José James returns to his birth year for inspiration, crafting a follow-up to 1978 that further celebrates the multicultural pluralism of the era. At a glance, 1978: Revenge of the Dragon seems destined to suffer the same fate as most sequels. The basic concept is the same, and where 1978 was all-original, this is half-interpretive — four of the eight songs were either first recorded or released in ’78 — indicating a shortage of ideas. However, it’s far from a rehash. A bit of new wave pluck and rock swagger are added to the gumbo of soul, jazz-funk, and disco.
The feeling is all about romance, seduction, and joy, with nonstop feel-good energy no doubt fostered by an accompanying kung fu flick James and his band filmed daily before entering…

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