On The Verge

Whitley

Melbourne, Australia
Sad Songs from a Sunny Place
www.whitleymusic.com

It’s hard to imagine that Lawrence Greenwood, a.k.a. Whitley (a tribute to Chris Whitley), the Australian singer/songwriter known for folksy “woe is me heartbreak songs,” grew up playing lead guitar in local metal bands. “One day my friend and I were taken to see this show where two old country singers were playing. I was blown away at how communicative it was,” says Whitley. “Or perhaps I have just outgrown my teenage angst.” Whitley’s debut album, The Submarine, borrows classic folk aesthetics and “chucks them together” with light poppy acoustics and a melancholy drone, creating a body of songs that speak the same beautifully sad language as Elliott Smith. Soon after the disc’s release Whitley was invited to join Ben Kweller on his U.S. tour. “I loved Minnesota,” Whitley recalls. “The home of Bob Dylan, Mason Jennings and Prince!” While he’s kicking off the New Year with a tour Down Under, Whitley promises to return to the States, maybe even for good, after finishing his second album. Whitley reveals, “It’s going to be much bigger-sounding—percussive, poppy, aggressive and strange.”