White Reaper
Self-Titled
Polyvinyl
Street: 06.24
White Reaper = Ty Segall + Lost Sounds
If 2010s punk has a cohesive sound, I’d say White Reaper sums it up. In this six-song, 16-minute debut EP, the Louisville, Ky., trio plays poppy garage rock like the best of their forbearers, but with more punk muscle. Imagine Jay Reatard’s precision and structure, but with more riotousness, plus Nobunny’s rollicking rock sensibility, minus the absurdity. Occasionally, singer/guitarist Tony Esposito’s vocals sound just like Ty Segall’s, who must be a big influence on White Reaper, but the overall psych impact is minimal. The twin-brother rhythm section, Nick (drums) and Sam (bass) Wilkerson, is super tight, and at times, this record sounds like Is This It sped up, but with more overdrive and yelling. An underlying spirit of ’77 is the album’s binding thread, and Lexi Drexelius’ keys add a little special something to the already-perfect garage-pop-punk-n’-roll mix. There are no standout tracks here—the entire EP is outstanding. –Cody Kirkland