Whales and Cops

Author: Joe Gotschall
Source: Popwreckoning

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Reigning from West Philadelphia’s late “Soft Batch” scene, Whales and Cops is comprised of ex-Man Man members and half-brothers Mr. Nathaniel Cops (keys, bees, bells, percussion) and Finger Julius Mountain (drums, marimba, keys, percussion) accompanied by the multi-talented instrumentalist Otzi Bogman (trumpet, bass, Flugelhorn, keys, percussion) . Shortly after the high velocity exit from Man Man, the Great Bouncing Icebergs EP was recorded due to an energetic schedule of immediate rehearsals.

A little over 21 minutes long, the EP includes five tracks, not including the untitled track number three, which consists of a sixteen second soundtrack to what seems like a carnival ride. The first track “Futuro Futuro” starts off with an in your face polyphonic texture and a mixture of instruments that I just can not put my finger on. It reminds me of a Man Man sound mixed with a less creepy electronic version of The Beatles’ “Revolution #9”, and if you think that’s weird, you should check out the music video.

After the first track, the EP rounds out with songs like “Bosuns o’ the Yard” and “Fifty Black Marines” that are slightly mellower Whales and Cops definitely saved the best for last. Bringing up the rear, “Bent Cop,” ends the EP on a somber tone with tribal sounding percussion, chilling vocals and a slow tempo.

After listening to the EP, I’m not sure if I’ll be looking forward to a full length album in the future. This “Soft Batch” genre seems to be a little too much for my liking, but if you are into the genre, Whales and Cops is your man!…man?

Author: Kate Bracaglia
Source: uwishunu.com

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Whales and Cops’s Clint Killingsworth (Mr. Nathaniel Cops) and Tiberius Lyn (Finger Julius Mountain – don’t ask) used to be in Man Man. This explains a lot, and I’m happy to report that unlike 75% of the rest of the Philly music scene, they don’t sound like they’re trying to be Man Man. They sound like they’re trying to be Whales and Cops, an equally zany – and in a weird way, more accessible – offshoot of the C.O.B.L.’s best-loved musical oddity.

Fans (fan fans?) of Man Man love the fivesome for their circus pop antics, gypsy vaudeville tendencies and penchant for unison singing. Whales and Cops boast none of these characteristics. Instead, they offer a chord-clashy version of space-age video game pop, interspersed with random sound-effects (I note: car horns, clapping, whistles, children playing, and more) and driven by an incessant beat.

Multi-musician Ötzi Bogman (real name: unknown) is the third member of the ensemble, and contributes a wide range of stringed and brass instruments, including upright bass, trumpet, flugelhorn and more. When mashed together with percussion and keys, the result sounds a bit like high school marching band practice gone terribly awry. And we mean this in the best possible way.

Of course, not all of W&C’s tunes are capricious, ADD-inflicted monstrosities. The quiet, marimba-laced “Bent Cop” is an awesome post-rock anthem, in which the band questions “Are you bent?” only to answer “corrupt, but well content.”

Check out the video for their single “¡Futuro Futuro!” and catch them live this Sunday at Silk City. Silly good times are guaranteed by all.

Author: Doug Wallen
Source: Philadelphia Weekly
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Whales and Cops, Great Bouncing Icebergs EP (High Two):
Only ex-Man Man folks could make a racket this batty.

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Author: Doug Wallen
Source: Philadelphia Weekly, Umm…Drop
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Puzzle-pop doesn’t get much more puzzling than on Great Bouncing Icebergs, the long-awaited album by the madcap Philly troupe Whales and Cops. It’s packed with intimate shivers and hulking revelations and everything in between, beeping and blurring while virtuosic players with fake names wrangle vivid new life from their instruments.

Maybe that sounds like hyperbole, but this band’s sonic extremes are enough to shock even listeners weaned on years of Man Man, from which Whales and Cops were an offshoot. A more kindred spirit these days might be Make a Rising, an equally batty ensemble with two albums on the local label High Two, which will soon release Great Bouncing Icebergs.

Just finished, the album doesn’t have a track listing yet. That and the absence of real names increases the disorienting experience that is Whales and Cops’ ambitious jazz- and classical-damaged art-pop. Vocals are an iffy quantity at best, although one track finds a sublime voice stepping in as if to sooth a sobbing child. But it lasts less than a minute, and in other places the singing is mercurial at best.

As with Man Man, the drumming and other percussion is stunning. Constantly evolving but always involving, it holds down the fort for a most erratic array of sounds. Yet there’s a very real undertow of pop here, from wind-swept strings and pristine female backing vocals to buzzing and bouncing synths. Having multiple multi-instrumentalists is key for Whales and Cops, and Great Bouncing Icebergs certainly benefits from so much rapid-fire scene-changing and many kaleidoscopic build-ups.

But hey, if you still think these guys can’t possibly be as eye-poppingly strange as described here, head to their warehouse show and let their friends cut your hair. Yes, they’re offering free haircuts before the show. Why? Because they can.