Another year brings another studio album from Austin, Texans White Denim. Being their second LP and having to follow one of the albums of 2008 (Workout Holiday) is no enviable task, but one which ‘Fits’ attacks with more ferocity than a love starved bridesmaid fighting for the wedding bouquet. White Denim’s approach is one of calculated aggression for the most part, occasionally surging into warp speed when the band so desire. Deep-searching soulful lyrics and garage-punk guitar riffs are peppered with free-style jazz percussion breaks and the most exhilarating bass playing you’re likely to hear for a long time. For me, White Denim sound like the whiskey-soaked, jazz experimenting bastard lovechild of Pixies and The White Stripes.
The record begins with outlandish, in your face guitar rock; with short, sharp Hendrix like vocals. The rhythm section constantly switches pace and velocity, the drums are gritty and the guitar almost drowns in fuzzed-up effects. Prick the skin of ‘Fits’ and it bleeds soul. Opener ‘Radio Milk How Can You Stand It’ makes a great starting place for anyone new to White Denim. You’re bombarded with drums and cast into psychedelic realms with screaming guitar and thumping bass. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the soulful ‘Regina Holding Hands’. With melodies akin to the Beach Boys; the track begins with a strummed folk guitar followed by percussion that would be at home on a Sly & The Family Stone record.
White Denim stand out because their sound seems straight forward and as a whole it is – it doesn’t rely too heavily on gimmicks. It sounds authentic yet fresh and unlike anything you’ve heard before. This is an invaluable quality. So many bands strive to create the ‘new’ and disregard the building blocks of popular music. White Denim incorporate all of the foundations, they’re strongly built from the blues, rock, soul and jazz – they are outstanding musicians and able to take time honoured genres and apply them with a fresh and innovative vigour. With an abundance of art-rock about at the moment, this brings a much needed, refreshing alternative. White Denim are exciting and Fits is an album worthy of speaking in the same breath as Workout Holiday.
White Denim MySpace – Listen to ‘Fits’ on Spotify
