The last titular bop in pop music was Pat Wilson’s Bop Girl back in the ‘80s. Now a rascal from White Denim, James Petralli, resurrects the bop on a debut solo record. Solo in the broadest sense however, as most of White Denim also feature on Constant Bop. Nevertheless our White Denim boy has opted for some pastel on account of this venture that is somewhere in the Warren Zevon, Turin Brakes universe. Trying is very mild at heart throughout its acoustic strumming. Some perfect harmony is sought and achieved. Petralli is like a dreamer with a VCE poetry sensibility and a wide eyed swagger. Actually, he is trying.
An unnatural love of The Kinks and a general mendacity are clearly evident on Struck Matches and show that recycling all the influences he can remember goes a long way with Petralli. Let’s, for a period, forget that Bop English is such a blatantly silly moniker and forgive him for that. Have I Got It Wrong is plainly not correct as the piano flits along. It all sounds extremely familiar and like a crate-diggers reverential dream. Surrounded by sympatico musicians means that Petralli can fully explore his passions and introduce a meditative melodic splendour to his muse as he rummages through his musical antique stall. “Would you worry about your execution if your problems were gone?” he enquires on Sentimental Wilderness. Probably yes is the resounding reply. The innocent do not deserve such a dire fate. Of course, not everything works. Stand up, Falling At Your Feet. But then the gentle The Hardest Way is a multi-coloured reflection on love as it tries to break your heart. In a perfect world it should not be so difficult. The head nodding tunes and psych-pop grooves are a bold step backwards and explore an exceedingly relaxed, almost sedated mood. Good on ‘yer boy.
BY BRONIUS ZUMERIS
