The Whythouse releases Whiskey
By Alan Shipston for Country Music News International Magazine
The Whythouse, an urban country collective fronted by Chris Hale, has released a new single, Whiskey, a song about being overwhelmed by a chance meeting with a celebrity. The dream like lyric plays out in a capricious tale that could be driven by the element of alcohol. Electric guitar arpeggiates through the eight-bar intro with a languid playful touch not dissimilar to an 80’s pop feel. The vocal begins low and slow with,
“She said her name was JD, I seen her in the magazines,
As she was posing in them cowboy boots and them real dark tight blue jeans
And when I saw that smile, those country eyes on me
Bartender hook me up if you’ll please”
This captivating woman has walked into a rustic country bar and the temptation is strong and immediate, leaving the singer to believe she’s the one. As the country fantasy plays out, the band pushes into the chorus, “She hit me like a shot of whiskey,” a playful way to parallel the well-known whiskey brand with her initials. An ostinato string line anchors beneath a driving rhythm section, reinforcing the determination that the vocalist has for a woman he never planned on meeting. “She’s like fire on ice, she’s got me tipsy,” continues the whimsical story as guitars confidently jangle through the refrain.
Hailing from Waterloo, Ontario, this Canadian urban country artist has found success in his native country. In 2022, The Whythouse released, The Country Files, which went on to achieve 1.7 million streams. The full album was written and produced by Hale and Khenne Mazze and topped out at #3 in North America on the NACC National College and Community Charts. The lead single, Urban Country, won ISSA International Singer Song-Writer Awards “Video of the Year”. In Canada, Starz Collide, featuring Jennifer Alverado went #1 on the Independent Country Charts in an amazing 6-week journey.
Chris Hale and musicians /producers Khenne Mazze and Dave Murray, deliver authentic songs that resonate across genres without losing their country soul. The sound is fresh, yet familiar and made for both the back porch and the open road. Whiskey is a reminder that sometimes the strongest connections don’t come from planning, they come from a single moment, a country bar and a name you’ll never forget.