_{By Andy McFerren}

There was a certain brand of indie rock in the mid to late 2000s that bled into the 2010s where all the men sounded like they had just recently started going through puberty. There was a coming of age quality to it as their voice cracked over whimsical guitar riffs and experimental synth sounds. The Brand New Family by White Cat reminds me of, and sucks me into, a nostalgia for this time – a time when I was first discovering indie rock.

It was a great time for annoying people. Wes Anderson was hitting his stride, and Jason Schwartzman, one of the stars of his movies, was contributing to this era of music. And it laid a foundation for me to be the annoying person I am today, now writing about the same indie rock I obsessed over. 

But The Brand New Family is more than just a callback to a specific time for indie rock.

“The album can be boiled down to finding the beauty in the terrifying things the world throws at us,” says frontman Jordan Hepler. He goes on to explain that it’s about the conflict between younger and older generations, the change the newer generations bring, and how the finger pointing that ensues is prioritized over problem solving. The album delivers this message all while blending the sounds of the past with the present. 

The third track, “Four Minutes To Midnight,” reminds me of that kind of classic rock that’s somehow reminiscent of a western movie. It plods along like you’re riding a horse through the desert, the acoustic guitar fingerpicking setting the stakes and providing the drama.

Between these slight echoes of classic rock and the aforementioned blend of indie rock (and much more), it’s hard not to like something on this album, even if the whole thing isn’t for you. 

For example, there are even subtle hints of The Strokes like on the seventh track, “Friend from Work.” The two guitars entangled, not in a duel as guitars so often are, but in an intricate dance, creating a delightfully disorienting experience. 

Be sure to follow White Cat on Instagram and check out “Friend from Work” below!