White Denim @ Manchester Deaf Institute, 15 Feb

White Denim’s cult appeal remains intact, apparently, despite stylistic chopping and changing and a reshuffle of their lineup. A packed Deaf Institute on the kind of winter’s night that vehemently reinforces Manchester’s well-worn reputation for unrelentingly dreadful weather is testament to that; the loss of sticksman Josh Block and guitarist Austin Jenkins to Leon Bridges’ touring band doesn't seem to be playing on the mind of the Denim faithful.

They’re back in town in support of Stiff – which won’t drop until next month – and after a diversion of sorts with Corsicana Lemonade in 2013, the new cuts suggest they’re heading back into more experimental territory. That last LP was a woozy pop affair which didn’t quite daintily negotiate multiple genres in the Texans' usual adept manner. 

Stiff, though, is all about soul; on the standout Thank You, James Petralli’s knockout falsetto soars over the freewheeling guitar work of old. It should be noted, on that front, that Jenkins’ replacement, Jonathan Horne, has slotted in seamlessly; he weaves in and out of Petralli’s lines with persistent comfort and occasional flair.

That said, the slew of as-yet-unreleased material perhaps inevitably fails to ignite the audience. The energy of old is there, but the sense that things are loose enough that they might fall apart at any given moment isn’t; this was always the component which elevated White Denim to their status as a downright thrilling live proposition. As slick as the overall performance here tonight is, there’s also the creeping sense that they might be shedding something special as they quest for a new direction.