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If someone was to undertake scientific analysis to compare the respective abilities of the average rock band in 2011 and those from, say, 1971, it’s likely that in terms of technical ability and sheer on-the-button tightness this year’s models would prevail. But just as contemporary footballers are undoubtedly fitter, faster and more efficient than their predecessors, maybe they lack something in style?
On D, Texan four-piece White Denim continue to beg that question. Their music is ostensibly melodic, psychedelic rock with sweet and sunny vocal lines that would sound at home against a strummed acoustic guitar. But their musical structure of choice involves restless, super-tight patterns, with time changes that remind of 70s progressive styles and 90s math-rockers. Drummer Joshua Block is technically impressive, but on a song like At the Farm he hyperactively fills up almost all of space in the music. Thankfully, it’s followed by the languid Street Joy, on which James Petralli sings with sweetness reminiscent of Jeff Buckley.
While White Denim have a tendency to enthusiastically overcook things, ultimately it’s their sheer audacity – allied to some strong tunes - that makes D hard to resist. They also appear to be quite unabashed at what they choose to emulate and come up with some strange combinations as a result. At times the twin guitars interlock and play off each other in a way that recalls the angularities of Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band; sometimes they seem to nod back – perhaps coincidentally – to the sort of twiddly twin lead breaks beloved of bands like Wishbone Ash. And just when you least expect it, Is and Is and Is suddenly bursts out in a ‘classic rock’ chorus that is positively Bon Jovian.
First prize amongst the unusual hybrids, though, goes to Anvil Everything. Try if you will, to imagine early-70s Jethro Tull played tropicalia style, with verses suddenly cutting to flute arpeggios that sound like they are spiralling off in search of a Philip Glass composition. And all delivered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
--Mike Barnes
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Wow. I must admit that I wasn't grabbed by White Denim's previous Lp 'Fits', and didn't have high hopes for this, but I was completely broadsided by just how wonderful this collection of songs is. It is the most enjoyable, life-affirming album I've heard this year.
There is too much going on to include all the musical references on offer here, but to me it sounds like Stephen Stills' Manassas playing Little Feat with a spoonful of Led Zep, Yes and Frank Zappa thrown in for good measure, but all played with an infectious punk energy and topped-off with melodies you can hang your hat on.
The musicianship is breathtaking, being perky, tight and busy, with the bass player in particular shining brightly throughout like a cooler Chris Squire.
If there's any justice this will be at the top of the end-of-year album lists, leaving the big hitters trailing in its wake.
There is too much going on to include all the musical references on offer here, but to me it sounds like Stephen Stills' Manassas playing Little Feat with a spoonful of Led Zep, Yes and Frank Zappa thrown in for good measure, but all played with an infectious punk energy and topped-off with melodies you can hang your hat on.
The musicianship is breathtaking, being perky, tight and busy, with the bass player in particular shining brightly throughout like a cooler Chris Squire.
If there's any justice this will be at the top of the end-of-year album lists, leaving the big hitters trailing in its wake.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Two years ago after going through all sorts of hell on whether to give a four or five star review I concluded at the end of a review of White Denim's last full album "Fits" that the band "probably have a truly great album up their sleeve. "Fits" is not quite it but watching them seek to achieve it will be fascinating". In that time they also released the free consolidation album "Last days of summer" which you can probably still download for the price of the electricity required to turn your PC on.
Hailing from Austin Texas this band has won the best live act at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival so many times that they promoters ought to shamed into letting keep the old trophy and start again. They are an unlikely band with a bespectacled and rather nerdy bass player Steve Terebecki who appears to find it increasingly impossible to keep his shirt on during photos and a range of musical influences that are utterly eclectic. Their new album "D" sees them build on the wonders of "Fits" classics like "Regina Holding Hands" and `Mirrored and Reverse" and at last deliver that all round great album which they have threatened for so long.
