Kelley Stoltz "Below the Branches"


Sometimes the lines between indie pop and power pop are blurred. Here is an excellent example. Kelley Stoltz, a indie pop favorite has moved into melodic pastures that Beck could only dream of. “Below the Branches” is a great mix of both the modern indie milieu and power pop roots. The entire album has a a Brian Wilson meets The Flaming Lips vibe and it is glorious. The song ” Ever thought of coming back” is heavy on the Beach Boys piano with a great hook. A bit of Kelley’s vocal approach is similar to Ray Davies earnest wail, but with a bit more muscle and less snarl. The album then settles in a mellow groove, with “Summer’s Easy Feeling,” but comes right back to life with a very Kinks-like “Memory Collector.” In fact, the second half of the album lingers in Kinks territory. This is a great CD – not to be missed, by you Power Pop fans out there. Get it at amazon.com