Buzz hot on brother-sister duo White Mystery

Alex White says her brother, Francis, was a big part of her musical life even before she joined him in the hard-rocking duo White Mystery.

“Since we were kids, we've been playing music together in our parents' basement,” White said. “And even when I was in other bands, he helped me conceptualize songs. When we finally decided to create a band together, it was like, why didn't this happen earlier?”

The White siblings, lifelong residents of Chicago's North Side, formed White Mystery in 2008 and released their first full-length record earlier this year.

The self-titled album is a primal blast of stripped-down garage punk, highlighted by Alex's bluesy, howling vocals and Francis' propulsive drums. The band's sound, and its ferocious live performances, have been turning heads across the country for much of 2010.

“It's been so delightful,” Alex White, 25, said of the buzz surrounding the band. “It's particularly gratifying because we do everything ourselves. There's no label helping us out; we have no publicist, no manager. It's just the two of us.”

Of course, the band's name and its music have sparked lots of comparisons to the White Stripes, comparisons that Alex and Francis take in stride.

“We knew that would happen,” Alex said. “And the fact is, I love the White Stripes. I think we're doing something different, though.”

Music always played a big role in the Whites' home. Their grandfather played the mandolin, and their parents maintained a healthy collection of classic rock Cream, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix.

Alex grew up loving those bands, and then she discovered punk rock by attending a show at the Fireside Bowl, a venerable Chicago venue.

“I was about 13, and I think I saw groups like Screeching Weasel and the Teen Idols that night,” she said. “I remember thinking: ‘This place is magical.'”

Classic, blues-based rock and punk both find their way into the songs on White Mystery's record. Don't expect any frilly excess here; White Mystery pares each song down to its very essence, then lets it rip. The entire 14-song album barely surpasses the half-hour mark.

The opener, “White Widow,” gets things off to a rousing start with Alex's searing guitar and her snarling singing: “You can't tame me!” she shouts. (Francis adds some key background vocals.) Immediately following is “Powerglove,” which has to be in the running for Most Rousing Rock Song of 2010. Other highlights including the autobiographical “Take a Walk” and the sassy “Don't Hold My Hand.”

The cranked-to-11 energy on the record is more than matched by White Mystery's live shows. Alex and Francis are known for showing uncommon chemistry onstage, and they make quite a striking sight when they start shaking their matching heads of long, curly red hair.

“I think something unique does happen when the two of us play together,” Alex said. “Because we have that close personal bond, we're more likely to take risks onstage,

“And the hair does seem to help. I think it invigorates the crowd.”

White Mystery is working on a second full-length record in between a dizzying array of concert dates that will close out the year. The band has two Chicago shows planned for this month, and two more in December.

Looking ahead, Alex said she hopes she and her brother can maintain the control over White Mystery they've enjoyed so far. On top of handling all the creative duties, the Whites maintain a website, whitemysteryband.com, and personally fill all orders for their records. (In addition to the band's site and download sites like iTunes and amazon.com, the record is available at select independent record stores.)

“We want to take this as far as we can,” she said. “The creative freedom we have is awesome. And we don't really want to bring a lot of other people into this. I mean, we just we did a tour where we went all over the country and played tons of places all in a hatchback. There's something really free about White Mystery. Why give that up?”

<p><b>White Mystery</b></p>

<p>The band is playing two Chicago shows in the coming week.

<p>Friday, Nov. 19: Part of the Caveman A Go-Go event at the Bottom Lounge Volcano Room, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets $20, bottomlounge.com.</p>

<p>Wednesday, Nov. 24: Cole's Bar, 2338 N. Milwaukee, Chicago. 9 p.m. Free. Call (773) 276-5802.</p>