D is a set of tracks, which for musical detectives will provide hours of fun. From this album you will draw a dizzying range of classic rock influences with some Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Allman Brothers, The Mothers of Invention, Gentle Giant and even Yes thrown into the mix. This is mingled and stirred into a great original stew and ends up in an intoxicating set of songs that the band describe as "Southern Prog", listen to "Anvil Everything" on here and you will understand. Move next to the standout joint track "Burnished' and "Back at the farm" which starts with an evil riff and builds into the type of jam that Garcia, Lesh and Co could only achieve live with the use of mind expanding substances. The twin guitar attack of James Petralli and Austin Jenkins brew up an old style jam freak out which will be one of the best things to grace your beat up old stereo this year. "River to consider" alternatively starts off with the best flute this side of Ian Anderson that takes a jazzy turn that almost turns into the Bueno Vista Social Club. The lovely "Street Joy" slows it down for a while with a floating pop ballad, but it all picks back up for the fantastic "Bess Street" with the epic syncopated drumming of Josh Block at its tremendous best particularly at 2.30 minutes in when the songs revs up a gear. And of course just to round it off the band produce "Keys" a country song that no doubt Willie Nelson is recording as we speak.
From the first minute of the euphoric rush of opener "Its him" to swirling bass of "Drug", the psychedelic blues of "Is and Is and Is" you will recognise an album that certainly pays respect to past masters but which in its own right sounds completely timeless. "D" is an album which manages to great fun and musically remarkable at the same time, a totally winning combination in anyone's book.
Hailing from Austin Texas this band has won the best live act at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival so many times that they promoters ought to shamed into letting keep the old trophy and start again. They are an unlikely band with a bespectacled and rather nerdy bass player Steve Terebecki who appears to find it increasingly impossible to keep his shirt on during photos and a range of musical influences that are utterly eclectic. Their new album "D" sees them build on the wonders of "Fits" classics like "Regina Holding Hands" and `Mirrored and Reverse" and at last deliver that all round great album which they have threatened for so long.
D is a set of tracks, which for musical detectives will provide hours of fun. From this album you will draw a dizzying range of classic rock influences with some Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Allman Brothers, The Mothers of Invention, Gentle Giant and even Yes thrown into the mix. This is mingled and stirred into a great original stew and ends up in an intoxicating set of songs that the band describe as "Southern Prog", listen to "Anvil Everything" on here and you will understand. Move next to the standout joint track "Burnished' and "Back at the farm" which starts with an evil riff and builds into the type of jam that Garcia, Lesh and Co could only achieve live with the use of mind expanding substances. The twin guitar attack of James Petralli and Austin Jenkins brew up an old style jam freak out which will be one of the best things to grace your beat up old stereo this year. "River to consider" alternatively starts off with the best flute this side of Ian Anderson that takes a jazzy turn that almost turns into the Bueno Vista Social Club. The lovely "Street Joy" slows it down for a while with a floating pop ballad, but it all picks back up for the fantastic "Bess Street" with the epic syncopated drumming of Josh Block at its tremendous best particularly at 2.30 minutes in when the songs revs up a gear. And of course just to round it off the band produce "Keys" a country song that no doubt Willie Nelson is recording as we speak.
From the first minute of the euphoric rush of opener "Its him" to swirling bass of "Drug", the psychedelic blues of "Is and Is and Is" you will recognise an album that certainly pays respect to past masters but which in its own right sounds completely timeless. "D" is an album which manages to great fun and musically remarkable at the same time, a totally winning combination in anyone's book.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Brian Wilson and his Beach Boys once sang that 'they weren't made for these times.' After hearing the third long player from White Denim (to call it a CD seems out of place) you get the feeling they would empathise with that. This is an album straight out of the 70's. Big guitars and drums and lots of instrumental breaks with duelling solo's and Fleetwood Mac style guitar sound. In fact its when the big sounding Burnished goes seamlessly into the instrumental At The Farm (Jethro Tull is really a touch point here) that you realise where this gains over the previous effort Fits. Its an album. Coherent and whilst with lots of influences and sounds it is of a piece. That's the real development.
