In the Studio With Nashville Rockers the Whigs

Athens, Georgia-bred, Nashville-based power trio the Whigs broke out big with their second album, 'Mission Control,' wooing music critics from 'Rolling Stone' to 'SPIN,' and bands from the Black Keys to Kings of Leon, who later invited the Whigs on tour. The band followed with their excellent 2010 LP, 'In the Dark,' and are preparing to release their fourth album 'Enjoy the Company,' on September 18 via their new label New West Records. After three weeks of tracking at Woodstock, NY's Dreamland Studios, a converted church from the 1800s, the band settled with producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) at New Jersey's Water Music Studios, where they invited Fuse out to chat about (and hear!) their new record. See in-the-studio pics and read about the new album now!

The Whigs chose producer Agnello for his impeccable resume: "We’ve been talking about [working with] John for years and we have mutual friends; he mixed some Drive-By Truckers records,” says drummer Julian Dorio. “We’ve just been curious to meet him and it wasn’t until this time around that we actually got in touch and his schedule worked out.” Adds frontman Parker Gispert, "He produced a Kurt Vile album ('Smoke Ring for My Halo') that was one of my favorite albums of last year."

On the LP's title, 'Enjoy the Company,' Gispert says, "It’s relevant to right now... [to us sitting around drinking beers]. It’s always good advice..."

The Whigs honor late Disco Queen Donna Summer while chillin' in the studio. The boys also spent downtime watching “really bad rock documentaries on HBO Classic," says bassist Tim Deaux. "It can be about the worst band ever, but I’d always watch it. It’s educational [laughs]."

Dorio's (right) favorite new track on 'Enjoy the Company' is “Ours," which features cello. "The recording surprises you in a way," he says. "That one came out really nicely.” Gispert's fave track? “I really like ‘Staying Alive.’ That’s been one of my favorites since the first time we played it. Strumming those chords for the first time just felt really felt great.” Deaux's? “After Dark." "The album is named after a lyric of that song," he says. "It’s really slow and has a unique vibe.” Adds Gispert, “John really knocked it out of the park with that one. It’s a great song and the way John recorded it sounds really good.”

Agnello has produced classic albums from many indie heavyweights, including Dinosaur Jr., whose frontman looms over the control board at all times, bobbling in riff.

Did the Whigs feel pressure to head in a poppier direction on their new album, especially considering the mainstream success of like-minded bands like the Black Keys? “No,” says Dorio. “The good thing for us is that we like making the type of songs we like to make. We don’t really feel like, ‘God, we’re this type of band and we really need to be this type of band.’ We naturally make what you hear.” And on 'Enjoy the Company' you hear the band's ragged, barroom rock sound maturing.

Deaux says the band discovered music from their past when recording 'Enjoy the Company,' which helped shape its sound: “When we started making the album we were obsessed with the Joe Jackson album 'I’m the Man,' which is an odd album to be obsessed over. That and the Who’s 'Who's Next.' We rediscovered that, which was a big album for us when we were younger.”

In support of their last album, 'In the Dark,' the Whigs opened arena gigs for the Black Keys and the Kings of Leon. Have they noticed new fans? “After the fact, yeah,” says Parker. “Someone will come to a show and say, ‘Oh I saw you a couple of years ago at this venue, opening for whoever. I love you guys.” It took a moment for the power trio to get used to playing massive arenas, though, and it's helped them in their usual stomping grounds: “Once you adapt to it, it’s liberating," Parker says of playing arenas. "You can put on your show a little better; you have more space. We actually feel super comfortable in the clubs after those big places, though.”

The album is full of the Whigs' hard-charging, classic rock sound, but “it’s more diverse then the last couple of records, as far as dynamics," says Dorio. "There’s a little more variety of songs but without being schizophrenic, without sounding like different bands.”

When the band and Agnello finish tracking and mixing a song, they all do push-ups together. "We're gonna be so buff by the time this album is done," jokes Parker.