Marriage is difficult, you have to pick one human to spend the rest of your life with. One human to share your last cigarette with. One human to always put in ahead of yourself. One human to love until you, your partner or even the universe implodes. What if years of playing Monopoly leads to cold feet, and the moment comes down to you slapping all your money on Roeland street?
Cortina Whiplash struggled with the same conundrum, and after almost 10 years of touring the globe with foot breaking gigs, they decided not to fuck with shit that works. The ‘Doom Jazz’ band decided to hitch their musical wagons together.
Cortina Whiplash confessed their everlasting love to each other on the 28 of April at the Good Luck Bar, with the proceedings doubled up as the band’s launch of their new album: “We Do”. I attended the event and did what every good Afrikaans person does at a wedding. I danced, I drank and I got sent home in an Uber. What else could you expect from a Cortina Whiplash party?
Needless to say the next morning I was fighting off ‘ vingard griep’ (a hang over) which was attacking from all directions. I yearned for something to soothe my soul, so I dragged myself out of bed and pressed play on my computer. “We Do” was up next on the playlist. While I was searching around my room for a cup to help water the dessert in my mouth, a smooth, soothing guitar riff filled my ears. Something fresh. Something new. Something different.
Just as I wondered if this would be a more calmed down version of Cortina the song kicked. “Don’t tell me that I’ll die alone. I’d rather sit and die back home”. Hard drumming. Dirty guitar riffs. Unmistakeably hard hitting vocals.This is no watered down commercial album. This is Cortina Whiplash. Three bad bitches who made a twenty-one year old me, want to be just as bad a bitch. Hell, they still do.
The new album is a beautiful marriage of diverse sounds. “We Do” is the first album to be released by Cortina Whiplash in 7 years. During those 7 years the band completed two tours of Angola, and three tours to the Reunion Islands. It’s clear that Cortina took time to engross themselves in a plethora sounds they were exposed to through these tours, and used the experience to add to their own sound.
The album consisted of tracks such as “Make it hard” which has influences gained from the free-synth punk band, Kil Kill, who shared the stage with Cortina in Reunion Islands.
Another track called “Exoskeleton” finds its roots in a more laid back African style featuring a tight picking, and melodic sound. No doubt an addition by Tessa who has worked with artists like Thandiswa Mazwai.
They even have a stripped down beautiful cover of Lindsey Buckingham’s Go Insane, what is not to love?
In short whether you are a devoted Cortina Whiplash fan or just discovering them recently. you need to get this album. It is one of those beautiful gems that can only be born out of South Africa. It cures hang overs and is rumoured to bring back lost lovers. Who wouldn’t want to date you if you listen to Cortina Whiplash?
I give this album 9 out of 5 Wimpy breakfasts after a rough night out.