Magnetized Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 This just in http://www.relix.com/news/2013/04/02/white-denim-working-on-new-studio-album-with-jeff-tweedy White Denim Working on New Studio Album With Jeff Tweedy White Denim in the studio with Jeff Tweedy. Photo by Zoran Orlic White Denim have exclusively revealed to Relix that they are currently working on a new studio album with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy. In early March, the members of the psychedelic-influenced garage rock group spent a few days recording with Tweedy at Wilco’s famed Chicago headquarters/studio The Loft. They blasted through two full-realized tracks and also laid down a series of instrumentals that helped the group channel their high-energy live show. “When we started, Jeff said to us, ‘I like your records but I love your live show,’” White Denim guitarist/singer James Petralli told Relix over coffee one morning in Austin this past march. “We are hoping to change that with this record.” Not only was The Loft a change of scenery for the Austin-based band, but it was also the first time the group recorded with a producer in a proper studio. “We’ve always had a very D.I.Y. approach to recording,” Petralli says. “Early on, it was because of [financial] necessity but we always liked the idea of being a D.I.Y. band. So it was mind-blowing to go from that to recording in The Loft.” Though the band brought a few songs to the recording sessions, Petralli admits that those ideas were heavily workshopped by Tweedy and his team. “I had this Tom Petty-ish song which Tweedy totally turned on its head,” Petralli says by way of example. “Then it was a matter of fitting my lyrics and melodies back into the song. He encouraged us to record to record live in the studio.” After a few days of recording, White Denim returned home in part so Petralli could spend time with his new baby. The members of White Denim later reconvened in a remote home studio outside Austin. The band plans to charge through another set of songs and, Petralli says, they will likely send those tunes back to Chicago for Tweedy to look at. (There was some discussion of bringing in LA-based producer/musician Jonathan Wilson to work with the material as well but ultimately that idea didn’t materialize.) Tweedy isn’t the only new voice on White Denim’s next record. The album will also spotlight new guitarist Austin Jenkins who joined the band during their recordings sessions for 2011’s D. Petralli says that Jenkins has written a few songs for the album and will shoulder some of the band’s guitar responsibilities. In total, Petralli says the band has about “50 ideas” which they hope to whittle down to a cohesive but stylistically eclectic album. They are also focusing on songs that can be played live. “We are going to tackle Austin’s songs first,” Petralli says of White Denim’s next recording sessions. “It’s been funny to go from The Loft back to a ‘home studio’ but we set the bar high in Chicago. Now, we have something to hold everything we record up to.” The members of Wilco were a huge inspiration on Petralli and his bandmate’s when they decided to make their next record. Last year, White Denim spent time on the road with the band as an opening act. “It was inspiring to see them still working on all these songs and changing their setlist every night,” he says. “We did a few songs in a row in LA and every night they’d practice during soundcheck to make sure every show was different.” Petralli says that White Denim hopes to make their live show more diverse in the coming months. He plans to cycle in more songs from their five studio albums and stretch out those songs every night. “When we started [White Denim] I didn’t want to be labeled as a jamband, even though that’s all I listened to in college,” Petralli says. “I wanted it to be about the songs. But I think songwriting has come back [into the jam scene] a little bit and all my friends I used to go to see Widespread Panic with in college are into all this different type of music. I want to make a record that people can dance to live.” Though it remains to be seen if White Denim’s next album will be the “groove album” he still wants to make, filled with “sweaty, dark, psychedelic songs” or some combination of those styles, Petralli is determined to capture the wild energy of their live shows. “This album is going to be full of smaller moments larger in the mix,” he says. “It is going to sound more like ‘us’ that anything we’ve ever recorded.” Here’s a look at White Denim’s upcoming dates June 7 Hunter, NY—Mountain Jam June 21 North Adams, MA—Solid Sound Festival June 22 Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Bowl July 4-5 Quincy, CA—High Sierra Music Festival July 6 San Francisco, CA—The Independent July 18 Beccles, United Kingdom—Henham Park Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stooka Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Awesome news! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jcroach Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Lot's of new about Jeff working on albums lately. Mavis Staples, Low, White Denim. I'm just looking forward the press release that says "Jeff Tweedy teams up with John Stirratt, Nels Cline, Glenn Kotche, Pat Sansone, Mikael Jorgensen to produce new album." