Album Review: American Mafia – Partners In Crime

Good Time Music – October 30^th, 2026

Reviewer – Jason Hopper

The American Mafia album ‘Partners In Crime‘ consists of the foundation of guitarist Thomas Jude Innamorato and bassist Freddy Villano in three different iterations of the band. The first three tracks were from when the band recorded The Green Machine Sessions back in the early 90s, and were re-released in 2009 under the Holy Water name. Songs four through 8 were pulled from their American Mafia EP released in 2017. The final two tracks were recorded specifically for this release. I have not had the pleasure of hearing anything from the band prior to this review, and that is unfortunate. This is a band I would have bragged about hearing to all my friends.  Better late than never though.

With different iterations of the band, you get a flux of different influences. I’ll start with the opening and closing track, since they’re the same song but slightly different styles.

‘I’m Not Worried Anymore’ has an Alias/Harem Scarem feel to it with those classic overdubbed background vocals that made choruses of the time sound anthemically huge. How this song fell through the cracks is anyone’s guess. This track should have been played alongside the Nelson and Firehouse tracks being played on the airwaves at the time.

‘I’m Not Worried Anymore 2024‘ has some variations. It’s got the same tempo, with a more subdued chorus. To make the chorus stand out more, keyboards have been pushed to the front to brighten it up. I listened to both tracks back-to-back several times and I still cannot decide on a favorite. I love both for different reasons.

Back to Tracks 2 and 3, and OOHH MYYYY are they great! ‘If I Knew Then’ has a terrific mid-tempo blues swagger and a fantastic refrain of the chorus at the end. Harmonious and beautiful.  ‘Some Things Have To Happen’ has a similar tempo but very anthemic. That high energy blues aesthetic is present here. Both of these songs take me right back to that early 90s sound. These songs are referred in the press release as “demos”, but they are high-quality recordings, so do not let that deter you. The first three tracks are worth the price of a CD alone.

It’s possible many more have heard the American Mafia EP from 2017, so I’ll keep my review of the songs short, as it was only released 10 years ago. While retaining their blues influences, the AOR aspect has been dropped. Going for a Badlands/Lynch Mob/Cinderella vibe, the songs all hit the mark and stand out more in this millennium than they would have in the early 90s, when many bands were going for a more blues-based approach (even glam rockers Poison got in on that act).

There are two songs that I wanted to highlight. ‘Ride On Through’ sounds like it could have come off one of Gotthard’s earlier releases. I do love a good solid groove with an effective use of a cowbell. ‘When London Sleeps’ is a blast to listen to. More high energy than the other tracks, the band varies that tempo by slowing things down in the bridge just a bit to allow the listener to catch their breath. The middle Zepplin-esque breakdown was unexpected and well done, as was the blues breakdown at the end. The song takes you on a trip and I enjoyed the ride.

Unfortunately, I could not review the ‘Jane’ cover from Jefferson Airplane as it was not submitted and is only available on CD. My only critique is the new version of ‘I’m Not Worried Anymore’ being at the end of the album. It’s vastly different from the five tracks that precede it.  It should have been placed with their earlier material. Not sure if the placement of ‘Jane’ in the ninth slot would have transitioned the album better.  This may not be as much of an issue with streaming being the regular means of consumption.

Two different sounding bands, but both sound great. I lean more towards the AOR aspects of the band, but one cannot deny the quality of all the tracks. If you’re like me and do not have any of the band’s previous material, this is an instant purchase. If you have their EP, then streaming purchases might be the way to go, depending on how much it may be to ship a CD that only has five new songs. Go out and support the band and hopefully we’ll hear more from them in the future.

Track List:

1. I’m Not Worried Anymore
2. If I Knew Then
3. Some Things Have To Happen
4. Superstar
5. Gistified
6. Ride On Through
7. Lead The Way
8. When London Sleeps
9. Jane (Cover – CD Bonus Track)
10. I’m Not Worried Anymore – 2024

Web Links:

Official Website

Facebook