Kelley Stoltz
Below The Branches (CD)
 This recent retro movement of so-called psych-folk is afoot here again in the new Kelley Stoltz album. It doesn't take more than one and a half listens to hear that on his latest album Below The Branches. Stoltz deliberately channels The Beatles, Lennon, Bowie, Nick Drake, 60s girl-pop bands, and The Kinks in his piano-plunking pop tunes. Hey, they're pretty good tunes; I'm just saying he's not shy about writing songs that contain musical elements from a host of different older bands.
Interestingly, the first track "Wave Goodbye" sometimes sounds more like The Strokes plus a bit of late Velvet Underground than the aforementioned bands. And when Stoltz sings the falsetto bits it even sounds a bit like Matt Suggs (of Butterglory fame). Additionally, on "Little Lords" he sounds an awful lot like Nick Drake. However, throughout most of the other tracks, it's Lennon-McCartney time. I think it may be the ever-present bar room quarter note piano chords that really bind the music together and place it in that era.
"Ever Thought Of Coming Back" contains this one little section that sure sounds like "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes. The slower tunes "Words" and "Mystery" are dead ringers for John Lennon and Nick Drake respectively. He seems to really love the Beatles, but then so do a lot of folks. "Memory Collector", with it's telephone-like vocals and piano riffs, sounds like "Lady Madonna" and "The Sun Comes Through" sure does recall "Let It Be"'s chord progressions. The list of similarities to bands and present goes on and on. I'm not saying the guy is guilty of ripping them off but he is certainly wearing his influences high up on his sleeves.
I'm not such a big fan of the new retro-psych movement or whatever it's called, and Stoltz seems to invest just a little bit too much time recalling musical periods 40 years past. Still, if you want your throwback music with plenty of piano in it, then this will probably be your cup of tea.
- review by SHORTY (2.7.06)
Sub Pop Records
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Seattle, WA 98121
206-441-8441
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