White Mystery More Than Just an Airheads Flavor

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 10, 2010 3:40PM

White Mystery, composed of siblings Alex and Francis White, decided the name of their band when younger brother Francis happened to be eating the elusive White Mystery Airhead. For two years now, they’ve been shocking local and national venues with their fiery red afros and gritty 1960s American rock n roll. You may also know Alex as the founder of local label Missile X Records or leading lady of her previous act Miss Alex White and the Red Orchestra. After dropping her last act, she took on her brother as drummer for this duo, carrying on with the type of soulful yet abrasive tunes she made as Miss Alex White, except this time stripped down, dirtier, rawer.

You may be thinking: Sheesh, the last thing America needs is another brother/sister duo by the last name White using their sibling-hood as a gimmick to sell albums. But these two just brush off the constant White Stripes comparisons and get straight to rocking off faces with their dirty punk and garage-tinged rock. Released back in March, their self-titled debut LP is made up of lo-fi, no frills tunes like “Don’t Hold My Hand.” This groovy melody, backed by simple yet mesmerizing hooks and crashing drums, splits the vocals between the two members, featuring Alex’s soulful, potent voice for the first half and closing with Francis's yelping, howling vocals. This harmonious element, probably due in part to their kinship, is perhaps the act’s strongest quality as it gives their often off-kilter sound a much needed sense of balance.

In support of their new album, the duo is currently touring the U.S. and will be heading back home to Chicago to close the tour with a show at Lincoln Hall Friday, Aug 27 with local acts Lover! and the 1900s. Plus, the night before, Thursday Aug 26 at 7 p.m., they’ll be performing a live set on WLUW's Radio One Chicago (88.7FM), which will give listeners a chance to win free tickets to Friday’s show.

White Mystery plays Friday, August 27 at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N Lincoln, 10 p.m., $10, 21+