WHATEVER review - Nothing "whatever" about it

(Reviewed by Melody Werner)

Whatever is a 2018 rock track by Swedish hard rockers, Thundermother. Having just dropped their second album with mostly the same line-up as Whatever, I just stumbled onto them about a week and some change ago while looking over Spotify's rock section. I decided to try the new album's single, "Sleep"--which was very impressive, so I investigated a bit of their other releases since the new album had yet to drop. Whatever is, thus far, the most fun I've had with these ladies' music yet.

So, Thundermother aren't very subtle about their biggest inspirations: AC/DC and Motörhead. And the instrumentals by Filippa Nässil (guitarist), Emlee Johansson (drummer), and Majsan Lindberg (bassist) are absolutely up to par. Hell, they're thunderous enough that there's no questioning whether they deserve their name. You can tell Angus Young could holler over this, but it doesn't sound like a ripoff of any AC/DC track. And when you add in Guernica Mancini's outstanding vocals--there's zero mistaking Thundermother for their inspirations. Guernica is badass and sultry in a way that AC/DC never quite was (not that AC/DC wasn't badass, just a different breed of it). If Thundermother keep kicking this much ass, don't be surprised when people start talking Guernica up as a GOAT singer in hard rock.

Thundermother shows they aren't a diet version of any other band, and can stand toe to toe with any other hard rock outfit today, with Whatever. It's got a great sense of sass and "I couldn't give less of a fuck" attitude lyrically, which Guernica pulls off to electrifying effect. Her singing is characteristically strong and convincing for her. This song just gets me energized in the way that a good hard rock rager ought to. Gotta give kudos to the hook construction too, as that's what makes it so damn addictive.

Thundermother kick major ass with Whatever--a tune that's anything but "whatever." If you're disappointed by the dearth in hard rock bands in this vein or just jazzed to see a bunch of badass women doing their own thing, definitely check Thundermother out. Nostalgic though it may be, this band still feels discernibly modern. This song is a pretty fantastic introduction to their sound. Whatever gets a 5/5.

Fantastic

Summary:

Riotous hard rock fun with a great sense of personality--you should totally be listening to Thundermother.