3.5/55 stars
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, Petralli has opted for some pastel on account of this venture that is somewhere in the Warren Zevon/Turin Brakes universe.
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-digger’s reverential dream.
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.
Constant BopbyBop Englishis out through Downtown / Create/Control now.
