White Denim – Last Day Of Summer

As numerous box sets and compilations of outtakes testify, collections recorded in unusual contexts – external to official sessions – can often reveal fresh aspects of a group. Last Day Of Summer is the fruit of White Denim's song decluttering retreat between plotting this year's D. Grafting a throng of influences onto blues, jazz and rock templates, the Texan four-piece mix disparate styles without any hint of strain.

For those already converted to their eclectic ethos, this release may not express the far-sighted vision of previous efforts, but hypnotic Bert Jansch style guitars on Incaviglia and the many-layered jazz patterns of Light Light Light still serve as a reminder of the group's astonishing array of reference points. The summer pop of I'd Have It Just The Way We Were features some distinguished drumming from Joshua Block, whose rhythmic gusto shades, unexpectedly, into echoes of Nick Drake on Through Your Windows. A worthwhile curio.