Garage rock is cool. It will never not be cool. It will never fail to make listeners feel cool. It can be said then, that with the release of new track ‘Cool’, Kentucky-based power trio White Reaper know exactly what sort of market they’re playing into. The three-piece have let the song slip ahead of their upcoming self-titled EP release later this month, alongside lead single ‘Conspirator’ and the deliciously catchy ‘Half Bad’ in what is shaping up to be a very strong tracklist for a debut record.
Turning heads at Pitchfork, Noisey and beyond, White Reaper have burst into life with a passion and an energetic, always-on sound that will serve them well as they plug away Stateside. Any trip to the Great Escape Festival or perusal of the New Musical Express will show that we share a similar love for all things garage on this side of the Atlantic as well, and international travels for White Reaper are almost certainly in store sooner rather than later. ‘Cool’, it seems, will be the EP’s opening track, and the fast-paced effort is set to kick things into a high gear from the start, with the Louisville outfit starting as they mean to go on in a piece that you could listen to on repeat for hours before remembering that there’s still five more tracks to come. Instrumentally, the trio are on form from the get-go and this is complemented by a simply fantastic vocal line, with each element coming together for a hugely infectious few minutes and a track that you won’t be shaking off so easily. If ‘Cool’ is a song to clear out a few cobwebs to, however, then ‘Conspirator’ is the track that simply blows them away. From the very first chord it’s a four-minute power surge of glorious garage punk, sending White Reaper speeding into an even higher gear as the three-piece bring heaviness and catchiness in equal, raucous measure.
The trio are a simply insatiable powder keg and no track so far emphasises that trait with as much fervour as ‘Conspirator’. It’s a statement that will undoubtedly be rephrased and relaid for months and years to come, but for now you can be certain that White Reaper have very much made their mark before the eponymous debut EP has even landed. ‘Half Bad’ will easily satisfy whatever remains of your eardrums after ‘Conspirator’ has blown them out, with the driving intensity of drummer Nick Wilkerson (twin brother of bassist Sam) fast becoming one of White Reaper’s signature traits. The similarly raw energy of dual guitar/vocalist Tony Esposito ties everything together within what is one of America’s most promising trios right now.
It doesn’t take any more than three tracks to understand the early acclaim that White Reaper have to their name. But with just half their upcoming EP enough to leave such an impression, you can understand why the six-song record is such a serious one to keep track of in the coming months, and why the Kentucky trio’s future is looking so bright as release day looms. In just a few short weeks, White Reaper will really begin to make their mark on the American circuit and from there, you can bet the States won’t be keeping the three-piece to themselves for long.
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