Turn Up the Amp | Bonnie Whitmore 'Last Will and Testament' Album Review
Fed up with being told to “just shut up and sing,” Bonnie Whitmore has taken the offensive and turned some of today’s major talking points into songs with a message. “I thought, fine, I’m just going to sing what I want to talk about,” she says about her new release, Last Will & Testament (Aviatrix Records). While many artists have stayed far away from taking any position on controversial topics, Whitmore tackles such serious issues as rape culture, suicide, loss, and the widening divide in American society in a genre-bending collection of songs that showcase her incredible voice. Bonnie has never been shy about dealing directly with serious matters in a conversational manner. Her previous release, Fuck With Sad Girls, is full of social commentary and Whitmore considers Last Will & Testament to be a sequel of sorts to that 2016 breakthrough album. Her earlier records were more Americana in feeling, but with her more recent releases she has focused more on personal topics including her depression and feelings of vulnerability.
Whitmore wrote the title track, “Last Will and Testament,” after losing another member of the Austin music community to suicide. That song about loss and grief took on a new perspective when later that same year, Chris Porter, another Austin-based musician and her dear friend, was killed in a traffic crash while touring. That devastating news inspired her to open up a dialogue and encourage others to have the hard conversations about grief, guilt, and anger. The pounding track features a horn arrangement and stinging guitars, both provided by producer Scott Davis, and gives the record a swift opening kick.
The tempo immediately slows with “None of My Business.” Bonnie’s lush vocals are backed by Austin jazz singer-deluxe Akina Adderley. Whitmore teamed with Finnish singer Astrid Swan to write the song after the 2015 terror attacks in Paris:
“Day in and day out / All we really do is scream and shout / And missing what it’s really all about / Instead of melody / Let’s find the harmony / Love forwardly / Don’t let our fears defend us”
“Right_Wrong” is the first single release from the record and sounds like it could have come right from a 1960s radio playlist, even clocking in at under 3 minutes. It’s a melodic tune with another horn arrangement from producer Davis who shares writing credit with Whitmore. The lyrics address the growing divide in American society and offers opening a dialogue as a way to pull together:
“When the echoes get too loud / You can pull yourself out of the clouds / There’s so much more that’s right than wrong / And I would rather shake your hand / We won’t ever understand / And what’s the point of liberty / And the land of the free / Without you and me?”
Austin-based singer-songwriter, Jaimee Harris, shares writing credit on “Fine” which offers another upbeat pop shimmer to very personal lyrics:
“You light the match just to feel that spark / It’s a beautiful thing to watch it fall apart / It burns, it fades, and you’re left in the dark / And all that’s left is a broken heart / Are you okay, honey? / Are you looking for the exit sign? / Are you coming with me? / Know whatever you decide, I’ll be fine”
“Asked For It” is the toughest track on the record, both musically and lyrically. Bonnie says the topic of “legitimate rape” from the former US Representative from Missouri, Todd Akin, in 2012 was the song’s inspiration. A razor-sharp guitar lead drives the song with a built-in call and response singalong, but Whitmore notes the crowd generally stops singing along once they realize what they are actually saying:
“She’s the kind of girl you say asked for it (asked for it) / Didn’t see it coming, but she asked for it / Cross and hope to die ‘cause you asked for it (asked for it) / Now baby, baby don’t you cry”
The song is a real, hard look at the nature of rape culture that blames the victim. Like so many of her songs, Whitmore’s intention here is not to preach, but rather to inspire discussion and reflection.
Bonnie attributes The Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida as the starting point for “Time to Shoot.” The lyrics are directed at the shooter and ask more questions about the romanticism of violence in America:
“Time to shoot, take the shot / Show the world what you got / When it’s done, when you’re gone / Were you right or were you wrong? / When it’s yours, what’s the cost / Is it truly worth the lost? / When you’re broken, will you heal / When there’s nothing left to feel / The question on my mind / Why did it seem worth it at the time?”
The arrangement begins with keyboards from Trevor Nealon of The Band of Heathens (and part of Bonnie’s band as well) and continues to build with Whitmore’s vocals, adding harmonies and even more backing vocals, until a string arrangement featuring the wonderful violin of Bonnie’s sister, Eleanor (The Mastersons), brings the song to its finale.
The Whitmore family has a musical tradition that also includes Bonnie and Eleanor’s parents. Their mother, Martha, was a classically trained opera singer and she adds vocals to “Love Worth Remembering.” Bonnie’s smoky vocals are showcased in this torch song about the meaning of unconditional love and is the sleeper star track of the record. Akina Adderley returns to add her beautiful voice to the mix. In a record filled with social commentary and personal exposition, it’s this love song that shines through:
“When I made you laugh, and you helped me sing / The moments they pass, a slow steady stream / I still got your back, I won’t mention a thing / Just glad that we have a love worth remembering”
Put this track on repeat and enjoy.
The most creative arrangement on the record is “Imaginary.” Nealon’s toy piano sets things off-kilter and adds to the carnival-like feel of the track. Whitmore’s wistful vocals are a call for unity to make things better for everybody:
“Sleep will come / As soon as our work is done / United we become / Equal as to everyone / To keep it through the night / What we know to be right / Don’t let it out of sight / And don’t fear the light / It’s not imaginary”
Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson makes a backing vocals appearance on Bonnie’s cover of the band’s “Flashes and Cables” from their 2006 record Love You Just the Same. Whitmore grew up in Denton, Texas, also the hometown of Centro-Matic and became a fan of the band while she was in high school. Her version here keeps the pop spirit of the original, but gives it a cleaner edge.
George Reiff was an Austin icon as a tremendous bass player as well as a much sought-after producer. He produced discs for Ray Wylie Hubbard, the Band of Heathens, The Mastersons, Shinyribs, and many more. He was a fixture in the Austin music scene for many years until he died from cancer in 2017 at age 56. Bonnie considered him a mentor and wrote “George’s Lullaby” as a moving tribute to the man who meant so much to so many:
“I’ll love you for always / You’ll be in my heart / For the love and the laughter / Will beat in my heart / May it be with you forever always / Start at the beginning / And sing it once more”
The track features Bonnie on bass, Nealon on piano, Davis on guitar and another beautiful Eleanor Whitmore string arrangement with a light jazz feel.
In addition to writing credits on every track of Last Will & Testament (except the cover song), Bonnie also takes a producer credit for the first time, sharing with Scott Davis. Her brother-in-law, Chris Masterson (The Mastersons) produced her last two records. The album was recorded at the Ramble Creek Studio in Austin with engineer Britton Biesenherz and features members of Bonnie’s band, the Sad Girls (Craig Bagby, drums and Betty Soo, backing vocals and accordion). The whole record is like a snapshot of Austin in 2020, featuring some of the city’s newer talents and starring a voice ready to step up and be heard. With Last Will & Testament, Bonnie Whitmore has made the commitment to “shut up and sing,” and you would be well served to listen.
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