Minneapolis math punk trio Why Not has a musical output that is slowly approaching the prolific levels of artists like Ty Segall or John Dwyer. This band has put out a record or EP every year since 2017. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you take into consideration that these guys are in their senior year of high school, there is a whole new level of impressiveness. It's amazing that these three friends have found time to start a band, write three releases' worth of material, and still find time for regular day-to-day activities. Their lives feel like a plot to a mid-2000s Disney Channel TV show.
With 2019's EP, the band finds themself reflecting over their personal lives and musical career. The single "Ready 4 the World" has the band asking "Are you listening intently/What am I saying on the outside/Is it friendly?" The track echoes sentiments of feeling lost and looking for a foothold to move forward. Why Not's bassist and frontman Henry Breen refuses to stop and take a breath during this EP's explosive opener. As Wes said in his review back in August, "The bass is liquid, the guitar is almost ska-like during the verses, and the drums are so punchy that they might just KO a Nazi. Energy is practically given for any sort of punk song, but "Ready 4 the World" could run a mile in four minutes in flat." "Ready 4 the World" grabs you by the collar and propels you into remaining 17 minutes of this record.
Something that's easy to miss, but exceptionally intriguing can be found in the production credits on EP. Why Not worked on this release in not one but two important recording studios. "Ready 4 the World" was recorded while the band was on tour at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee with Jason Gillespie. For those not aware, Ardent Studios has had bands like Led Zeppelin, the White Stripes, Julien Baker, and Big Star work on music there. The rest of EP was recorded here in Minneapolis at the Hideaway Studios, another studio with quite the pedigree as Dessa, Craig Finn, and Nooky Jones have all worked on material there. Why Not told Ear Coffee, "It was super cool to be recording at Ardent Studios and the Hideaway MPLS where so many big artists have recorded. To be at a place where people like R.E.M. and Led Zeppelin worked on their music (Ardent) and to be at a place where so many amazing and influential rap artists have recorded (the Hideaway) is just super magical."
Why Not were also able to bring back a retired song for EP. For a band that has such a rigorous release schedule, being able to sit on material is not always a luxury one can afford. The EP's third track "Thud. Dead." dates back two years and was retooled for this release. During a recent interview with Simon Calder on Back to the City, Why Not talked about the ominous historical context behind "Thud. Dead." The song was inspired by Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. It tells the story of a factory worker who makes the decision to jump from the building to their death to escape being burned alive. In true Why Not fashion, the track builds to an anxiety-inducing climax before ending with an eerie silence that I'll leave up to your interpretation.
Where "Ready 4 the World" is the explosive introduction to EP, the song "Eighth Year" serves as the bookend for this release. Amid a cacophony of guitars and drums, Breen calls back to themes in the first song by declaring "Now I'm standing tall/I'm a tree." Clocking in at nearly 11 minutes, this song is the band's most ambitious track to date. They stitch together multiple movements into a cohesive piece before everything literally implodes midway through and the song is reborn into a David Gilmore-esque guitar solo before fading back into the ether.
Why Not's EP is their most put together release to date with the band really coming into their sound. The band spends a lot of time reflecting on not only how the band has grown and changed but also how they have changed, and that maturity has not been lost on listeners both old and new. EP managed to gain the attention of Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot who host the music talk show Sound Opinions. Why Not has always been a promising band, but EP really proves what the band is able to do after a little Spring Cleaning.
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