Elly Roberts reviews
Kelley Stoltz: Below The Branches
Distributed by
Sub Pop Records
- Cat.no: RTRADCD291
- Released: February 2006
- Rating: 8/10
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
This wonderful DIY 13-tracker by Kelley Stoltz is a sun-kissed tribute to the
halcyon days of 60s pop, and a little bit more.
Instrumentally and vocally, the ghost of The Beatles and The Beach Boys
hangs heavily over Below The Branches.
Morphing into a born again Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney and psychedelic
folkie, Stolzt digs deep to revive the key components that turned his heroes
into icons, and it works.
In essence, he's totally captured their care free spirit, with 21 century
twists.
The San Fran 'one man orchestra' mixes styles familiar to 60s radio gems, as
he grapples with a subtle homage, adding his own flavours along the way. As
the cacophony opens up the intro, on Wave Goodbye, we're almost thrust into
a BB back-catalogue with wiry guitars leading the romp. Track three, Ever
Thought Of Coming Back is an obvious BB's throwback.
The clever add-ons come in the shape of Words and Little Lords, hippy style
rock-ballads which nestle neatly before another easy flowing gem Mystery,
followed by the haunting echoes of Summer's Easy Feeling. Memory Collector,
a McCartney sound-alike, (and possibly a better title for the album), has
shades of late Beatles as he chomps at the keys.
Chirping birds, steel guitar, thumping drums are the prime features of
Birdies Singing as 'McCartney' creeps in through the back door once again -
a great single, despite its quirkiness. Surprise, surprise: a possible
Lennon take whips up The Sun, then another Beatlesesque piano ballad on
Winter Girl. More Fab Four influences materialise on the keyboard romp of
Prank Call which leads nicely into some delicious La La La's and xylophones
to round-off on No World.
All this was recorded in cramped living conditions in San Francisco on an 8
track reel-to-reel.
The 'memory collector' has done his job well - 'Surf's Up' for Kelley Stoltz.
The full list of tracks included are :