Kansas City's The Whiffs may be from Kansas City, but at times the quartet sound pure Brit. I compared their debut album, Another Whiff, to being a Stiff Records release. For their second album, they are much more UK New Wave.
Scratch 'N' Stiff isn't as loose as the debut, but it has lost none of the hooks and the more polished result brings them out even more. This is a wall of memorable choruses that remind you how much you love Power Pop, despite the fan noise around the genre.
There are also big hints of Glam Rock, particularly on I Didn't Need You To Know. The Glitter Band springs to mind on more than one occasion. That's not to say there are no American influences, Won't Go Away is great Jangle Pop and Don't Know What Else To Do could be The Plimsouls.
Yet Oh Well could be Brit Pop and Romeo could be The Speedways, although its fair to say that The Whiffs are at least the equals of Matt Julian's lot. Verlaine even hints at the Garage roots of that wonderful debut album.
From the opening bars of the opener, It's Not Over, you sense what you are in for and The Whiffs don't disappoint. Riffs that make you want to air guitar and oh those choruses! The song that really catches you out most is the wonderful Pretender, it is anthemic and another song that makes you want to get the Glitter out and what a solo!
A second album is often said to be difficult with the first having bags of songs built up in the years waiting for a deal. There is no such difficulty here. Power Pop can make you glow on the saddest of days. Scratch 'N' Sniff will do that in spades. Highly Recommended!
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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