White Reaper - Only Slightly Empty
Only Slightly Empty is packed with the crunchy guitars and undeniable hooks that White Reaper are known for but the group also ventured into grungier musical depths, as evidenced by tracks like “Blue 42” which might be one of the heaviest songs they’ve ever penned. Previous singles “Blink” and “Honestly” drew attention from the likes of Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, Alternative Press, FLOOD, and more, and highlight White Reaper‘s knack for crafting bright earworms, but “Blue 42″ dives headfirst into moodier riffs and melancholy melodies that will have listeners headbanging along in no time.
Only Slightly Empty finds White Reaper overcoming a tumultuous few years that ultimately resulted in their most anthemic and substantive work to date. After label upheaval, creative blocks, lineup changes, burnout, and more, the group have created an airtight half hour of undeniably great rock & roll. Self-produced by the band (vocalist/guitarist Tony Esposito, keyboardist Ryan Hater, and guitarist Hunter Thompson) and recorded with engineer Joey Oaxaca (Hunny, Mamalarky, Rocket), Only Slightly Empty taps into the immediacy of White Reaper‘s earlier work and applies to ambitious, widescreen songwriting. The record draws on elements of ’90s alternative and darker sounds without ever sacrificing the infectious power pop core that makes White Reaper so appealing. It’s an expert balance that takes the band in exciting new directions while still feeling more confidently like White Reaper than ever. “There’s definitely a fresh start feeling with this record,” says Esposito. “I even have more nerves leading up to people hearing it–I feel like I did back when we were putting out our first music ever. Everything’s so different now but I have that excitement again.”
Only Slightly Empty is available for preorder now with several exclusive vinyl variants, more info here. White Reaper also have a full US headline tour scheduled for the Fall with support from Lip Critic, Worlds Worst, and Dazy. See full itinerary HERE and contact us with any requests!