WHITE DENIM freak out at the Garrison Tuesday (June 28). See listing. Rating: NNNN
Their band name would better suit some electro-rock act, and their label is mainly known for that kind of thing, but White Denim’s music would actually be more at home at Woodstock than Coachella. That’s not an insult. If they’d existed back in the 60s, they would’ve been one of the cooler bands playing hippy festivals, and anyway, do we need yet another dance-punk act?
Call them a jam band for people who hate jam bands. Yes, there are some very pronounced prog and psych tendencies and lots of long solos, but it all seems so deliberate and disciplined, you never sense that they’re noodling aimlessly. And they’re all talented musicians, so it’s actually a pleasure to hear them go off on the occasional jazz fusion tangent, which they approach with the raw enthusiasm of a garage-punk band (except that they sound closer to King Crimson). If this all sounds horribly uncool, try turning off your hipster-damaged brain for a minute when you listen to them and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Top track: Anvil Everything