DP - REFLECTION

DP 

REFLECTION
self-released; 2023

​​​By ​Dino DiMuro

Domenic Petrella - known as DP to the indie music world - is a solo musician from Montreal, Canada. His new album REFLECTION is his 11th release in 11 years!

Petrella explains that most of these new instrumental songs were inspired by his recent travels to Venice, “fairly simple with lots of different ideas blended in the songs.” Petrella mostly composes his songs on acoustic guitar and then plays all the parts on his recordings. He adds that these songs “remind me of walking the quiet streets of Venice.” All recording took place at Petrella’s basement studio using a Tascam Digital PortaStudio, with all instruments recorded direct-in (no microphones).

“Evening At La Fenice” starts us off with a mellow shuffle, with big single bass notes and a gently strummed Yamaha acoustic guitar with a pickup. The track is basically made up of two sections, with feedback and reverb-drenched electric guitar slowly added. By the middle section I’ve been improbably reminded of Brian Wilson’s Pet Sounds, thanks to that same laconic but fully orchestrated feel. For “Young Love” I immediately noted “LoFi” because of the slightly detuned guitars which have also been recorded right at the edge of distortion. Though definitely a rough sound, the simple chords and melodies are quite fetching. A track like this usually has me hit the “Buy Digital Album” button immediately. 

I believe “Reading A Painting” is an instrumental ode to visiting an Italian art gallery or antiquarian book shop. I swear this is the last time I’ll mention Pet Sounds, but again the easygoing feel and the cool tremolo Fender guitar demands it. There’s a slightly different part two, introduced by a blast of fuzz guitar that threatened to turn the track into metal, but wisely held back. That same sound returns to start “Morning” which again features guitars that would feel right at home in a 1960s beach movie (I had to double check to see if Petrella actually came from Southern California and not Montreal!). The middle section features some quick but very cool feedback interjections. “Reflection” has a bit of early Genesis-Steve Hackett acoustic majesty, backed by what sounds like a reversed electric guitar power chord track. Though not in any way dissonant, this is one of the more melodically challenging tracks while still being quite beautiful.

“Travel” is built on a simple two-note motif, followed by steadily strummed electric & acoustic guitars with a basic rock beat. If you’ve ever seen a Mod English romantic comedy from the ’60s, this is the kind of music they’d use for a montage or credits. “My Time” concludes the set with a dose of Beatles grungy White Album energy, though with a stately rock beat at about walking tempo. The simple lead line again channels those old surf band one-hit wonders. 

​I’m totally new to DP so I don’t know how reflective of his sound this album is. I also didn’t expect an album inspired by a trip to Italy to remind me of the Southern Cal beaches, but that’s what it did. Regardless this is clearly an artist with his own voice and definitely worth watching!

linktr.ee/DP_Music

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