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First Listen: White Denim, 'Corsicana Lemonade'

  Play Now [4:04]

by Leah Garaas

October 22, 2013

White Denim - Corsicana Lemonade
by MPR
White Denim - Limited By Stature
by MPR
White Denim - New Blue Feeling
by MPR
White Denim - Come Back
by MPR
White Denim - Distant Relative Salute
by MPR
White Denim - Let It Feel Good (My Eagles)
by MPR
White Denim - Pretty Green
by MPR
White Denim - Cheer Up Blues Ending
by MPR
White Denim - A Place to Start
by MPR
White Demin
White Denim's new album, Corsicana Lemonade, comes out Oct. 29.
Courtesy of the artist

For White Denim, standing out in a city that's easily become one of the most influential music metros in the world means more than just experimenting with classic arrangements; it means juxtaposing psychedelic rock with soul and blending blues with punk all while using aberrant song structures that still feel fluid.

At their inception, the quartet shared a unique vision for their sound, but members Joshua Block, James Petralli, Steve Terebecki and Austin Jenkins couldn't collectively execute it, and all members weren't unanimously behind the first few records. But something clicked with 2011's D, which brought forth White Denim's most successful single to date, "Street Joy". That year, White Denim performed at Sasquatch festival in support of the record, and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy took notice of White Denim's unique songwriting approach. "Maybe he just got what we were trying to do. When he was talking about Blue Öyster Cult and Rush, we got it," Petralli tells the Austin Chronicle.

A tour opening for Wilco and four days in Jeff Tweedy's studio later, Corsicana Lemonade was born; an album that exemplifies the cohesiveness that White Denim worked toward from its inception in 2006. And, ironically, Corsicana Lemonade closes with "A Place to Start" — a seemingly perfect title for the band not to end a journey, but begin one.

White Denim play with local act Ginkgo (featuring members of Tapes 'n Tapes) at the Turf Club on Thursday, Oct. 24.

White Demin
White Denim's new album, Corsicana Lemonade, comes out Oct. 29.
Mark Seliger