Raybees – Reaper, Take My Life For Free!
It’s a new year, and what better way to shed that holiday lethargy than with a blast of sonic mayhem? Buffalo’s own basement psych-rockers Raybees are here to deliver just that with their sophomore EP, Reaper, Take My Life For Free!, out January 3rd. This self-released, self-recorded, six-track onslaught picks up where their debut left off, but cranks the intensity and noise up by a good margin. If you’re a fan of the noisy, psychedelic punk rock of bands like Osees and The Jesus Lizard, then buckle up. Reaper, Take My Life For Free! is our album of the week.
Raybees is led by the core duo of Jacob Smolinski (guitar/vocals) and Dan Keegan (who replaced the drum machine of the project’s debut), along with featured players Matthew Danger Lippman (guitar), Kam Plotner (synth), and Brandon Schlia (bass). Something of a star-studded side project, Raybees showcases a completely different side of Smolinski, whose main project, Wylie Something, acts as the vessel for his mellower singer-songwriter work, drawing comparisons to acts like Alex G and Mac DeMarco. Raybees is a full-throttle departure, particularly on effort number two, revealing Smolinski’s versatility and appetite for sonic exploration.
From the opening track, “Egg,” Raybees plant their flag firmly in the gritty soil of their hometown. Lines like “Rust Belt Jesus I pray / take me from this place / 30 MPH / Scajaquada Expressway” conjure the Queen City, a regional theme reinforced with references to the recently deceased (and dearly missed) dive bar, The Old Pink, later in the track. The EP’s energy never wanes, whether it’s the breakneck speed of “Slugger,” a track that feels like a punch to the gut in the best possible way, or the sludgy, doom-laden verses of “Leg,” punctuated by piercing dual lead guitar work. The EP’s closer, “Zen,” is the longest and most overtly psychedelic of the bunch, starting with sparse verses that eventually give way to the song’s explosive mind-melter of an ending. Smolinski’s raw, gravelly vocals are a force of nature throughout the album, but shine something proper on title track “Reaper,” a standout with massive, unapologetic walls of noise and spiraling guitar leads, everything somehow remaining right in the pocket at all times.
Reaper, Take My Life For Free! is a wild, unforgiving, undeniably fun ride. It feels like a snarling call-to-arms for the woefully underrepresented psych-rock genre in Buffalo, an album that could cement Raybees as the city’s psyche-punk kingpins should the project’s momentum continue… Though, sometimes the most exciting music comes from the fringes. Either way, play this one loud.
Categorised in: Album of the Week
This post was written by Ronald Walczyk