White Denim, Performance (City Slang) ****

THE SEVENTH album by White Denim continues the band's loving tributes to rock music of the Seventies.

Anyone who says "they don't make them like that any more" clearly hasn't heard White Denim, and should rectify that as soon as possible.

The band say their aim for the last decade, has been "just to make interesting, up-tempo rock'n'roll", and Performance is another shining example of them doing just that.

The Austin four-piece band's latest release opens with Magazin, a shameless nod towards late-era Beatles, experimental but catchy, with vocals that are almost strained, but beautifully harmonised. Throw in a bit of Bowie saxophone and we're right back in a comfortable musical spot.

Performance is a faster, Thin Lizzy-style number, equally solid and catchy, all treble-heavy guitars with a driving rhythm and a dash of Moog for good measure.

There's a knowing delivery to James Petralli's vocals. Not quite a snarl, but a sense of confidence and allure that Phil Lynott did so well, and that comes across well on Fine Slime

Double Death bounces in with a weird, sort of off-kilter nod to Average White Band's Picking Up The Pieces and remains as catchy as that particular tune, with the addition of odd vibrato vocals in the chorus, as if to keep you guessing.

Moves On features a grungier guitar that slips into an Allman Brothers Band-style riff, before more electronica is piled on to crowd the music and bring it all together.

It Might Get Dark is the sort of floor filling, upbeat number that would underscore a summertime fun montage in a low-budget movie, a slice of Americana that will keep your feet tapping and head nodding with a smile on your face throughout.

That's more or less the feel of the album: good, solid tunes, each with a delightfully retro feel, each one different enough to feel fresh as they appear.

Dan Bean