Leave Regular Radio Behind
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Shred Math-Rock Duo Gnarwhal's New Song, 'Light-Up City'

Gnarwhal's new album, <em>Crucial</em>, comes out May 12.
Reese Faw
/
Courtesy of the artist
Gnarwhal's new album, Crucial, comes out May 12.

So is a gnarwhal a whale that shreds the gnar? And what does the whale shred? Does the whale shred with its tusk? These are hard-hitting questions for Gnarwhal, but the Nashville guitar-and-drums duo only responds with wild yelps, frantic guitar work and crashing drums.

"Light-Up City" comes from the band's third album, Crucial, and it's a raw and switchback-crazy seven minutes of chaotic math-rock. Drive Like Jehu's most emotionally wrought moments come to mind, but stripped down to the bare essentials.

Crucial comes out May 12 on Exploding In Sound.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Lars Gotrich is the editor of Tiny Desk and Tiny Desk Radio, a nationally broadcast program based on the beloved live concert series. He’s produced performances at the Desk by Paramore, GWAR, Amy Grant, Turnstile and Goo Goo Dolls.