Great piece on them and looking forward to hearing their new album. White Reaper are an amazing band, and like you wrote, their sound has shifted around while always being their own thing. I was a little late to the party and only discovered them after using Shazam on a damn McDonald's commercial, but after that - I was in. I think they're an underrated, brilliant band. Thanks for spotlighting them!
So glad you are giving them the attention they deserve. As you know I saw them on that tour as well and it was...not what I had been hoping for. I discovered them through Judy French and thought You Deserve Love was perfect. If I was in charge (and, honestly, shouldn't I be?) Asking for a Ride would've opened with Side Two. I think it comes across as a rejection of all the poppiness of the previous record. I haven't listened to any of the new one because I preordered it and I want to experience it. But, that said, I have played AFAR maybe twice. While I appreciate their devotion to following their own muses, I also feel that sometimes they come across as directionless. Hopefully they find their footing and amaze me once more.
I will admit that I wasn't sure what to do with Asking for a Ride after World's Best... and You Deserve Love and haven't revisited it since it came out. I should go back and listen again. That hasn't stopped me from eagerly anticipating the new one and hope I'm compelled to give it many listens the rest of the year.
It’s interesting to think, to some degree, that we used to want bands to take more artistic chances, but there are fewer and fewer who I can name that actually do it. AFAR was a hard left turn, but I think you’ll dig the new album if you liked the World’s Best and You Deserve Love. Not exactly the same, but at least more of a continuation of that general sound.
I listened to AFAR again last night and it didn't feel as jarring as it initially did. I'm all about bands developing their sound, but recognize I have a barrier with it when an album after a great power pop record has a different sound. For example, I had a really hard time with Ben Kweller's Changing Horses, which was the album after his fantastic self-titled album. Changing Horses is a very different sound and has really good songs, but it took me years before I was really ready to hear it. It's always good to challenge those preconceived notions about music that we carry and is another example on why we should come back to albums we weren't sure about at first, because maybe we just weren't in the right place to hear them.
It's definitely true for me that albums and songs sound different depending when, where, and how I listen. In this case, expectations (based on previous releases) was part of it, but I agree that revisiting that music can reveal different opinions later on.
It was pretty much love at first listen when I heard 'I Don't Think She Cares' from their debut album. These guys rock!
Great band!
Very cool. Great job. Thanks for the great rundown
Glad you dug it! There is a lot of gold in their catalog if you haven’t explored it.
Yes. A lot! Fun love too
Oh dang forgot about these guys, I got obsessed with Judy French for a bit when it came out, good to know there’s more to check out!
Writing this article gave me the excuse to go back and really listen straight thru. Definitely worth the effort.
Great piece on them and looking forward to hearing their new album. White Reaper are an amazing band, and like you wrote, their sound has shifted around while always being their own thing. I was a little late to the party and only discovered them after using Shazam on a damn McDonald's commercial, but after that - I was in. I think they're an underrated, brilliant band. Thanks for spotlighting them!
This is amazing >>> “ discovered them after using Shazam on a damn McDonald's commercial”
So glad you are giving them the attention they deserve. As you know I saw them on that tour as well and it was...not what I had been hoping for. I discovered them through Judy French and thought You Deserve Love was perfect. If I was in charge (and, honestly, shouldn't I be?) Asking for a Ride would've opened with Side Two. I think it comes across as a rejection of all the poppiness of the previous record. I haven't listened to any of the new one because I preordered it and I want to experience it. But, that said, I have played AFAR maybe twice. While I appreciate their devotion to following their own muses, I also feel that sometimes they come across as directionless. Hopefully they find their footing and amaze me once more.
I think you’ll really dig the new album!
I will admit that I wasn't sure what to do with Asking for a Ride after World's Best... and You Deserve Love and haven't revisited it since it came out. I should go back and listen again. That hasn't stopped me from eagerly anticipating the new one and hope I'm compelled to give it many listens the rest of the year.
It’s interesting to think, to some degree, that we used to want bands to take more artistic chances, but there are fewer and fewer who I can name that actually do it. AFAR was a hard left turn, but I think you’ll dig the new album if you liked the World’s Best and You Deserve Love. Not exactly the same, but at least more of a continuation of that general sound.
I listened to AFAR again last night and it didn't feel as jarring as it initially did. I'm all about bands developing their sound, but recognize I have a barrier with it when an album after a great power pop record has a different sound. For example, I had a really hard time with Ben Kweller's Changing Horses, which was the album after his fantastic self-titled album. Changing Horses is a very different sound and has really good songs, but it took me years before I was really ready to hear it. It's always good to challenge those preconceived notions about music that we carry and is another example on why we should come back to albums we weren't sure about at first, because maybe we just weren't in the right place to hear them.
It's definitely true for me that albums and songs sound different depending when, where, and how I listen. In this case, expectations (based on previous releases) was part of it, but I agree that revisiting that music can reveal different opinions later on.
This band just oozes talent; hooks for miles. Thanks for introducing me to this killer band, S.W.
Enjoy!