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Normally when someone tells you they “Like a bit of everything” when it comes to music it is safe to assume they have awful taste and borrowing their Ipod would result in your ears bleeding. White Denim however may be the exception to the rule. Their debut LP, 2008’s ‘Workout Holiday’ packed in punk, psychadelia, soul and blues into a combination that sounded something like Barry White fronting Black Lips in a sticky-floored Austin speakeasy. It was, unsurprisingly, one of the best records of the year.
Not ones to dwell on their success, White Denim are back with their second album ‘Fits’ and it’s another mixed bag of treats, freak outs and riffs. Aiming to baffle and enthral throughout, the Texan trio achieve their goals with blinding results. From the psychotropic ‘Radio Milk How Can You Stand It’ by way of the Stooges-esque ‘Say What You Want’ all the way to surf-pop ‘Everybody Somebody’ White Denim create something akin to a satanic mix-tape or a wildly progressive radio station committed to CD. This liberated atmosphere frees the listeners mind and allows the band to embark on their journey at will, twisting and turning as they see fit- fearless of sounding ridiculous. Despite the disparate sounds on offer they are all underpinned by a soul and sense of authenticity. Even when they attempt acid jazz on ‘Sex Prayer’ or comes on as the Beach Boys would have sounded if the drugs had kicked in on ‘I’d Have It Just The Way We Were’ White Denim never sound as if they are winging it, they sound as if this smorgasbord of influences and sounds are perfectly natural.
Perhaps not as commercial or garage rock as the bands debut they still manage to pack the hits into ‘Fits’. The aforementioned ‘Everybody Somebody’ is how Franz Ferdinand should be sounding, vital and laden with funk, whilst ‘Mirrored and Reversed’ is more empirical and interesting than the wildly overrated Animal Collective could hope to be. Maybe their sheer versatility will ultimately provide their downfall, jack of all trades master of none they could say. However that would be missing the point, go listen to ‘Fits’ and enjoy the ride- it’s unlike any other album you’re likely to encounter this year.
