âBrood-gazeâ is exactly what it sounds like: moody shoegaze informed by a constellation of legendary bands like Cocteau Twins, Joy Division, and X. Havania Whaal is the self-described âbrood-gazeâ project of three busy Portland musicians: drummer Noelle Magia (Plastic Weather, Smoke Rings), guitarist Paul Billy Sobiech (Fine Pets), and bassist Caroline Jackson (Lubec). This week, theyâre releasing their third album, Elaborate Minor Crisis, on Seattleâs Youth Riot Records.
Since forming in 2012, Havania Whaal have put out two records, most recently 2015âs 13 A.D., a concept album about their 2014 East Coast tour âtold through the allegory of The Wizard of Oz.â They take theatrical cues from Of MontrealâMagia says she started her first band a few days after seeing them liveâand stage performances with fake blood, glitter, and (now retired) giant papier-mâchĂŠ heads.
For the Elaborate Minor Crisis release show, thereâll be some new papier-mâchĂŠ surprises and burlesque acts from Wanda Bones, Rummy Rose, and Baby LeStrange sprinkled throughout their set. Reflecting on how many hours theyâve spent preparing, Magia jokes, âMan, why canât we just be in a normal band that just puts out an album and doesnât need any papier-mâchĂŠ involved?â
But itâs a feat worth celebrating, because on Elaborate Minor Crisis, Havania Whaal sounds more confident than ever. All three members contributed to the songwriting, and their individual talents glow throughout its 10 tracks, which range from hazy shoegaze (âBay of Pigsâ) to mathy post-punk (âBlowtorchâ) to sunny noise-pop (âThe Reverendâ). Magiaâs percussive attack is calculated chaos, Sobiechâs steely guitar riffs shape-shift with every song, and Jackson holds everything together with steady bass lines and backing vocals.
They got a major assist from violinist Melody Wilbrecht, whose contributions make for some of the best moments of Elaborate Minor Crisis. On the standout track âSupermoon,â Wilbrechtâs instrument slices through fuzzy noise like itâs whittling an ice sculpture masterpiece.
Itâs hard to understand the lyricsâtheyâre buried under a lot of distortionâbut Magia says most were written after she broke up with a toxic partner. âItâs basically processing being in an abusive relationship,â she says. âItâs definitely a message I want to put out there, because at the time I was going through it and getting out of it, I felt really fucking alone.... Thatâs what the song âUndercoverâ is aboutâhow [abusers] dismantle all your defenses.â
Itâs the albumâs eerie centerpiece, with skittering percussion, murky bass lines, screeching violin, and hissing guitar oozing nervous energy. Tempos surge and retreat like an eel lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.
Magia says she wrote the prophetic opening track, âCroissant,â after having a bad dream about Donald Trump before heâd even entered the primaries. She thought itâd be dated by the time they released the albumâno one had any idea heâd go on to win the 2016 presidential election. âAt the time, it wasnât even that political,â Jackson says.
âI feel like a bad witch that brought this upon us, because I wrote this fucking song,â Magia quips.
Though the Elaborate Minor Crisis release show will be Jacksonâs last with Havania Whaal, after recording the album they added a second guitarist, Basil Stevens (Radler, Young Elvis). Itâs a bittersweet moment for the still-evolving band.
âI call her the Havania Whaal doula,â Magia says of Jackson. âPaul and I see this band as our childâIâm in a band thatâs his vision, heâs in Plastic Weather, which is my vision, and then this is us together. The people we invite [to play with us], itâs like youâre helping us raise our child.â