White Denim
Fits

With a name as deliberately naff as White Denim, you kind of have to be cool - so it's just as well that this Texan trio are effortlessly hip. Led by James Petralli - who had made a guest appearance on UNKLE's last album barely before his band had released their first record - the Austin band's third album 'Fits' comes hot on the heels of their last year's double whammy of 'Workout Holiday' and 'Exposion'.

'Fits' continues in the same vein of ragged rock music with an almost improv-like structure. But acceptable rock albums are few and far between these days; most bands either veer comedically over-the-top into pastiche, or try to be clever-clever and add in the ubiquitous synth to stay 'trendy'. White Denim are more of the Black Keys school of thought, yet more rambunctious still. 'Say What You Want' is loose, bluesy and strangely hypnotic, 'Radio Milk How Can You Stand It' is equally explosive, Petralli's quick-fire vocals working nicely in tandem with the bass-heavy, tub-thumping racket, while 'I Start to Run' is the sort of song Kings of Leon wish they were capable of writing.

There's more than one trick in this pony's repertoire, though. The '60s garage and psychedelic well is plumbed brilliantly with 'Sex Prayer' and 'Mirrored and Reverse', 'I'd Have It Just the Way We Were' borrows from schmoozy '70s lounge-pop, and there are a couple of acoustically-strummed numbers to break up the sometimes ruthless pace. They may not bring back the item of clothing they're named for, but White Denim sure know how to make a powerful rock album.

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