Jay’s Lightning 100 DJ Pick of The Week this week is “Look Good” by White Denim!
Austin cultural paragons White Denim keep finding ways to inject their signature blend of boogie and soul into new genres. Showing sun to all sides of the musical dice, the ever-morphing collective had touched on garage, noise, prog, and jam, all before the turn of the decade. James Petralli, White Denim’s central glue, serves as a mogul of the southern indie through his fostering of Austin collaborations and handling production duties. His songwriting is as charismatic as it is whimsical, ensuring whirling, jazzy rock acrobatics meet soulful hooks and melodies with ease. Their latest convocation is “Look Good” featuring the vocal talents of Tameca Jones and Jessie Payo.
One might expect a group this deep into their history to let off the gas and veer down the archetypal path of gracefully aging veterans. White Denim chose to funk. With a four-on-the-floor disco beat and swirling clavinets, “Look Good” is a shimmering trip that leans into Petralli’s soul roots. Though the band’s lineup is ever shuffling, Petralli’s chemistry with founding bassist Steve Terebecki is essential here. The rock-solid bassline serves as the foundation on which the mellow grooves are built. Jones and Payo elevate the song’s ceiling in such a natural way, drizzling vintage Austin onto the grid with grace. “Look Good” looks good in white denim.
Once a staple of the live scene, White Denim has become uncharacteristically elusive. However, this reputation has potential to change upon the release of 12, their latest studio album. Spending the month in Europe, the group has been making the rounds where they’ve been missed. The album is out this Friday the 6th, the first non-collaborative LP in four years. Check out a live session for “Look Good” below, and listen for more White Denim on Lightning 100!
Tune in to 100.1 FM or lightning100.com all day to hear “Look Good” by White Denim, Jay’s DJ Pick of the Week! Share your thoughts on the track by tagging #L100DJPicks on Twitter!
