Restless but always tenacious, James Petralli this time too does not give up the messy mix of psych-pop, funky-rock, soft-soul and southern-rock.
The title “13” already shows the desire to continue in the wake of the previous album “12”, but, numerology aside, this time the prevailing feeling is that the musician had fun confusing the listener with imaginative and bizarre instrumental digressions.
“On the thirteenth day God created White Denim”: with these words “13” opens, a crackling start where rock, prog, jazz, blues and funky are catapulted into a dimension à la Captain Beefheart, “(God Created) Lock And Key”, and it is only the first sign of a successful fusion of styles that alternates the soft-soul à la Bobby Caldwell of “Only A Fool” with the exciting groove calypso/dub of “Keep Calling Me (Baby)”.
For the Los Angeles band this new album is a celebration of music as an authentic creative delight. Influences and references are not venial sins, but congenial to a music that creates real bridges between black music and glam-rock in the lively “Chew Nails”, often pursues the perfect pop-black music alchemy of Stevie Wonder (“Time Time”, “Crossfire”) and does not disdain forays into the more typical American music (“Earth To”).
“13” is a record full of positivity and lightness but never superficial. The formula, although tested, is never banal, among the notable guests Owen Pallett, Jesse Chandler and Dawes make a good impression, and everything has coherence and good taste.
05/30/2026
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
