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iTunes Review

White Denim pull off the rare trick of playing adventurous, experimental music without exiling themselves in the process. The stylistic shifts unfold naturally thanks to their skill, embrace of melody, and most of all, because their music always grooves. Even at their most spaced-out they maintain a coherent musical thread and a tightly choreographed melding of bold riffs, sprawling guitar arpeggios, and hairpin tempo changes. The addition of a second guitarist to their previous power trio format adds a new dimension to their sound as agile, elastic bass and drums chase serpentine guitar figures across these 10 tracks. The album flows purposefully from the math-rock of “Burnished” into the instrumental “At the Farm,” a swirling mix of psychedelic and prog rock, into the Afro-pop vibe of “River to Consider,” while “It’s Him!,” “Anvil Everything,” and “Bess St.” each boast several songs wrapped into one. They stick closer to earth on the ballad “Street Joy” and the acoustic country/chamber pop of “Keys,” with these songs providing counterpoint to the more aggressive and athletic numbers.