We went from Take A Whiff! (2017) to Another Whiff (Dig! Records, 2019) and have now arrived at Scratch ‘N’ Sniff. A consequence of these pauses between releases? That revelatory feeling when pressing play on their new LP that somehow you forgot how good of a band The Whiffs are. Truly, few bands master power pop this well and this consistently. The Whiffs give their sound just the right amount of garagey and punky energy and bite, just the right amount of pop sensibility and, on Scratch ‘N’ Sniff more than before, classic ’70s power pop vibes.
The Whiffs (Rory Cameron, Joey Rubbish, Zach Campbell and Jake Cardwell) said this about the record at The Big Takeover: “Musically I think we just had more time to think about songs instead of kind of bashing them out in the style of: here’s the idea, learn it, get the take, call it a day. So maybe it’s more intellectual? For better or worse.” And indeed, there are several songs on Scratch ‘N’ Sniff where The Whiffs expand their sound. Songs like Oh Well, Won’t Go Away and Wanted for example, songs that have just a tad more room to breathe. Of course, there are plenty of infectious front-to-back rockers that draw you in from the opening seconds (Shot Thru, Don’t Know What Else To Do, Tired Of Romance, Might As Well). It’s Not Over must be one of the finest power pop tracks of recent years. That chorus! Those hooks!
Scratch ‘N’ Sniff is the most diverse, most accomplished The Whiffs record yet. After multiple listens I still feel I haven’t touched on its full greatness, it keeps getting better and better. The 2020s…what a time to be alive as a fan of power pop! Purchase with zero regret at Dig! (USA) and Bachelor Records (Europe).