Over the last eight years the Oakland band Whiskerman has developed an underground reputation for tackling the sublime with their ambitious songwriting, thunderous stage show, and acute lyricism. They have since emerged as an engine of the Bay Area’s revitalized psychedelic and festival scenes. Frontman Graham Patzner, who will crow like a medicine show preacher, and then coo you into the arms of his lovesick eternity, might be a spitfire protege of the underworld himself, though, through and through he will remind you that there is no rapture without artistry. On the surface, this is splendid rock-and-roll, rooted in the classic, psych, and glam rock tradition, but the pageantry and chaos of Whiskerman’s performances will leave you describing an experience more than a sound.
Bringing it all back home, Whiskerman have dropped a swagger-heavy and topical new track entitled, “Running Out of Money (in America).” Patzner’s vocal invites us in, boasting an intimate and wide dynamic range. Built on a steadfast backbeat and building momentum from top to bottom, “Running Out of Money (in America)” is a warm and sonically optimistic expression about a very real and scary reality most of us can surely relate to.
“Running Out of Money (in America)” was written during peak covid surge, peak fear of financial ruin and societal collapse and peak give no fucks and let it all out.”
