Great White Whale
Great White Whale is the debut album by the Canadian rock band, Secret and Whisper. The album was in the works for about a year and was released on February 12, 2008. A music video was shot in Pittsburgh for the album's first single, "XOXOXO." The album reached number 17 on iTunes's top 100 albums in its first week on sale.
| Great White Whale | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 12, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | ZMS Studios (Kelowna B.C. Canada) February, 2007 | |||
| Genre | Post-hardcore, alternative rock | |||
| Length | 42:07 | |||
| Label | Tooth & Nail | |||
| Producer | Travis Saunders Danny McBride | |||
| Secret and Whisper chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Great White Whale | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| The Album Project | |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | |
| Ultimate Guitar | |
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Charles David Furney; all music is composed by Secret & Whisper.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blonde Monster" | 1:34 |
| 2. | "You Are Familiar" | 2:59 |
| 3. | "Vanishings" | 3:57 |
| 4. | "XOXOXO" | 3:26 |
| 5. | "The Actress" | 3:20 |
| 6. | "Spider Besider" | 3:32 |
| 7. | "Looming Moon" | 4:33 |
| 8. | "Attacker" | 3:35 |
| 9. | "Anchors" | 3:31 |
| 10. | "Werewolves" | 3:32 |
| 11. | "Lovers" | 3:43 |
| 12. | "Great White Whale" | 4:32 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Anchors (Acoustic)" | 3:51 |
| 14. | "The Actress (Acoustic)" | 2:53 |
Furney said the band might put both of the Japanese bonus tracks on iTunes if they receive enough public demand.
Song meanings
The tracks Blonde Monster and You Are Familiar are about a dream that Charles Furney, the band's lead vocalist, had about a faceless person that he hadn't seen before but who he thought was really comforting. It's about how he just hasn't found who he's looking for yet.
The first demo and third song on the album "Vanishings", was written about Charles past band experiences with labels and bandmates.
The single, XOXOXO deals with an unbalanced relationship where the individual is going through a lot of trouble but the other person is basically carefree. It also reflects the confusion that comes with cuckolding.
The Actress is about going to the movies, and the nature of escapism from reality.
Furney said in an interview that Spider Besider is about leaving the band thebleedingalarm and having trouble looking for work back in his home town. The first job he could get was as a waiter at a Chinese restaurant. He noticed that the other employees' names were only three letter names, and he asked them if they were their real names. The other employees said no, so he asked them their real names. And the first person to answer said her name was Iachoku. He then asked why they didn't use their own names, and they said because no one would remember them or be able to pronounce them. The song is about how ridiculous it is that people have to leave their culture just to fit in in North American society.
Looming Moon is about Charles' thoughts when he was considering getting out of the music business.
Their second demo, "Attacker", was written about the ghost of Charles' brother, who died at age six.
Lovers tells the story of Charles' mother's adoption. A naval sailor, ashore for one night, meets a married woman. They have a one-night stand resulting in a pregnancy. When the woman's husband discovers the pregnancy, he forces her to give it up. It is then revealed that the child is in fact Charles' mother.
Great White Whale is a story about a lonely man who decides to hunt down the greatest creature he can find. He captures the Great White Whale and locks it in a tower. He sets the whale free after the animal kingdom revolts and he discovers that he has upset the balance of nature. Some themes explored in the song include loneliness and dealing with grief.
Credits
- Produced by: Travis Saunders, Danny McBride, Secret & Whisper
- Mixed by: Jeff Schneweis at Old Sailor Studios
- Mastered by: Troy Glessner at Spectre South
- A&R: Jimmy Ryan
- Management: Mark Lafay at Middle Coast Management
- Legal: Shawna Hilleary at The Artist Law Group
All songs written and performed by Secret & Whisper
All lyrics by Charles David Furney
Seesaw Music Playground (SOCAN/ASCAP)
- Art Direction by: Invisible Creature, Inc.
- Illustration & Design by: Ryan Clark for Invisible Creature, Inc.
- Band photograph by: Christina Tomaras