustic interlude. The backup vocals add a lot to the songs. In "High Hopes In Velvet Ropes," the whole song has a lot of backup vocals that perfectly complement DeLeon's voice, and in my opinion, make the song VERY catchy. // 10

Impression: I think that Whisper War is hard to compare to other albums because it is so unique. Compared to Panic at the Disco's recent album, "Pretty. Odd.," I believe it is better, and catchier. I love everything about it, and there is nothing I dislike. If it were stolen or lost, I would definitely go buy it again! The best songs from the album are "ZZZZZ," "High Hopes In Velvet Ropes," and "I'm A Wonder". I recommend this album to everyone, and I also hope that it gets the radio airplay it deserves, because it is really good, but no one has heard of it yet. I've been a fan of The Cab ever since they posted "Whisper Something Fragile" on their myspace. That song is from the Glitz and Glamour EP, which is no longer made or sold. I recommend that too, if you can find it. // 10

Comments

[JessicaGonzo]

Ha i get to see them may 20th

[brazen]

just read this interview and thought, what the hell might as well give them a chance. listened to the first like 5 seconds of One of those nights, thought it was gonna be lame, by the end of the song i was ready to listen to it about 10 times over. This sounds like a good band. One of those nights is a really really good song!

[xxxjnkxxx]

A few things.
Was this a review on the Cab or Deleon? I can't quite tell. While, yes, Deleon is the main songwriter in addition to the charming, charismatic frontman, there are four other boys in the group, three of which went completely unmentioned. With the way you wrote this, it's almost as though Deleon is up there playing bass, guitar, piano, and drums all on his own.
Also, was that a cheap hit at All Time Low and the Spill Canvas I smelt? Alex Gaskarth has amazing vocal abilities, but the producers are the ones who choose to process the vocals on the tracks. Anyone who has ever seen All Time Low live can testify to the power in his voice. And while I've yet to see the Spill Canvas live, I can tell you that, just from watching videos on YouTube with horrible audio quality, Nick Taylor has an amazing voice.