Recap Whale Belly at Project Lodge

It’s hard not to wonder what inspired the band name Whale Belly. While it’s tempting to imagine the Brooklyn trio channeling the literary ghost of Captain Ahab to write seafaring songs for the modern generation, the music the band creates is equally interesting.

Whale Belly stopped in Madison to play the Project Lodge Saturday on its way to record a Daytrotter session. Luke Bassuener’s one-man project Asumaya opened the show and built momentum with his unique blend of looped and layered instrumentals flavored with tribal beats. Then, under a strand of pink garland, Whale Belly took the stage to play for the 15 audience members who had enough stamina to venture out after another Badger football victory.

Whale Belly’s set, drawing from its free album, ...The Smile At The End Of The Slope, burst with more than enough emotion for a venue with just 350 square feet of floor space. The intensity of the guitar, violin, and drums at times competed for dominance of the songs, leaving listeners to unpack the group’s sound. The band rewarded those up to the task with rumbling vocals delivered with a characteristic folk lilt and screaming violin riffs to match.

Josh Henderson’s violin played an integral role in Whale Belly’s sound. At the beginning of its set, dissonant violin strokes jarred listeners. By the end, each movement of the bow captured and infused added feeling in the lyrics delivered by lead vocalist Todd Bogin. “Odds And Ends” exemplified the energy the band creates from the vocals and violin sparking off each other.

Baiting the few that ventured out with a set that oscillated between elements of folk and garage-rock, Whale Belly will hopefully hook a bigger crowd next time it makes the trek from New York.