MUSIC WHITE REAPER keeping rock ‘n’ roll sweet and simple MAX ASPER When we are younger, we tend to be much more impressionable - there are certain things we come across that can set us on a particular path. For Tony Esposito, lead singer of White Reaper, it was a simple as watching music videos from the likes of Judas Priest and Accept; two influences very prevalent in the band’s guitar-heavy sound. The young Louisville, KY. native would eventually take some of that inspiration and charisma to create “The World’s Best American Band,” or so White Reaper have deemed themselves with their latest release of the same name. It was around the age of 13 that Esposito, the lead vocalist and guitarist of the group, would rally the troupes to start playing together. Esposito recalls playing at Skull Alley, an all ages venue in his hometown that allowed his band. The band consisted of Esposito, Ryan Hater (guitar), and Sam (bass) and Nick (drums) Wilkerson, and honed their skills at the Alley. Through high school, the guys would grind through the local scene, hitting the road nationally only once they could ditch the books. White Reaper’s sound has certainly evolved over the years, but it’s always been loud. The quartet seem to fit in a variety of genres within the indie rock world, they bring elements of classic ’60s garage rock and the rock revival of the late ’90s to early ’00s. The product is a library of lo-fi, melodic, poppy rock ‘n’ roll songs. That being said, their new album, The World’s Best American Band, released in April via Polyvinyl, incorporates a healthy dose of arena rock which is felt through the heavy, driving guitar riffs. Obviously the new project’s title is supposed to be taken in jest, the band has displayed their sense of humor with earlier releases as well, like 2015’s, White Reaper Does It Again. The band is obviously confident, and maybe that’s because they are obsessive. After their four month North American tour, Esposito bluntly proclaims that he and his band mates are “just going to keep making records and putting them out,” without pause. A method defined by their choice to book studio time without having any material to work with for their newest project; Esposito calls it, “Let’s just make a record.” A bold strategy, but one that has led to a very good album this time around. The future for White Reaper is bright, and it’s certainly nice to see a band penetrating the ever-expanding indie rock scene with a more traditional power pop sound. Esposito even admits that modern rock ‘n’ roll seems to be a little bit softer than it used to be, but denies any credibility to anyone’s opinion on such a massive and diverse category of music. Things are much less complicated with White Reaper; they’ll either be on the road or in the studio; always making a racket. White Reaper perform at the Cobalt on <strong>June</strong> 20. photo by Jesse DeFlorio With The World’s Best American band, White Reaper brings it back to basics and keeps it loud MYSTERY MACHINE coming out of hibernation organically GRAEME WIGGINS Like good whiskey, Mystery Machine ages well over long periods of rest When a band takes almost 15 years between albums, and only plays sporadic shows that crop up every once in a while, one might imagine there’s some interpersonal strife and acrimony that lies beneath the surface. For local stalwarts Mystery Machine, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The nearly 30-year-old band is forged out of strong friendships and an organic sense of letting things happen when they do. “We only come out of hibernation occasionally and usually it’s for a specific reason,” explains vocalist and guitarist Luke Rogalsky, “we put out a record with Sonic Unyon in 2012 and that was only because we know those guys and they kind of asked us to. We weren’t actively shopping anything or whatever. And we did a few shows around that album. Then nothing for about a year and then Billy Talent, who we knew when they were kids (they used to be in this band called Pezz). We still have the cassette they gave us on Queens St. when they were young. So we sort of kept in touch, but then Ian D’sa asked us to open for them at the Commodore. They did a couple of “intimate shows” I guess, for them, in 2013 and because they asked we couldn’t say no to playing at the Commodore.” This time the motivation for action was due to another band that came up in Mystery Machine’s heyday (the 90s, a golden age of Canadian indie rock): Hamilton’s Sianspheric. “We’re such huge fans of their music,” explains Rogalsky, “They were one of our favourite bands/contemporaries from back then…once we found out they were coming to Vancouver, we didn’t want to miss playing with them either.” photo by R.D Cane Still, one does have to wonder why the vast lull between their third and fourth albums. Rogalsky suggests it was organic. “It was time to take a break. We didn’t sit down and say let’s take a 12 year break. And we did some shows. We never really stopped fully. And really anything we’ve done that made the public eye, like records, our shows it’s not been our fault! It’s really been driven by external things.” When a band has been a thing for nearly thirty years, things must have changed and evolved over time. For Rogalsky the changes mostly come from maturity. “We’re wiser. In terms of just how we get along and communicate, it’s seamless now. I mean, we had our moments when we were young, fight with each other and stuff. But also musically, we’re way more in control of what we can do and what we can’t do. We have nicer guitars now, it sounds a bit better in that sense.” Another advantage Mystery Machine has at its disposal, one that few bands who’ve been together as long as they have seem to share, is their friendship. “We’re friends, I mean I’ve known Shane, our bass player since we were 13. And all our wives are friends too. So we have that relationship even before the band. We all went to high school together in Chilliwack. Three of us anyway.” This allows the band to continue at its own pace and gives them reasons to keep going: “We just love getting together, just to hang out, first and foremost. An excuse to do that is just great, if we can sound half decent as well that’s a bonus.” Catch Mystery Machine live w/ Sianspheric <strong>June</strong> 29 at the Rickshaw Theatre 6 MUSIC <strong>June</strong> <strong>2017</strong> <strong>June</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 7