To say Space Raft started strong would be a massive understatement. In late 2014, the band—which features current and former members of Whips, Call Me Lightning, Temper Temper, and Green Bay-based The Mystery Girls—garnered heaps of well-deserved praise and regional radio play following the release of Space Raft, its debut full-length (which we dubbed Milwaukee’s best album of that year).
Since that outstanding start, Space Raft has kept busy breaking in two new bassists, hitting the local festival circuit hard, and waiting in the all-too-common vinyl limbo for a pair of releases. With the long-awaited follow-up, Rubicon, due out on Dusty Medical Records (US) and Bachelor (Europe) in April, the band was hoping to whet listeners’ appetites with a seven-inch a few months back. However, some bad test presses forced them to delay the release of the two-song 45 until now.
With “Paper Airplanes” and “Iron Eagle,” Space Raft returns with its distinct classic rock-meets-modern power-pop sound that’s rife with crisp guitar-wielding, rich organ backing, and Jordan Davis’ ominous warning to “Beware, beware.” Brief as it is, Paper Airplanes is a solid catalog continuation for a band that’s carrying the torch of Milwaukee rock. While you await Rubicon‘s spring arrival, listen to Paper Airplanes now. Space Raft will release Paper Airplanes at Bremen Cafe on Saturday, February 27.