Whitehall released a new single, “Cash,” on Friday. It’s the third track the band has put out this year following their 2021 album Swordfish Catcher.
“Cash” is more muted than the band’s previous releases; it’s a bit somber. “Surprise surprise surprise / Open up your eyes / Everybody loves a come up everybody loves a story,” McKiernan sings.
The chorus slips by almost unnoticed, as it’s hardly different in tone or cadence from the rest of the lines he delivers. The guitar sound is steady but mostly tonal, imparting a repetitive depth that is mirrored in the no-frills percussion.
McKiernan’s vocals are the focal point of “Cash,” excluding his characteristic clear timbre. His delivery of each verse imparts a storytelling sensibility that feels intimate, as if he’s confiding in the listener, or warning us against something he has personally encountered. A fuzzy guitar solo closes out the tune, just in case we forgot the level of sheer sound the band is capable of generating.