Your Light Like White Lightning, Your Light Like a Laserbeam

iTunes Review

On paper, four Caucasian hipsters from San Francisco playing old school–flavored reggae might seem a hard sell. But after “Congo Rebel” opens the group’s 2011 debut album, Your Light Like White Lightning, Your Light Like a Laserbeam, it’s evident that Extra Classic has a deep love for bygone Jamaican music. With vintage-sounding production recalling Trojan Records’ heyday, the band has done its homework. Your Light was recorded on analog tape spooled through an old eight-track. Extra Classic’s fascination with the more psychedelic reggae of this ilk surfaces in phased guitars, oldfangled spring reverb, and melodica notes pumped through echo effects. Frontwoman Adrianne Verhoeven (formerly of emo-pop band The Anniversary) sings in a sultry, smoky voice while handling keyboard duties. Check out the haunting “Metal Tiger,” where her band coos backing vocals as her inflections shift from demure to soulful. Her tendency for keeping lyrics relevant shines on the standout cut “You Can’t Bring Me Down,” where empowering, anthemic lyrics reflect a strength mustered in the troubled times of the 21st century.