Ouch, these Texans sure as hell know how to blister riffs past you at quite the phenomenal speed, White Denim are back with their hell-to-leather prog-blues/soul sound. Denim jackets, scrubby facial hair and trucker caps – it should be fairly to simple to pinpoint the musical origin of this band, how it practically goes hand in hand with geographical mindset. Now seven albums in, their sound is still just as hard to pin down as it always was; quick guitar noodles fight with one another as if they are savage beasts. Groove and melody dips, ducks and dives around like some incensed fish on the end of a line. It’s impossible to predict where this band go and live, they can sure grab an audience’s attention and hold them captive in astonishment due to their incredible technical capability. White Denim have proved throughout their significant and expansive career that they can take the raw ethic of soul, jazz or blues and fuel it with a tub full of gunpowder; the result? A fistful of powerful, raw garage-rock that has the ability to shine and bounce with a bunch of character. Their previous release, Corsicana Lemonade saw the band produce perhaps their most complete piece of work so far. It held melody where other albums fell down, it cut back on the experiments and fell in line with more of a ‘pop’ aesthetic whilst also incorporating the same energy they have always packed. So, how would Stiff fair?

Chiming innocent vocals are sampled in to introduce the album in the best possible fashion, harking: “Oh we’re gonna have music / music” – this is to act as the endearing introduction for the riff heavy, guitar chug that engulfs us. ‘Had 2 Know’ is quick and makes an opening statement as strong as ever. Bass rumbles away underneath with the soulful voice of James Petralli ricocheting away on top, it’s a quick song that is packed with positivity and happiness. It’s a wonderfully raw sound that is here, it brings about notions of early Black Keys however it’s stuffed with amphetamine and moves with so much more speed and purpose. Just to try and comprehend the key changes and time signatures that White Denim play with so causally is enough to make any wannabe-musician turn to the exit for retirement without even hitting a note. It all feels so effortless and casually as Petralli and Jonathan Horne lay forth riff after riff with such ease.

This theme continues through into the two previously released singles off the album, ‘Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah)’ and ‘Hold You (I’m Psycho)’. Both songs show the discipline of being tight in a band, drummer Jeff Olsen and bassist Steven Terebecki bounce along in unison with guitars flailing off of one another at the front. Lyrically the band appear to stumble slightly, lyrics are presented in a tidy rhyming couplet progression however, little quips fall short of humour and come across slightly careless: “I’m wanting you like the desert wants a drink / I’m wanting you like the whole kitchen sink.” Fortunately for White Denim though, lyrics are an afterthought, there’s so much more going on that is astoundingly interesting. It becomes clear that White Denim are the true musician’s band, for any true muso the use of scales, keys and dynamics far outstretches their necessity for lyrics.

The tenacity and speed of Stiff is relentless, it never slows down. At first, you could be forgiven for getting the impression that this is exceptional musicianship that will develop into big hooks however, what seems to differentiate them from the likes of Unknown Mortal Orchestra or Deerhunter is the lack of hook and ear worm. Stiff really falters where Corsicana Lemonade progressed so well. The tasteful pop-sensibility that cut through their previous effort has diminished into a swamp of big riffs and a tempo that rarely slows or develops, ‘There’s a Brain In My Head’, ‘Real Deal Momma’ and ‘Mirrored In Reverse’ continue with the pace yet stumble slightly with the lack of dynamic that was employed on the singles and opening track. It’s exceptionally hard to place them as songs as musically they take from a lot of interesting influences, certainly jazz with the adlib, unconventional fluctuations in time – this makes for interesting music but, you are constantly left feeling unsatisfied, searching for something more within a myriad of interlocking guitar grooves.

Where the album really excels on the whole though is on the songs that find a bit of tenderness between the riffs, those that strike a bit of a balance between the beauty and the brawn. ‘Take It Easy (Ever After Lasting Love) introduces with its lovely blues skiffle which then pummels into an erotic R’n’B groove, one that dances and seduces you with its every step. ‘(I’m The One) Big Big Fun’ continues this with it’s Motown edge, backing vocals echo Petralli’s voice with its slow, modest tempo and xylophone undercuts. ‘Thank You’ with its huge falsetto throws closes the album and ultimately, acts as the stand out track from the lot. It’s elegant and shows White Denim at their most dynamic; the big riffs are turned down slightly allowing for each member to come forth and show their worth in their own distinct way, while it’s got a hook and groove to it that allows it to incorporate some of that pop-sensibility that White Denim have previously shown on older albums.

At nine tracks long, it’s a short opening to what White Denim have to prove in the future. Song names could perhaps do with a little working, you can’t exactly imagine people screaming: “PLAY ‘TAKE IT EASY EVER AFTER LASTING LOVE” – however, let’s not let little hang ups cause cynicism. Prior to recording and writing Stiff, White Denim evolved through a significant line-up shift; gone were the founding drummer and previous guitarist, you get the sense that with a new album, there is a subconscious effort to compensate for the initial dynamic that allowed White Denim to excel. Perhaps White Denim are wanting to become the musician’s go-to band, a point of reference for musical technique rather than being a blues/soul-pop group; if it is then I think Stiff is a fantastic indicator as to what they are utterly capable of. There is no denying their talent as a band. As an album though, objectively speaking, it isn’t easy listening, it’s hard to get into and it’s even harder to listen to on repeat; you want it to be a natural progression from their previous material but maybe due to the line-up change, that just isn’t White Denim anymore.
Tom Churchill

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