by Ben Grigg
“Me Or The Party #165” is the second single off Yukon artist Whitney K's debut record Two Years, out February 19th, 2021 on Maple Death with a special Rough Trade limited edition. The first single “Maryland” was a strolling AM radio groove reminiscent of the best of Smog. This second single is a sing-along ballad, with liquified country western slide guitar and a vocal delivery reminiscent of 70's Waylon Jennings. Konner Whitney, the driving force behind Whitney K, does his best to playfully evoke a partier lost in the dream and the partner of said dreamer, wondering what role they really play in their lover’s life. He conjures the type of parties that none of us have been to for a long time, and many bespectacled no-fun-niks (myself included) avoided even then. The classic sheen of leather and ten gallon hats alluded to by the instrumentation is humorously juxtaposed with lyrical imagery of DJs and cocaine. There is a sense of self-conscious fun throughout, despite the slow tempo and heartbreak.
The narrator asks their lover, "Tell me, who do you love, me or the party?" It’s a relatable lyric, with a simple earworm melody. It reminds me of my past flirtations with sobriety where I found myself asking, "do I like hanging out with my friends, or do I just like drinking?" Lucky for me, nobody called me out and I could sort out my demons on my own time. Unfortunately, it sounds like things are a bit more dire with our fictitious narrator, and confrontation is imminent. That is, unless I’m missing the point completely and The Party in question is political in nature. All things are possible in 2021.
The spoken-word bridge of the song feels lifted from pop classics of the 1960’s like “Dead Man’s Curve” by Jan & Dean or “Leader of the Pack” by The Shangri-Las. It’s a fun callback to what pop music used to be. It’s clear that Konner Whitney hasn’t forgotten.