White Male Actors - Ghosts

White Male Actors

Ghosts
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

White Male Actors formed in late 2012 and seem to have all the ingredients in place to appeal to a ubiquitous audience. The band, which is made up of David Mc Gaughey (vocals and guitars), Mark Donnelly (drums) and Pete Devine (guitars), make triumphant sounding ambient rock not unlike something you might hear from a band like U2.

The lyrics are inspirational, which sometimes come off more as a motivational speech. White Male Actors implements a similar formula to all their songs on Ghosts. The guitars are smothered in a lot of hall reverb, while the bass and drums provide enough energy for the vocalist to belt out a tune. Of course there is more than that but the majority of the material revolves around those components. 

They open with “Take a bow,” which was a highlight on the album that displayed sharp songwriting and great production. The song explodes with a descending chord progression before quickly falling into the verse. The lyrics immediately veer towards self-improvement and self-reflection. Mc Gaughey sings, “Shake away the doubts that steal the thoughts of tired minds set to right the majesty of your vision's great design.” The chorus embraces self- determination and progress. Mc Gaughey sings “Take a bow, hold your head up high it's a long road but you have come so very far.”

I’m pretty sure that Mc Gaughey is singing about metaphorical ghosts on “Ghosts” but I’m not quite so sure at times. The song gets more grandiose as it progresses but it can’t compare with the unbridled optimism of “This is your time.” Mc Gaughey sings lines such as “you have got to pull yourself together as it's getting late and you are still so incomplete” and “This is your time / This could be your time.” U2 has some serious competition.

The closer “Mysteries and histories” is a solid song all around. It is catchy and also contains some of the most impressive guitar work you will hear on the album. There is even a breakdown, which however doesn’t last very long before they explode back into the chorus. 

White Male Actors definitely know what sound they are after and do it well. The songs can compete with mainstream acts that play similar types of music. Put down the self-help book and don’t waste your money on another Tony Robbins conference. Ghosts may be all you need in order to get you out of that funk you are in. 

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