Listen to White Denim. Now.

keyword: Austin, TX; 4-piece; denim, dungarees, sans color (i.e white)

It was only less than a year ago that I read White Denim’s name on a silly nonsensical list of bands that “probably wouldn't exist if not for Led Zeppelin" floating around the Internet (see link at bottom of page). No doubt Zeppelin influenced them all in one way or another, but why not “bands that independently are worthy of your investigation?” But hey, it got my attention. So maybe not such a bad editorial technique after all.

Ah, the staggeringly sweet, sweet sounds of White Denim. It isn’t very often one encounters a group of musicians who can trade off between each other rapid, seamless changes inflected at moments with furious intensity, and keep it lighthearted, graceful, and seemingly “easy.” But these guys do it so well. God damn, are they good. There’s so much happening in one song, it has the potential to come off as an absolute frenzy. Yet somehow it feels like one, unified statement; each part has its place. And when it’s finished, your instinct is to release a long, satisfied sigh.

 (via www.austinchronicle.com)

And if part of you wants to attribute this to “studio syndrome” (only good by virtue of studio clean-up and decoration -- I made up the term, bear with me), I can tell you that their live shows are bone-rattling. They are shockingly exhilarating, and be forewarned that you may at some point weep. I had the opportunity to see them in Ann Arbor, MI during one of their tours, and the hours spent listening to their discography paid off. Tremendously. Adding to my glowing review of the evening, James Petralli (lead singer/guitar) was an absolute delight, humoring me by answering my probing questions about mysterious song titles, lyrics etc., which, by the way, is probably never a good idea to ask about. But I had three beers in me and I was feeling cocky and confident.

Their latest, Corsicana Lemonade, is just as good an introduction as any. And by the end of the track of the same name, if you don’t already know the local geography and nomenclature of Texas, that giant fucking state, you will -- and what’s more, you’ll feel homesick for it. Sadly, I’m not sure what else to expect from White Denim at the moment -- James was *strategically* terse when I questioned about a follow-up album.

www.buzzfeed.com/spotify/bands-that-wouldnt-exist-without-led-zeppelin