White Reaper
Only Slightly Empty
Blue Grape Music
It’s often stated that necessity is the mother of invention, and in the case of White Reaper’s latest album, Only Slightly Empty, that’s undeniably true. Having parted ways with their long serving rhythm section and moved on from their major label contract with Elektra, these changes could easily have been the end of the road for this Kentucky crew. However, the band have channelled the adversity into a set of songs that bristle with the kind of energy that characterised their early career. Opening with the grungy blast of ‘Coma’, it becomes immediately obvious that this is a re-energised band, the new configuration enabling them to go back to basics to deliver an album that twitches with nervous energy, wrapping delicious melodies in spiky and angular barbs. With most of the songs hovering around the three-minute mark, this album has a sense of urgency, a rush to get where it’s going, yet it is far from one-dimensional. Only Slightly Empty is constantly shifting gears to serve up slow burners such as ‘Blue 42’ alongside the likes of ‘Blink’ which burn the candle at both ends. It all adds up to a powerful listen and means White Reaper are rolling with a full tank.
Review by Peter Dennis.