Fits

White Denim breaks stereotypes and pushes the boundaries

White Denim is an American rock-band from Austin, Texas, consisting of three members: James Petralli (vocals, guitar), Joshua Block (drums) and Steve Terebecki (vocals, bass). Fitz is their sophomore effort released after the sensational debut record Workout Holiday that totally broke all the stereotypes concerning what a newcomer rock-band’s music should be like. Style blend – from country and blues to psychedelic rock and post-punk with the touch of tropicalia – witnesses the width of White Denim’s creative boundaries. Just like the first record, the second one, Fitz, cannot leave untouched any fan of the genre. It is interesting that White Denim records its music in a home studio using various modes and unusual song structures. The band’s story started in 2005 when it consisted of Petralli, Block and Lucas Anderson calling themselves Parque Touch. After the show with Steve Terebecki at an Austin club Beerland, the guys asked him to join their band as a bass-guitarist and the latter did not mind it at all – that was how they became a four-piece. However, in February 2006, Lucas Anderson moved to Russia, and after that the trio renamed itself into White Denim, the name that has made it popular ever since.

The mixture of styles and bold innovative hooks on Fitz

The new album Fitz definitely pushes the boundaries and broadens the horizons. The effective style blend and bold innovative hooks make White Denim so successful and brings it love of the fans and benevolence of the critics and it is present on the new work to full extent. Fitz opens with Radio Milk How Can You Stand It starting with the sounds that represent the psychedelic musical float cut by the bass-guitar coming down like an avalanche bringing all the drums’ power and fierce guitar riffs with it. This track is the opener for a certain reason – it creates an atmosphere cultivated throughout the whole record. The music here boils and bursts out, sometimes it is even difficult to discern the words of the attendant lyrics, however the vocal aspect is worth approval – the melodic harmony of James Petralli’s high timbre creates that very novelty and breathes fresh air into the usual rock-sound. The following three tracks All Consolation, Say What You Want and El Hard Attack DCWYW go on pushing the boundaries the latter does it even with the help of Spanish. The first video on the album was shot for the song I Start To Run, it was directed by Tom Haines on Full Time Hobby Records, the label on which Fitz was recorded. On the whole, the album may be conventionally divided into two parts: the energetic and unpredictable first one and the more smooth and mellow second. Sex Prayer is a lyrical instrumental song with a peculiar bass interlude. The final tracks Regina Holding Hands (one of the album’s highlights) and the closer Sync'n create a marvelous contrast all together making it really hard to resist the temptation to listen to the album once again.

White Denim just wants to have fun

Releasing their second album, the musicians once again proved to be a really talented group, which is not afraid to experiment; they really like what they are doing and infuse everyone around to be as free and easy as they are. As always, White Denim has already gained some labels of comparison to Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Pixies, Spirit, which is flattering and in this case even indicative – not every music group manages to be referred to as inventive and breaking the stereotypes. Various jazz influences are also obvious here – it is a true jazzman who knows what improvisation and innovation are about. As the musicians themselves admit, while recording or searching for some new sound they make use of various things – even the washing machine or Block’s big washtub. The band’s achievement in such a short period of time is really worthy of a gracious acknowledgement. White Denim has managed to mix a great amount of styles in its music having, however, a distinct idea of each of them. In any case, Fitz will be interesting to both the fans who have enjoyed the first album and to everyone who, just like the members of White Denim, just want to have fun.