White Denim

Exposion (Transmission Entertainment)

By Aynsley Karps
Published: October 30th, 2008 | 9:00am

White Denim may not have the keenest fashion sense, but they definitely know how to create a fresh, innovative sound. On the trio's debut album Exposion, they don't hesitate to explore and intermingle the genres of garage, psychedelic, and rock. To be more specific, think a fusion of the jam-band intervals of Phish, the fuzzy echo sound of the Strokes, and the bluesy soul touch of Jimi Hendrix. And while the end result may not be totally explosive, it gets pretty damn close.

The record itself contains a number of head-bobbing hits, most notably “Shake Shake Shake,” a pop rock pump-up track that could easily shake its way to fame. “Transparency” and “Heart From Us All” do the best job at exemplifying the epitome of the band, which is taking risks. If you fast forward through the two songs, you can really see the ton of different chords, melodies, and sounds that you’d never imagine could fit in one song — successfully, at least. But they seem to take it to the next level while mastering the unpredictable build-up. “All You Really Have To Do” oozes funk-rock with rough, spewing verses mixed in with a smooth, melodious chorus.

Ironically, the minor problem with the album is repetitiveness. Namely, the similarity of the chorus between the first track, “Don’t Look That Way At It,” and track three, “IEIEI.” Both use distinctive wailing in almost the exact same way. Now don’t get it wrong — the catchy chorus works really well in the songs individually, but the only thing left to believe is the band couldn’t think of another chorus.

Despite the copycat factor, Exposion left me wanting more. And since the band is so new on the scene, the debut shows real promise for the future. Especially with the album ending on tracks “Migration Wind” and “Sitting,” which offer diversity with a bit of a slower, softer tempo and vibe. White Denim is now available for digital purchase anywhere outside of Europe.

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