Live Review: Whitney

While it might be a stretch to describe the lads who make up US folk/rock band Whitney as 'newcomers', especially when one member has previously been part of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, having a ringing public endorsement of your debut album from Sir Elton John has got to feel pretty life-changing. John called Light Upon The Lake one of his albums of 2016, saying its "wistful and plaintive" songs sounded like no one else. While there's definitely hints of acts like Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver and Beirut in their sound, singer Julien Ehrlich's pretty falsetto vocals and charming alt-country tunes made that album something of a minor standout last year.

On stage Whitney are a six-piece, however the band's two key members are Ehrlich (who doubles as vocalist and drummer) and guitarist Max Kakacek, who formed the band following the demise of a group called Smith Westerns.

In Melbourne as part of the Laneway Festival juggernaut, they start the show with a mellow Dolly Parton cover ("Whitney covers Dolly" - LOL), with Ehrlich then stating that they're playing in what is "the best city in the world", marking a (mostly effective) charm offensive from the group (even if by the end Melbourne only manages to be "probably one of the three best cities in the world"). His banter, and a nice energy from the whole six-piece, throughout the set makes for an engaging night of country-pop (largely made up of the ten-track debut, with a Dylan cover also thrown in). The band are clearly enjoying themselves, even if their playing is occasionally patchy. William Miller's trumpet adds a heart and soul to tracks like Red Moon, as does Kakacek's country stylings on Golden Days.

What is likely to make the band really special is actually what proves to potentially be their biggest issue live. Ehrlich brings great energy to the show. He's a talented vocalist, but only an ok drummer and, used simultaneously, he does neither of his instruments justice. 

A faltering start to the album's title track soars beautifully after an aborted mic switch, highlighting what seems to be some trepidation around his vocal abilities. When he really hits it, his voice is distinctive, sweet and emotive, especially on tracks such as their gentle 'hit' No Woman (a nudged and winked 'of course this is our final encore').

By concentrating more on delivering those melodic vocals, Ehrlich will help push this really engaging band into much bigger things.