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Lot's of new about Jeff working on albums lately. Mavis Staples, Low, White Denim. I'm just looking forward the press release that says "Jeff Tweedy teams up with John Stirratt, Nels Cline, Glenn Kotche, Pat Sansone, Mikael Jorgensen to produce new album."And how about Jeff Tweedy teams up with John Stirratt and Pat Sansone of Autumn Defense to produce a new album, and Jeff Tweedy teams up with MIkael Jogrensen's new group to produce a new album, and Jeff Tweedy teams up with Nels Cline to produce Nel's group or solo album, and Jeff Tweedy teams up with Glenn Kotche to produce his new solo album, etc.etc. I guess the combos are limitless. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jcroach Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I guess the combos are limitless. LouieB I was really just referring to a new Wilco album, but yeah, those might be interesting too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Jeff has said in several recent interviews that he considers it his job to stay inspired. I'm guessing that he finds it inspiring to work with other artists. I would imagine it opens up his mind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I was really just referring to a new Wilco album, but yeah, those might be interesting too.I know and I agree. A new album would be nice. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 I know and I agree. A new album would be nice. LouieB Y'all do know that Wilco has already announced that they'll release a new album later this year, right? In Uncut magazine and also in that interview with the Australian musician Henry Wagons Jeff talks about a late 2013 release, making use of that new Neve console. I know there have been some references to a new album in interviews with other band members too, although I can't recall specifics. I'm guessing this accounts for the dearth of information about any big tour plans this year. I kind of got the impression they were going to be keeping their heads down for most of this year, although I wouldn't be surprised to see a late fall tour around record release time. Apologies if I'm restating the obvious. It just sounded like people were thinking Jeff has taken up producing for other artists full time in lieu of creating new music with Wilco. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/rock-pop-features/white-denim-jeff-tweedy-wanted-us-to-sound-like-blue-oyster-cult-or-rush-then-we-went-off-and-tried-to-sound-like-the-stylistics-1.1579419 The relevant bits for 'Just A Fan':- In the case of White Denim and their new album Corsicana Lemonade, the magic on this occasion also involved watching funny YouTube videos. Earlier this year, Jeff Tweedy called up the band to say Wilco’s Loft studio was free for a few days if they wanted to take advantage. Naturally, they hit the road to Chicago. “Jeff was the main reason why we started playing live in the studio,” says White Denim frontman James Petralli. “He was shocked that we had never done that before. He was like ‘if we’re gonna make a record together, this is how we’re gonna do it and you guys are going to play live because you’re a good live band’. That was the biggest thing he really wanted to hear from us, he wanted us to play the tunes as a band. “He wanted us to sound like Blue Oyster Cult or Rush. Then we went off and tried to sound like The Stylistics, which I think he was cool with.” But it’s what they got up to in the studio when the band weren’t playing that really stuck with Petralli. “Jeff was really, really funny. He would stop us after five takes and he would say ‘you’re done’ and then we’d just be goofing around, looking at instruments, talking about things and watching YouTube videos. “Jeff introduced us to the best YouTube video I’ve ever seen, Rich Kelly and Friendship, this band from the 1970s. They looked like a wedding band but they’ve got this amazing bass player who dances like a dude.” Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Maybe its this one:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfKARbdtwck The fun starts at about the 1:30 mark ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Hilarious! John's pretty nimble--I think we should challenge him to match that guy's moves. And we know Jeff can throw the mic in the air and (sometimes) catch it, although I haven't seen that move from him in a while. So funny--thanks for sharing! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sandoz Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I'm loving this new album Quote Link to post Share on other sites
A heart I know by heart Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Maybe its this one:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfKARbdtwck The fun starts at about the 1:30 mark ...Incredible video... I can't stop watching this... Turns out they were a big club/bar scene band in the 70s in northern NJ... Had a pretty big/loyal following Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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