PUNKCAST#1148
Whisper Doll
Cake Shop NYC
May 8 2007
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with thanks to Cake Shop

'bundle of nerves'

There's something oddly compelling about the singing of Dan Penta, who heads up Whisper Doll. It's a kind of gravelly mope with gregorian undertones. Arriving in NYC some years ago, performing under the name 'Cockroach Bernstein', he was adopted by the burgeoning anti-folk community, and supported the Moldy Peaches on their first US tour. From this there came an electric band Larval Organs that took his sound to new heights of grunge. After a hiatus he returned a couple of years ago and formed a new outfit which became a virtual supergroup of the current anti-folk scene, including as it did both of the Babyskins, and Amy Hills. At first it was called 'Cockroach' but, reflecting the warmth of the sound one imagines, which involved much harmony, the name was eventually changed to 'Hearth'. While that band is by no means, as far as one can tell, defunct, in 2007 we see yet another manifestation, and possibly the most effective yet - the stripped down hard rock trio that is Whisper Doll. Word got around fast after they did a heavy version of Diane Cluck's 'I'm your here I am' - a song punkcast viewers will be familiar with from #212 - at a couple of shows. I finally caught up with the band playing at the Cake Shop one Tuesday night. They didn't play that one, but plenty of other good stuff. The two songs here are 'Bundle Of Nerves' and the reggaeish 'Old Girlfriend' - a song that Hearth have recorded.



Clicking on the images will take you to the clips on YouTube. The h.264's are iPod ready. There is a DVD.


capture captain: joly
date posted: 5/25/06

myspace Whisper Doll
Hearth live in the studio 2006

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