Wishy – Triple Seven | Album Review
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Winspear
If one believes in numerology, a set of three sevens in a row is said to signify luck and spirituality. Also known as angel numbers, these repeating digits represent intuition and divine protection going all the way back to the turn of the century. Wishy seems to be a true believer of this phenomenon as they clench their significance wholeheartedly by naming their debut record Triple Seven.
A lot of times, life is about timing. Whether you’re trying to achieve a goal, pursue a relationship, or revive a friendship, sometimes all each instance requires is the perfect moment. This proves true for singer-songwriters and guitarists Nina Pitchkites and Kevin Krauter, who attended the same high school in Indiana yet didn’t rekindle their friendship until later in life. The two initally sought to start a band together, but it wasn't their time yet. Krauter was in the synth-induced indie rock band Hoops, while Pitchkites was making feathery electro-pop under the name Push Pop. It wasn’t until Pitchkites moved from Philadelphia back to Indiana that this dream of uniting under the same name became a reality.
Last year, Wishy came together officially, forming a Voltron-like quintet by bringing in drummer Connor Host, guitarist Dimitri Morris, and bassist Mitch Collins. With a lineup solidified, the band released two EPs in 2023, and while both excelled at mixing sugary indie pop with college rock jangle, it felt like the band members were still exploring what sound worked best for them as they developed their chemistry. Through each guitar riff and snare hit, they got closer to the music they envisioned creating. Now comes their debut full-length, and it's safe to say the band found themselves executing a well-thought-out alternative rock experience, delivered with the confidence of Larry Bird shooting jump shots in his backyard.
As the band explored their sound, what emerged from those EP sessions was a nostalgic turn to the past, influenced by bands that both Krauter and Pitchkites cite admiration for like The Sundays and My Bloody Valentine. For those tapped into the scene, various 90s styles from shoegaze and slacker rock to dream pop and “nu grunge” is a lane that’s been carved out by what feels like a trillion other bands right now, but Wishy are students of their craft, and this is more than just emulation. These five musicians have meticulously studied the songs of yesteryear and noticed that melodies are the secret sauce. Whether sung by Krauter or Pitchkites, each song boasts a hook specifically designed to give the listener earwormy jams to sing along to.
The debut single, “Love On The Outside,” packs a wallop of a punch with a chorus that will be stuck in your head like Double Mint gum. Krauter belts out, “Are you down? / Are you free? / I’m talking ‘bout love on the outside.” The song itself is pulsatingly energetic and shows that Wishy has legitimate star potential by delivering an indie-pop banger right out of the gates. On the record's second single, Pitchkites brings her conversational delivery to the table in the dream pop song “Triple Seven,” with airy, pillowy vocals that ride the 90s revivalist wave.
The sound of Triple Seven floats in and out from various 90s and 2000s staples, from touches of fuzzy shoegaze to bright power-pop and even a pinch of grunge. The band never stays in one lane too long before shifting to the next, making the experience of listening to the album more like flipping through radio stations in your bedroom as a kid, whisked away at the whim of whatever was playing across the airwaves. The addition of Collins and Morris makes this a four-person guitar band that is stacked high and full of growling guitars while turning up the fuzz another decibel or two. Wishy has officially entered into a space I like to call "Noise Ordinance Rock," which is a specific category set for bands that make music designed to be played at the highest octave possible. For example, think of albums in the vein of Soundgarden's Superunkown or Ovlov's TRU. If the police or a surly neighbor aren’t banging on your door to turn the volume down, then you aren’t listening to the album correctly.
Being a 90s revivalist, there’s a fine line you have to walk between ripping off your heroes and paying homage to the music that inspired you. Wishy executes the latter with bullseye-like precision, and there’s no greater example than “Little While.” The song is a blend of shoegaze and dream pop that’s exciting and soothing, reminiscent of Souvlaki-era Slowdive. Pitchkites delivers another outstanding performance with passionate, velvety-soft vocals as she depicts the feeling of continuously missing someone she cares deeply about, singing, “I’m spread too thin, I can’t see you.”
At the end of the album, “Spit” roars to life with a riff worthy of Golden Era Smashing Pumpkins. The song comes as a jubilant Monster Energy Drink-style jolt at the very end of the story that helps send Triple Seven off with a proper closer. It’s impossible not to get wrapped up in, and the instrumental comes packed with so much forward momentum that you might find yourself hanging on expectantly waiting for the next beat. It feels like Wishy has anywhere and everywhere to go from here.
The band put all their chips on the table with this record, joining together for a jackpot in a genre that many don’t make it out of. In the cranked-up guitar pedal opener, “Sick Sweet,” Krauter sings, “Well it’s a sick sweet life, and I’m gambling it all tonight,” portraying a nothing-to-lose attitude as if he is just happy to play anywhere with his friends. The genesis of Wishy, whether it be luck or fate, doesn’t matter because luck is where skill meets opportunity, and there is no fate but what they made from themselves.
David is a content mercenary based in Chicago. He's also a freelance writer specializing in music, movies, and culture. His hidden talents are his mid-range jump shot and the ability to always be able to tell when someone is uncomfortable at a party. You can find him scrolling away on Instagram @davidmwill89, Twitter @Cobretti24, or Medium @davidmwms.
