White Denim Plays Tonight at Hotel Vegas
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I shall begin this entry with a brief rant, if I may be so bold. Assembling an annual top ten album list is never an easy thing for me to do. I despise it. It’s become increasingly difficult to look back over the past year and (unfairly) having to select albums that are, by whatever standard, the best of the best. As I’ve stated numerous times before, we have a wonderful dilemma in our fair city with the overabundance of musical talent, and I always make it a point include local bands on my humble contribution.
However, at least a couple of albums from 2011 popped into my head almost immediately, one of those being D, by White Denim. Now a quartet with the addition of guitarist Austin Jenkins, the guys made the move from recording in their trailer to working in an actual studio for their fourth full-length release, and they shifted gears a bit from the punk, funk ‘n’ psych vibe of 2009′s Fits toward a more classic rock feel. True, they can still leave your brain reeling with all the technical savvy and sophisticated arrangements. On the other hand, that sophistication pulls it together brilliantly. They own and restyle those vintage sounds, accompanied by blissful vocals from James Petralli, making it feel simultaneously fresh and instantly familiar.
White Denim has a show tonight that should make for an intriguing experience; this is a band with a big draw that’s performing in a somewhat intimate space, so brace yourself. They’re playing at Hotel Vegas, 1500 E. 6th St. Get there very early; word is that Hotel Vegas will be selling a limited amount of tickets at the door, but it’s sure to sell out quickly. This is White Denim’s last show in Austin before heading out on tour with Wilco. Recommended.
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