British powerhouse Whitey—aka NJ White—has exploded back onto the scene with the release of his triumphant double album MENTAL RADIO, out now.
The album is a sixteen track tour de force that certainly takes you on a rollercoaster of a ride. A chaotically colourful clash of genres, styles, and moods, it’s hard to pin this album down at times but surely that’s the beauty of it? Pulling influences from across decades of sound and putting it through the Whitey blender creates something fresh—an album that is in turn furious, raw, amused, politically razor sharp and poignant—a satirical take on 21st century life—a musical pop art collage.
Stand out tracks include previous singles “CHERRADE,” “THIS IS FOREVER,” and “LITTLE PIGGIES.” Whitey has just released a brand new video for “LITTLE PIGGIES” to aptly coincide with the US election. A vibrant combination of classic, alternative, and glam rock, “LITTLE PIGGIES” is an infectious floor-filler with a powerful sentiment behind it.
Talking about the single, Whitey elaborates, “It’s a ballsy political swipe, a proper protest track that references Animal Farm, Three Little Pigs, the American political divide, Trumpism, and personal responsibility. The song started from a place of amused cynicism at many peoples’ inability to see The Wolf before their eyes, then gradually became a song with a more urgent feel as events unfolded over the last few years.
The lyrics evolved too, taking in elements from Three Little Pigs, Animal Farm, and classic protest posters. The music also became a journey from a sixties feel through to a modern climax, reflecting the ongoing need for people to see clearly, make a choice, use their voice—and stand up. At heart its about whether you follow without reason, or take a stand—you make that choice. As for me: I want to ring the fire alarm, not pour more fuel on.”
As an individual, Whitey prefers to speak via his work, and has eluded all interviews for well over a decade—leading one journalist to describe him as “the musical equivalent of Bigfoot.” Despite this elusive stance, his music continues to rack up many millions of plays and draw fans from all ages across the globe.
Across a string of acclaimed albums, Whitey’s music has made its mark, from rock ‘n’ roll clubs to electronic dance floors, fashion catwalks to movie soundtracks, television to computer games, from Breaking Bad and The Sopranos to Grand Theft Auto. Whitey has built a strange home in the shadows between mainstream entertainment and the vanishing underground, an outsider who celebrates his outsider ethos in his work—and yet whose music is embraced by both popular and alternative culture.
If you’re a fan of good old fashion rock and roll akin to the likes of Queens of The Stone Age, Pixies, and T.Rex, then this could very well be the album for you.
MENTAL RADIO is in stores now via NO! LABEL.
