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After 16 years, Notlame Recordings is over...
Click HERE to keep in touch with Bruce!
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AWESOME NEW POP!
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POWER POPPIN' GOODNESS!
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MELODIC SWEETNESS!
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LANNIE FLOWERS
"Circles"
"Same Old Story" (2008)
WOW!!! Listen up - Lannie Flowers` "Circles" will amaze almost any Not Lamer..
Vocally, he sounds like a combination of Nick Lowe and Walter Clevenger and musically, the sounds are similar, too. The material here is an energetic and infectious declaration of power pop with straight-up melodies, laced with amble dosings of pure roots pop charm. There`s overwhelmingly catchy vibe here because this material splendorously drift from hard-wired anthemics to more open chorded, gentle sounds to sweeping, accessible and good-natured hook magic ala Badfinger and Blue Cartoon on a few here.
Sure, it may not be everyone and it`s not going to change the music sound/landscape but this parade of pure `n easy pop fun just hits the right notes, the right spunk, the right spirit. Unpretentious, clean joyous fun.
You know it, folks - Extremely Highly Recommeded!
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THREE HOUR TOUR
Amazing new album from one of the power pop genre`s finest acts, Three Hour Tour. This is classic modern power pop - think lots of Velvet Crush and Matthew Sweet. As great as "B Side Oblivion" was back in 2008, "Looking For Tomorrow" tops it in spades. Darren Cooper, leader of Three Hour Tour, delivers full-throttle.
No doubt, Cooper is back and delivers the powerful statement power pop fans long for. You will hear refrains of Myracle Brah`s Andy Bopp, post-Beatles/Badfinger, Velvet Crush and just a insanely refreshing batch of songs all over the 10 tracks here.
Featuring the massive talents of Brad Elvis, Adam Schmitt, John Richardson(Tommy Keene, Gin Blossoms) and Paul Chastain(a band called Velvet Crush); these three names are, come to think of it, all you need to know that this CD ROCKS - huge. No question: One of 2010`s very, very best. Period. No more hyperbole needed, just a fact.
BIG TIME EXTREMELY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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It`s here! 2010 studio release and Bleu does not come close to disappointing for any long time fans.
Here`s a track-by-track review from Power Pop Square blog(read the full review by clicking on the link here): "1. Singin` In Tongues An infectious opener - it shows what to expect from the album. 2. B.O.S.T.O.N. Great upbeat song. And a perfect radio single. 3. How Blue One of the most beautiful songs Bleu ever wrote. It`s a grower. After the first listen I wasn`t sure about it, now it`s my favorite along with...7. I`ll Know It When I See It Another grower. To be honest I wasn`t very impressed by the demo, but the final song is simply astonishing! 8. Evil Twin Not my fav, but I enjoy it. 9. Ya Catch More Flies With Honey Than With Vinegar .... this one. To make it clear: it`s my absolute favorite song from the album. It`s kind of epic. I can`t exactly say why, but it reminds me A LOT of Queen (in their best years). 10. Everything Is Fine It`s a collaboration with Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (from Jellyfish). A good song to close a strong album that has not a single filler song. "
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Twilley's finest, most consistent studio album since "Twilley", in almost 30 years. Twilley`s, simply, `on fire` here.
"Dwight Twilley has released an astonishing amount of archival material in the last couple of years, and now he`s followed that up with a new album of original material. `Green Blimp` is hands down the best album Twilley has released since 1978`s `Twilley` album. In truth, it`s also the first album Twilley has done since that time that hearkens back to the sound of 1976`s `Sincerely` -- short, sharp pop songs, all 3-minute modern classics. This is classic Beatles meet Elvis pop music. Few artists four decades into a recording career ever release an album this superlative. Fewer still by revisiting the sounds that first made them famous. Don`t let this one pass you by."- Pop Culture Press.
Features special guests Susan Cowsill and Rocky Burnette, plus original Dwight Twilley Band guitarist Bill Pitcock IV.
No question - NOT BE MISSED!!!
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MIMI BETINIS (Pezband & Off Broadway)
EXCLUSIVE BONUS CD-R EP!! Only available at Not Lame. FOUR Bonus Trax!
