Asking what kind of band your in is probably one of the most obnoxious and difficult to answer queries on the face of the earth. For the most part, it can all be reduced to a reply including the phrase rock and roll. And while that doesn’t any longer mean too much, the response is a far sight better than saying lo-fi or downer psych or whatever other inane answer might be proffered.

But what that situation also points to is the further smearing of any genre guidelines as it seems that garage, punk and psych are increasingly being used in tandem to arrive at some final product. That’s the case, at least, for Portland’s the Whines.

As a three piece, it would be understandable if the uninitiated expected something rather drawn back or poppy. And while there’s a range of different approaches to rock in all its forms on the band’s first long player Hell to Pay, the only constant is an adherence to music of decade’s past.

In reading up on the band, there’s a pervasive mention of country music. And while everyone should be into a little bit of fifties and sixties country song writing, it’s not really translated through into song by the band. Again, though, there’s not really a through-line here, unless it’s the lack of a through line.

Just looking at the Whines' first two offerings on this disc it be easy to figure the efforts as coming from different bands – that might be said about the entirety of the album as well.

Opening with “Down The 2 Tracks” it would appear that the disc was prepared to ape the same stance as newer crummy garage bands like Austin’s Woven Bones. The dumb thump of the durms, moaned, monotone vocals and almost indecipherable guitar progression places this first track within the realm of all too many acts traversing the country in rusted out vans. That’s not to say the track isn’t all pleasure to hear, it’s just within a single, specific vernacular.

What’s interesting is that the Whines can move from that track to the following “To Be True,” which might have come from some random indie pop band springing from the K Records stable a few years back. Acoustic guitar finds itself in play, but as with studio meanderings, it’s overdubbed with some electric guitar solos working to garage up the joint. It succeeds, but leaves listeners wondering what could possibly be next.

“Here We Sit,” even with that title, combines a bit of everything that preceded it to arrive at something that sounds like an hallucinogenic jam held out in the woods. And seeing as Portland should sport apt confines for such an event, let’s pretend that that’s what it is.

Issued on MEDS, apparently a subsidiary of Exiled Records, it’d be a bit of a stretch to think that Hell to Pay is set for major press, but maybe. If the interwebs have taught us anything, its that this music thing is in part who you know, but also a great deal of dumb luck. Here’s hoping the Whines have a bit of the latter.