The outright rocking tracks are complimented by a few acoustic driven numbers. Street Joy is plaintive and when we break into the solo it is reminiscent of a more straight forward Pink Floyd number. It is only when you reach Anvil Everything that you are reminded that this is an album from 2011. It starts off sounding absolutely of this moment, returns to a 70's guitar experience and then morphs again into a Led Zeppelin like experience with some of their outro's.
River to Consider is when you fully understand that this band wants to flaunt the 70's references without any shame. The flute is Jethro Tull, the percussion is almost Caribbean and yet it works. Drug works well as a rock number with the sound of an upbeat Beta Band that has had the Life On Mars treatment.
Sometimes the instrumentals almost feel too self indulgent. I do feel Bess St pushes this to its limits. Its starts off at break-neck speed and evolves into the instrumental I have already mentioned. Lots of guitars and drums pick the pace of this up as it ducks and dives about.
Is and Is and Is rolls into view with acoustics, a low thrumming bass line and a breathy vocal. You know from the start that it will not end this way and sure enough it explodes into a Led Zep style cry.
That the album finishes with a country style closer is a surprise. And Keys is a pretty good slab of country twang. I am not very fond of country (just like I dislike many of the influences here) but I like this.
Once it dies down you reach for the controls to return to track one, feeling the itch you used to feel when flipping the vinyl from side two to side one. Its at this point you realise that this is going to take some more listens, some real time and will still give you that retro feel. Its not stopped doing that for me yet. A warm feeling rock album that is as joyful as it is retro.
The outright rocking tracks are complimented by a few acoustic driven numbers. Street Joy is plaintive and when we break into the solo it is reminiscent of a more straight forward Pink Floyd number. It is only when you reach Anvil Everything that you are reminded that this is an album from 2011. It starts off sounding absolutely of this moment, returns to a 70's guitar experience and then morphs again into a Led Zeppelin like experience with some of their outro's.
River to Consider is when you fully understand that this band wants to flaunt the 70's references without any shame. The flute is Jethro Tull, the percussion is almost Caribbean and yet it works. Drug works well as a rock number with the sound of an upbeat Beta Band that has had the Life On Mars treatment.
Sometimes the instrumentals almost feel too self indulgent. I do feel Bess St pushes this to its limits. Its starts off at break-neck speed and evolves into the instrumental I have already mentioned. Lots of guitars and drums pick the pace of this up as it ducks and dives about.
Is and Is and Is rolls into view with acoustics, a low thrumming bass line and a breathy vocal. You know from the start that it will not end this way and sure enough it explodes into a Led Zep style cry.
That the album finishes with a country style closer is a surprise. And Keys is a pretty good slab of country twang. I am not very fond of country (just like I dislike many of the influences here) but I like this.
Once it dies down you reach for the controls to return to track one, feeling the itch you used to feel when flipping the vinyl from side two to side one. Its at this point you realise that this is going to take some more listens, some real time and will still give you that retro feel. Its not stopped doing that for me yet. A warm feeling rock album that is as joyful as it is retro.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
White Demin "D"
Just purchased White Demin's latest offering "D" and although this is a great sounding CD it doesn't compare to their latest live stuff which I viewed on YouTube (which lead me to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Goulhoy
Bloody gorgeous.
This album isn't my usual sort of thing, but I love it. Swirling, noodling, widescreen and altogether epic psychedelia, with high energy, country, prog and punk inflections and a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Nedj
Be careful.
This is my own fault really....I bought this cd without hearing a note of White Denim's music, based on its high showing in various magazine's album of the year polls, so that will... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sid.
what a find
Saw this band at Leeds festival this year & was blown away. Bought the cd on return - have had it on loop ever since. Great depth to the songs. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Dbob
Can't recommend this enough
'D' is an absolutely blinding album. One of those rare ones that has enough hooks to make you like it almost immediately, but is also quite complex with brilliant song dynamics and... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Andy Barnard
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