White Denim’s James Petralli at Utopia Fest 2016. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./KUTX
If there’s one thing you notice when listening to White Denim, it’s this: these guys know a lot about music. A lot of White Denim songs are packed with influences from the jazz, rock, blues, punk, and soul worlds. They can make the most challenging of ideas into hummable pop songs, something they’ve been doing since bursting onto the Austin scene over a decade ago.
August 24 sees the release of Performance, White Denim’s eighth album, and they’re celebrating with two sold-out shows at the Mohawk on August 25. And this week on My KUTX, singer and guitarist James Petralli digs deep into some of the music that’s influenced him and talks about an awkwardly hilarious encounter with one of his idols, Larry Graham. Hear My KUTX on Saturday, August 18, 6 to 7 p.m., or listen anytime at the bottom of the page.
–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX
Playlist:
1. Roxy Music – “2HB”
2. Richard Swift – “The Atlantic Ocean”
3. Gastr Del Sol – “The Seasons Reverse”
4. Roberto Cacciapaglia – “My Time”
5. Robert Palmer – “Johnny & Mary”
6. Ivan – “Real Wild Child”
7. Sugar Minott – “Wicked Ago Feel It”
8. Sly & The Family Stone – “Let Me Hear It From You”
[James talks about meeting Larry Graham, soundtracked by Eric Dolphy’s “Hat & Beard” and Larry Graham’s “Is It Love?”]
9. Stevie Wonder – “Rocket Love”
10. War – “Me & Baby Brother”
11. Les McCann & Eddie Harris – “Compared To What”
12. Neil Young – “Walk On”
