White Denim - `D'

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A Texas flood of genius

What happens when blues, punk, guitar fusion, and even prog rock combust in a studio just outside Austin, Texas? White Denim provide the answer on `D', a must-hear album that brings together all of the above with deft economy and shots of joyful abandon. There's laidback country on It's Him, frazzled Allman Brothers-style guitar duelling on At The Farm, and haunting blues on Street Joy but White Denim also play with fire and flirt with austere math rock and progressive noodling without losing their lopsided grins. River to Consider dips into warm tropicalia grooves and reclaims the flute from rock's murky past to fine effect and the freewheeling Burnished is perfect summer mood music. `D' doesn't let up as it goes on either: Drug sounds like The Who at their most elemental while on Is And Is And Is, White Denim board the astral ship and float outta here altogether. `D' scores a straight A.

Alan Corr

Tracklisting: It's Him, Burnished, At The Farm, Street Joy, Anvil Everything, River to Consider, Drug, Bess St., Is And Is And Is, Keys