White Reaper

Emerging from Louisville, Kentucky’s independent rock scene, White Reaper formed in the early 2010s around singer-guitarist Tony Esposito and drummer Nick Wilkerson, soon joined by bassist Sam Wilkerson, keyboardist Ryan Hater, and later guitarist Hunter Thompson, solidifying a five-piece lineup. White Reaper forged a sound that straddles garage punk, power pop, and indie rock, with short songs, saturated yet melodic guitars, prominent keyboards, and a marked taste for catchy choruses rooted in classic rock. Signed to Polyvinyl, the band released a self-titled debut EP in 2014, followed by the 2015 album White Reaper Does It Again, which established them on the U.S. club and festival circuit. The World’s Best American Band, released in 2017, leaned further into 1970s and ’80s hard rock and FM rock references, before the group moved to Elektra for 2019’s You Deserve Love, where their power-pop elements came to the fore. With 2023’s Asking for a Ride, White Reaper returned to a rawer energy while retaining the direct songwriting that fuels their regular touring in the United States and abroad.