Whalers has grown up in the twelve years since its formation, but the group hasn’t forgotten the infectious, boyish vitality that helped carry them out of the rehearsal space and onto some of Austin’s most reputable stages. From a collection of towns around Texas, the five men of Whalers rallied together in Austin in 2009 and have released two EPs (2010’s How the Ship Goes Down and 2011’s Paddle Easy ) and released their first full-length album, Submarine Sun , in 2014.
Though their recordings are packed with an untouchable energy, Whalers’ contagious vigor is best felt in their live performances. The group’s music is a striking blend of power-driven rock, complete with strong riffs from Dan Martin and Kyle Rother (guitars, Damn Hands / K. Rother ), and smooth, dreamy surf rock, reminiscent of bands like Real Estate and Wild Nothing. Gus Smalley (vocals) and Mitch Bertram (drums) stitch the two sounds together seamlessly, and bold lines from Todd Horner (bass) drive the band’s collection of songs forward with every beat. 2015 saw the release of the Death Drive – EP , a collection of B-sides from the Submarine Sun sessions.
After 4 years of growth Whalers released the single Keep It Quiet in anticipation of their new album in 2019. That new album is called WxW and is finally being released in 2020.