CITY SLANG
Adecade on from their debut, White Denim are still extracting something new from their rock/funk/soul/pop-hybrid vehicle. The opening Magazin struts with a glam-tinged stomp, and it sets the tone for a record that – like, arguably, their whole career – is rooted in plucking the grooves, riffs and rhythms of the 1970s and trying to find a contemporary place for them. The band seem at their most potent when smashing these old and new sounds together in both harmony and discordance. The glam vibe continues with sparkly aplomb on the T. Rexindebted It Might Get Dark, but tracks such as Backseat Driver succeed in capturing what the band truly do best: cross-pollinating genres. Stevie Wonder-esque funk, hard-rock riffs, taut grooves and psychedelic guitar licks all combine: the result is a record that sounds like a lost gem, discovered from another era that was perhaps a little too ahead of its time.