Out of the gate, White Denim nails the listener to the wall with a hard-rock edge on their new release Fits. Songs like “All Consolation” and “El Hard Attack” with their tight grooves, catchy hooks and bombastic guitars fool you into believing this group is simply a great rock band. Then, just when you’re looking the other way, White Denim slips in a lilting, mid-tempo pop tune like “I’d Have It Just The Way We Were,” that floats along with Latin jazz-inspired changes and laid-back, clean guitars. While some might call the album a little bi-polar, the end result is an eclectic little indie rock opus. These Austin boys hit upon one of the most interesting sonic statements on “Paint Yourself,” with its subtle gospel-inspired handclaps and rockabilly guitar, a major departure from the jagged, hectic nature of songs like “Radio Milk How Can You Stand It,” a track name that, incidentally, this reviewer is still pondering. One of the most honest, vulnerable tracks comes in the form of “Regina Holding Hands,” with its plaintive cries of “Oh, Regina…” that somehow manage to conjure up a Motown/Jackson 5 vibe that oddly makes perfect sense in the context. Considering the passion and skill with which White Denim bends and molds conventional music genres, one can’t help but empathize with the delight they obviously feel playing lead roles in the nightmares of A&R people everywhere.
-- Mark Sanderlin [October 12, 2009]
