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Elly Roberts reviews
Sub-Pop
- February 2008
- Rating: 4/10
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More DIY. Weaker songs, this time.
When Kelley Stoltz released Below The Branches in 2006 he came a stepcloser to making some inroads in the UK, but now hes gone backwards.
Last time around Kelley Stoltz leaned heavily on a Beach Boys/Beatles templatefor 2006’s Below The Branches, and they pop up here and there again.
Warm sunny sounds all created in his crowded bedroom. This time, its more indie,and a little more self-indulgent for the 37-year-old San Francisco resident.Theres a definite change in the songs accessibility. Stoltz seems to have goneinward and the claim that this is a pop album is way off the mark as was theclaim with Rufus Wainwrights Release The Stars last year.
Theatricality plays a big part on the sparkling Everything Begins, andyes, those Beach Boys harmonies aint to far away. Track 3, BirminghamEccentric (a newspaper as it happens) is actually about an old friend ofStoltzs, who still lives with his parents, is a jaunty little shuffle withsome nice moments.
Turning to a simpler format, clogging Gardenia is the best up to now.It became a love song, though its origins lay while he worked at a video storewhere the owner kept the flowers on the counter. Then pops up a Kinks-likegem, To Speak To The Girl. It swings with an impressive twanging guitar, whilesweet Put My Troubles gives another nod to Ray Davies and co, fused withthe Fab Four.
Californian ’60s sensations Love would be happy to hear his Nearly Lost My Mind,a definite flower-power throwback, and theres further hippiness bolsteringthe joyous Morning Sun.
Stoltz seems to draw greater inspiration from paying tributes, than honing hisown, distinctive style.
File under: Not that good, but OK.
Weblinks:kelleystoltz.com /myspace.com/kelleystoltz
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Everything Begins
2. Tintinnabulation
3. Birmingham Eccentric
4. Gardenia
5. Mother Natures Way
6. To Speak To The Girl
7. Put My Troubles To Sleep
8. When You Forget
9. Your Reverie
10. Nearly Lost My Mind
11. Something More
12. Reflection
13. Morning Sun
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.