First solo album from Pezband leader! More details to come but this is something fans of Betinis, Off Broadway and Pezband have been waiting for - a long time. So the time has arrived. We`ve grabbed some samples of a variety of the songs on "All That Glitters" for you to savor and enjoy!
"It`s tempting to think of ALL THAT GLITTERS as a long-lost 4th Pezband album... Pezband`s RUBBER SOUL or REVOLVER -- thirty years in the making. After all, ALL THAT GLITTERS boasts rich, multi-layered production, inventive songwriting, and the iconic vocals of Pezband`s lead singer Mimi Betinis. But while the poppy "Love Is Just a Thin Veneer," may harken back to the skinny tie era -- with its twangy guitars and soaring background vocals, by the time you hit the chorus (arranged with cello and violin), you quickly realize that it`s not 1979 anymore and this is not a Pezband record. Which is just fine. In fact, better than fine. What emerges over the course of the next 10 tracks is an artfully-crafted collage of song textures and styles that fit together masterfully. " - Power Pop Criminals
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MICHAEL CARPENTER & THE CUBAN HEELS
"The Incomplete Cuban Heels"(w/ bonus CD)
BONUS CD VERSION - Only 100 made and there`s 50 here at Not Lame.
The latest Michael Carpenter project has arrived..this one with his root/pop/alt-country side project The Cuban Heels. It`s an truly amazing release and it`s hitting all the right buttons for this uber-fan. Recorded with outstanding sound, live-in-the-studio, the songs here evoke the spirit of the rooftop sessions of "Let It Be", "Basement Tapes" Dylan and The Band and Mick Taylor era Rolling Stones - throw in a bit of Wilco, while you`re at it.
Recordings made over three highly productive sessions (2008-2010) with the band all tracking live and with minimal overdubbing, netted a total of 20 tracks. "The Incomplete Cuban Heels" pulls together 11 of these.
Bonus songs are listed at this link - ONLY 100 pressed up bonus version!!
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With gorgeous emulations of Neil Finn/Crowded House, Squeeze, Ben Folds, Bourgeois Tagg and Tears For Fears, "Big" attempts to echo the organic sounds of the 70`s; combining achingly beautiful harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys with a layered approach to instrumentation. With Chicago-like horns and strings passages that recall the pure pop of ELO.
What makes this of special note for Not Lamers is the work of Bleu in the production department. His creative flourishes and embellishment further imprint Courtey Murphy alongside Bleu`s work making "Big" `big` sounding and a more than just worthy display of his inspirations. The pure pop formula combined with late 70s/early 80s AOR are a winning combination, beginning to end.
Projects like this don`t arrive on the scene too often and you`ll be glad to hearing passionate piano-based compositions rise above the din of mediocrity and take up warm residence in your `play`collection. Yes, Extremely Highly Recommended.
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An excellent energy-infused power popping event that brings back the heady new wavey days of the late 70s - an early Elvis Costello and high-energy Joe Jackson feel with `Slumberjet`. The material here leaps out of your speakers with a pure pop abandon as a skinny-tie-ish barrage of incredibly tight song-smithing dance around. All the songs crackle with lots of up-tempo energy - Always harmony driven and thick with those well-harmonized hooks.
"9 out of 10. Featured guests include former Cardinal member Eric Matthews singer/songwriter Duncan Maitland and Pugwash members Aidan O`Grady and Keith Farrell who also produced the album. Starting strong with "The Strangest Game" you hear a little of all those influences wrapped into a forceful chorus...The more you listen, the more you`ll find yourself humming along. The final track "Thanks" is a sweeping Beatlesque orchestration that hasn`t been done this effectively since Tears for Fears, and will give you goosebumps. Makes the top ten list for best power pop album of 2010 easily."
Extremely Highly Recommended!
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CHRIS MURPHY
Australian import on Michael Carpenter`s Big Radio label, Chris Murphy is an artist whose work will be familiar to many Not Lamers as he`s the leader of Australian power pop band, Murphy`s Lore, whose albums were on this site for many years and his solo album `Elbow Room`, also, impressed.
