Advertisement

Album reviews Music

White Reaper

White Reaper Does It Again is the type of album meant to be listened to with the volume cranked to 11. The Kentucky band’s debut full-length is a giddy, distorted powerpop mess indebted to the Exploding Hearts and contemporaries Twin Peaks.

Opening song Make Me Wanna Die goes straight for the throat, with lead singer Tony Esposito yelling catchy chorus melodies between repeating keyboard lines sweeter than honey. Last 4th Of July is a straightforward head-banger lasting barely 90 seconds but throws out riffs like hurricane punches. (The video features two dudes destroying junk cars with sledgehammers.) Alone Tonight and Friday The 13th lack the magic of those aforementioned tracks and sound like they’ve been added on for diversity’s sake. 

Diversifying is a good plan, seeing as this kind of thrashy, mid-fi guitar pop can all melt together. Thankfully, the sugary keyboards and furious, to-the-point guitar solos (and guitarmonies!) cause most of the songs to shred in their own special way.

Top track: Make Me Wanna Die

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.