At the beginning we hear some piano chords. It’s not that they sound wrong, but rather as if the instrument hadn’t been played for a few years, perhaps last in the 1970s. Then comes that typical Whitney singing, somewhere between soft pop and middle Neil Young. Only after a verse do other instruments join in and the whole thing becomes rounder, more voluptuous.
Editorial recommendations
“Silent Exchange” is the name of the opener of the Chicago duo’s new album, and there is little exchange in it. Rather, he makes it clear that the duo Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek haven’t changed that much for SMALL TALK. It still indulges in a sound that rests on two pillars. At one point you can hear Laurel Canyon and the moment when folk from California found its way into the pop mainstream in the second half of the 1960s, which ultimately led to yacht rock ten years later. But just as important is the indie from around 2000 that was influenced by it, i.e. Elliott Smith and Beachwood Sparks.
However, a small footnote must be added: Recorded without an external producer, the songs exude an immediacy that could not be heard on the predecessor SPARK (2022). The album pushes this even further into the past, towards obscure sound wizards of the time like Curt Boettcher or Gary Usher. They don’t tell you anything? Not so bad, you can rework it when you get the chance. For now, enjoy new Whitney gems like the road trip vignette “In The Saddle,” the western rock of “Dandelions” or the sometimes blaring “Evangeline,” which not only features the wonderful Madison Cunningham, but also the album’s most beautiful saxophone solo.
This review first appeared in Musikexpress 12/2025.