CD Reviews

White Williams

Smoke | Tigerbeat6

By MIKAEL WOOD | November 6, 2007

3.0 Stars

He’s signed to the indie label owned and operated by glitch jester Kid606, and he spent September touring with Dan Deacon and Girl Talk, but New York–based White Williams isn’t interested in proving that laptop jocks can be as in-your-face as dudes doing rock. Rather, he wants to demonstrate electronic music’s ability to pass as pop: on Smoke, his blog-buzzed debut, he offers a tuneful, mellow bedroom pastiche of trebly early-’80s punk funk, spirited, rhythm-rich worldbeat, and post-Beck white-guy R&B. That the dullest thing on it is a useless cover of “I Want Candy” — is there really anything left to say about this song? — should make it clear that Williams is no tech-obsessed killjoy. He likes catchy hooks and sticky grooves, and he comes equipped with plenty of both. For immediate results, proceed to “Route to Palm,” an effervescent krautrock jam with cruise-ship guitars and seasick synths recommended to ADD-afflicted Vampire Weekend fans.

White Williams + Battles | Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm Ave, Boston | November 12 | 617.931.2000

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