The Dress Whites invoke the sacred clapclap…clap

I came across The Dress Whites on a CBC Radio 3 podcast last week, and immediately liked their catchy, 50s-inspired music. They describe themselves as “pure rock-guitar-pop-rock,” which actually doesn’t tell you much. Also, it says “rock” twice, and that’s totally uncalled for.

But aside from inventing a genre, The Dress Whites’ music is the polar opposite of pretension. The first single I heard, The Whale, relies on easy melodies sung over an infectious clapclap…clap rhythm.  Check out a clip of The Whale after the jump.

(Clip of “Dress Whites – The Whale” [0:22 min])

The Whale is truly the standout track on the album, but others like Spongecake, Give up the Ghost and Bloodwork are also worth adding to a playlist or two.

And here’s a bonus fun-fact: When I emailed the band to ask how I could find a copy of their 2008 album My God, The Shame! for digital download without copy-protection, they emailed me back a friendly note from a shared Hotmail account the next day with purchase links and thanks. How’s that for approachable?

In a world where über serious indie mumbler Andrew Bird has just started blogging for the New York Times, (“If I shape my lips so as to whistle, my breath will take on a musical shape like sonic vapor. “), this sort of carefree pop is just what independent music needs. Sometimes, maybe even most of the time, you’ve just gotta have a little clapclap…clap.

If you’re the type that purchases music, I bought my DRM-free copy of My God, The Shame! over at PayPlay.fm for $9.