“Steering Fate” by Whitetails

Fall is finally here, ushering in the softer sounds of acoustic guitars and slower tempos to match the coming tones of the season. Right on time, Whitetails has put out a new EP to breathe new life into the indie scene and set the vibes for this Fall.

Steering Fate is the first EP to be released by Lake Erie band Whitetails, finally giving its listeners a taste of what the band can create when it comes to collective works. Since its formation in 2019, the band had individually released a few singles, but after two years, it was time to move onto bigger projects. That came in the form of Steering Fate, which really tells its listener more about who Whitetails really is as a band. 

Track Review

The EP opens up with “On Holiday,” which is nothing like the Green Day song most people associate that title with. Instead, this track offers a soft blend of acoustic and electric guitars in true indie fashion to form a mellow yet diverse backtrack for the lilting voice of the lead singer and frontman, Jonathan Bobowicz. The use of piano in short bursts is a pleasant addition to spice up the track a bit in a way that still feels natural to the tone of the song.

“Fear” was the next track to feature, and I immediately noted influences from bands like Arctic Monkeys in the electric guitar, drum, and keyboard parts in the beginning portion of the song, which has a somber tone. Soon, the mood shifts along with the key for a funky guitar solo and rocking chorus before ultimately moving back to the initial sound of the beginning. This back-and-forth provides a musical illustration of the fear itself, which was very enjoyable to listen to as well as analyze. 

On the third and middle track, “On My Own,” the first thing I noticed was the vocals and the simple, yet beautiful harmonies. The addition of the flute in the instrumental break is a lovely and fun way to bring in new influences and diversify the sound. The track overall feels a little long, as it is over 5 minutes long, but I certainly wasn’t waiting for it to end since it was quite nice to listen to. 

For brevity’s sake, I’ll skip to the final track on the EP, which is “My Old Self.” This song is one of the most unique tracks on the EP, as it plays with rhythm, chord placement and progressions. It keeps on theme with the other tracks with its similar guitar sound and somber mood, but it adds something more to stand out from other indie bands and songs. 

Verdict

Overall, this EP was a solid release that gave me a good introduction to Whitetails as a band. Their use of echoing electric guitars, simple harmonies, and addition of fun instruments like flute and keyboard creates a great balance between the classic indie song and the band’s new and unique ideas.

As the first major release for a band, this stands out as a well-made work. The timing of the release is perfect, the lyrics and instrumentation are on point, and the band is offering a good blend of old and new. To me, that’s a great recipe for a successful release.

If you’re interested in listening to the EP, you can find it on Spotify after its release on October 8th!