by Cam Harper (@camharperdrums)
Released through Static Shock Records out of the UK, the relentless debut from Victoria punk outfit White Collar is a voltaic display of spurning ethos with its aggressive instrumentals and cynical lyrics delivered through twelve songs spun across a fast sixteen minutes. The band’s lineup boasts “Loosey C” on vocals, “L. Dane” on guitars, “T3” on bass, and “Peggy Strapon” on the drums, with the recording of this album attributed to Lewis Jay Oidkubny (L. Dante) and all vocals performed by Lilly Chisholm (Loosey C), respectively. Earlier this year the band set up a hotline to promote the LP’s release where fans could call a number and receive the new song “Diversity Hire” on the other end in all its crackling glory.
Their self-titled album opens with familiar tracks from the band’s demo released last year on Slow Death Records. Listeners acquainted with the previous material will find the more rigorous production magnifies the musical carnage present throughout these recordings. “Pedigree” is an immediately engaging track that propels the album’s momentum forward from the jump. The barking vocal performance, blazing guitars and shifting drums bolster a venomous fury. Songs like “Compassion Fatigue” and “Petition Signer” thrust the album’s momentum forward expelling iconoclastic sentiment. “Urban Homestead” plants a memorable and mocking refrain: “We’re paving the way for an anti-capitalist revolution”.
Climbing the ladder past the halfway mark, the songs move forward with unapologetic propulsion. “Equal Wrongs” is a particularly severe cut from the record that pummels into “Anxious States” with its sharp, slithering guitars and steady, droning bass lines. The puncturing vocals accentuated by blistering drums add a sense of unease, grasping listeners within its rapid runtime. The album concludes with “Government's Baby” which serves as the only instrumental on the album and the longest, clocking in at two minutes and thirty-three seconds.
Between these confrontational vocal performances, and punishing instrumentals, White Collar attacks the senses from every angle. This debut rejects any sense of phony optimism, and offers catharsis from a feeble world at a blistering pace. Nothing here begs for your attention yet these songs are all so incredibly infectious. It is rare to see a band nail their first album the way White Collar has done, and they have established themselves as a band with a clear sense of style, utilizing all four instruments effectively to create a standout punk rock record. Catch White Collar this fall touring through various cities across Canada, you won’t regret it.