Credit: Charlie Weinmann
One of the most dynamic rock bands to emerge in the aughts, White Denim have opened an exciting new chapter with their twelfth studio album aptly titled 12, due out December 6 via Bella Union. The band exploded out of Austin, Texas in ’08 with hyper-kinetic post-punk bangers and James Petralli duly raced on through shifting line-ups and kaleidoscopic shades of soul, jazz and Southern rock, always with a feel of in-the-moment authenticity. The new collection takes a radical step into 70s garage rock brought home by Petralli’s affecting croon. Lead single “Light On” digs deep on the struggle required sometimes to keep the faith in dark times.
Petralli shares, “‘Light On’ is the first song I wrote for this new collection. It mostly took its shape while I played my son's guitar, both of us crammed onto his twin mattress with my partner reading for all of us from my daughter's bed on the other side of the room. It is as influenced by Shel Silverstein as Elvin Jones. Over the years I spent creating this work this particular song served as an encouragement and a consistent reminder to focus on the positive and to continue creating with little regard for potential outcomes.”
Watch / Share “Light On”
Sonically and stylistically influenced by Nick Lowe, Jonathan Richman, Doug Sahm and Joe Jackson, 12 is the thrilling sound of Petralli vacating his low-tech comfort zone while documenting a turbulent and sometimes painful period for his family. As for so many musicians, the pandemic forced Petralli to radically rethink homelife and his creative process. Back in Austin, he and his partner Elaine were caring for her father, who passed in Spring ’21. After relocating to Los Angeles, he took on the role of home-schooling his kids, fitting in writing sessions when he could. With its yacht rock-esque uplifting melodies, the new collection is a direct response to some of these “turbulent times” refracted through the glass-half-full sunshine prism of Petralli’s worldview.
Living in LA also allowed him the opportunity to work as a “stunt vocalist” on the Amazon mini-series Daisy Jones And The Six, where he saw the producers at the famed Sound City studio happily plundering digital technology. This experience resulted in James now overseeing every aspect of his music’s up-to-the-minute digital production. “This is the first White Denim record where I’ve engineered and been the main producer,” he proudly shares. “I’ve touched every sound that’s on there.” Additionally, the band will perform at Sagebrush Festival (Austin, TX) + Aslin 9th Anniversary Festival (Alexandria, VA) in the US and have announced a December UK tour.
12 tracklist:
1. Light On
2. Econolining
3. Flash Bare Ass
4. Cat City #2
5. Look Good
6. Second Dimension
7. I Still Exist
8. Your Future As God
9. Swinging Door
10. We Can Move Along
11. Hand Out Giving
12. Precious Child
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