Bird Seed has been regarded by many critics as Whitehouse’s most mature, diverse and complex release to date. Still containing Whitehouse’s unadulterated lyrics, and ironic swipes at the misfortunate, this recording finds the band at a far more intellectually sophisticated and psychologically interrogative stage in its career, particularly in terms of how its lyrics attempt to grapple with the culturally stigmatized therapy and self-help culture. Much of this has been attributed to the departure of former member, author and publisher Peter Sotos and the shrinkage of the group to a duo of William Bennett and Philip Best. Musically, things have equally changed for this group, credited with having pioneered what became known in the 1990s as "power electronics." With Bird Seed, Whitehouse have found not only new lyrical insight and sophistication, but musical innovation in keeping with their career achievements thus far.

"The artworld allows for such safe postmodern distancing. Just like treatmill fetishists need. Just as reduced lazy perverts spout when they're franatically trying to defend themselves against criminal persecution. Grubbing job hunting artists and art aficionados who prefer that art 'raises questions' are certainly as disgusting as those rubbered dilettantes who recognise that the answers are what you masturbate over. Once you're out of elementary school, you can't appreciate mere questions. Unless, of course, you'd prefer to not acknowledge the responses that those questions produce in public. So better just shut your fucking mouth."
(from CRUISE)

Founded in London in 1980, Whitehouse have recorded 17 full-length recordings. Long considered an alternative to punk and ‘alternative’, Whitehouse have always taken a confrontational stance towards the prejudices of middle class liberal ideology, indulging themselves in every conceivable liberal bête noire, such as mysogyny, domestic violence and self-help culture to name a few. Frequently decried for being right-wing in their dispositions without much reference to their ironic indulgence of stereotypically conservative discourses of victimization, Whitehouse remain a well-kept secret favorite of artists and critics worldwide. Lead by founding members, writer, DJ and electronic musician William Bennett, who formed the band at age 18, and Philip Best, who ran away from home at age 14 to join a group of Spanish anarchists, Whitehouse’s 2003 recording for Susan Lawly, Bird Seed, finds the group at it’s creative peak, 23 years after it first formed.