Breaking Artist: White Denim

Who: Garage-rock trio White Denim, an Austin outfit whose frontman, James Petralli, nearly followed his family into a career in professional baseball, but turned to rock when he got busted for too much partying.

Sounds Like: On their loud and raw EP Let's Talk About It, which was written and recorded in a 1940s Spartan trailer, the band combines the Stooges' raw power, Hendrix's psychedelic flourishes and the White Stripes' stripped-down blues rock.

Vital Stats:

• Petralli and drummer Joshua Block once performed in a noise-rock group called Parque Touch, who became infamous among Austin crowds as the band that stole beers out of the hands of fans in the front row.

• Petralli's literary lyrics are inspired by the poetry of Gertrude Stein. Songs like "Sitting" especially tap into language experiments. "Some of Stein's writing lends itself to music," says Petralli, who penned the line "I would rather be you sitting with you sitting with me."

• Petralli's grandfather was a catcher for the Washington Senators, a team that later became the Texas Rangers and drafted catcher Gino Petralli, James' father. Major league teams are also scouting Petralli's brother. Block's grandfather, interestingly enough, was also a player on the Senators. Bassist Steve Terebecki lacks a baseball pedigree.

Hear It Now: The band's debut EP Let's Talk About It is available on iTunes. Click the video above to check out the band's video for its title track.

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter