WHITE ARROWS play the Drake Underground on Sunday (July 8). See listing. Rating: NNN
White Arrows’ debut LP comes with a back story a bit too good to be true. Mickey Church, blind until age 11, was encouraged by his father, a student of African percussion, to pick up an instrument and start a band with his half-brother Henry. Church complied, but not before completing a degree at NYU in shamanistic ritual (if the press release is to be believed).
That adds cred to White Arrows’ blend of psychedelia, dance pop and tropical textures, a mix that’s become ubiquitous thanks to the success of Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend. But despite supposedly coming at their global influences genuinely, White Arrows’ album seems sanitized, 4/4 electro-pop more reminiscent of Foster the People’s radio pop than, say, TV on the Radio. It’s nowhere near as offbeat as they’d have you believe, but if you’re looking for catchy, danceable rock, it does the trick.
Top track: Roll Forever