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 Kelley Stoltz’s fifth album hits home with anyone who shared similar life experiences with him. His story is motivating and is full of the things that Hollywood movies are made of. Stoltz grew up in the Detroit area but followed his musical dreams to San Francisco where he struggled playing small venues. This was until Monte Vollier, a local producer, heard his sound and immediately brought Stoltz to the recording studio. He released two albums before Sub Pop Records picked him up. This gave him enough dough to quit his teaching job and focus on his music.
Stoltz’s sound draws from many artists and styles. He meshes fuzzy guitar with harmonious piano and then tops it all of with smooth warm vocals. The sounds of Brian Wilson and The Kinks litter his riffs and piano notes. The first point of interest on the album lies in “Birmingham Electric” and the staples of his sound keep the song in the listener’s mind. Once the bright, quirky sounds reach the listeners ears they might just get hooked. Once this number comes to a close “Gardenia” starts to spin and its good-natured folk sounds mingle with a harmonic mix of guitar and piano to create a momentous ballad. The moods shift and Stoltz offers his listeners “Reverie” which is a toe tapping 60’s pop number beset with ringing organs. Once again Stotlz brings back a reflective number in “Something More.” This track is a rainy day ballad with harmonized guitar and piano tracks mixed with a hint of slide guitar. Stotlz’s mood connects with the listener and their feelings are one with his. Last but not least is “You Alone,” this song brings back visions of Brian Wilson’s druggy dreaminess mixed with fuzzy guitars.
At the end Stoltz’s sounds bring out warm feelings of good times and feelings of yearning and loss that we all feel at one time or another. Although the sounds become a bit melodramatic at times listeners should give Stoltz a chance.
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