This is a special, limited pressing release that was made up to take on a big, long tour that Murphy is under-taking in Australia but I managed to wrestle some copies from him for you. Yes, y
This is a compilation of a bunch of new tracks AND a revisiting of his older tunes and then updating them with a bit(well, a lot) of Michael Carpenter production flourish. Shine, they do. Carpenter just `has a way`. The sonics here are crystal clear letting the pure pop backdrop of melodies push out front and make a big positive impression for a winner. Proof? Get listening below and I`ll just rest my case
VERY Limited and Big Time Recommended to jump on - now!
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Lamar Holley has created an fascinating, striking and totally awesome pondering of Brian Wilson baroque construction, Jellyfish, Queen and Jon Brion inspiration. He dials back the instrumentation on `Lo-Fi` and goes for a more song-oriented, keyboard/piano base.
Musically it concentrates on keyboards and perfect harmonies that plays a bit like Ben Folds without the bitterness--The compositions here are full of cascading melodies and layer upon layer of harmonies, dense instrumental details and genuine passion. Every song here is meticulously constructed for maximum emotional impact and simply, straightforwardly presented.
Complete with Brill Building style arrangements, Lamar Holley`s `Lo-Fi` is going to warm you with its storytelling and melodic grounding. Extremely Highly Recommended!
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VINYL CANDY
2010 Release! Vinyl Candy are not only principally inspired by Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, Kyle Vincent, Supertramp and The Candy Butchers, you get the sense on listening to this debut that they live and breathe this music in every waking moment. Dedication to this type of pop art is more than casually noted. This is premium sugar-coated pop hookery, my friends.
Vinyl Candy takes you back to a time when the music was fresh, inviting and warm. Pulling even more influences from the Beach Boys, Beatles, Eagles, Supertramp, Queen, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac and many others, its safe to say Power-Pop has never been more alive. Vinyl Candy`s heavy musical orchestrations, coated with layers of harmonies, melody, and unique sound will quench your taste-buds like a new piece of sugary sweet bubble gum. The band just does not know how to come up short.....
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THE BOOLEVARDS
2010 release. Fans of the debut have only smiles ahead of them as the winning formula is repeated here. The kind of power pop that fans of the late 70s skinny tie power pop crave. If you are a fan of the bands on The Rubinoos, Titan Records, early The Romantics, The Flashcubes, Shoes, The Scruffs, The Heats, The Wigs, The Poppees, "Shake Some Action"-era Flamin` Groovies -- well, you have found a slice of heaven here.
The spirit of these classic hooks and magical backward glancing threaten to overwhelm the power pop fans, that is how classic the sounds of this album are for fans of this period of `power pop`. Using some of the classic instruments of the great Mersey Beat era & utilizing classic mersey recording styles (double track vocals, very clean guitar sound, two part harmony, plenty of backround oohs & aahhs, The Boolevards are a major find!
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ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE
"Ordinary People"
Order Today -- $12.00
Like their last album, `Ordinary People` teems with the ZOTS` signature orchestrated chamber pop, jangly rockers, and sinister ballads, boasting the meticulously arranged, melody-rich sound that has enchanted a devoted cabal of followers across the globe and beyond. It is cinematically rendered and relentlessly tuneful onslaught of British Invasion stomp, indie jangle, lush orch pop, and mild psychedelia--songs built to last by nerdily obsessive craftsmen with big record collections. You know: the good stuff. Their name is apt because the clear influences of both The Zombies and Andy Partridge(as in Dukes Of Stratosphere) can be found all over "The Well-Mannered Look". Echoes of The Hollies, Kinks and other circa `68 British pop bands are here, as well.
"Another collection of quality tunes suffused with a mid-to-late 60s Britpop sensibility, drawing from The Hollies, The Kinks and yes, The Zombies." - Absolute Power Pop blog
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Late 2010 studio release - soundbites coming soon! For this album, the band built a studio in an allegedly haunted building abandoned by the Canadian Navy. Attracted by the beautiful natural reverb in the admiral`s ballroom, they braved spooky supernatural experiences, then went to NYC for mixing by Michael Musmanno (Lilys). Result: their most authentic and mature work, capturing their live sound -- punchy, upbeat, with 60s roots.
"contains the sort of swirling guitar sound and distinctive melodies you`d expect to hear if R.E.M. had come together in the early 1960`s. Anthems For Doomed Youth opens with `Teenage Love Made Me Insane`, a catchy, vibrant piece of hippy psych/pop that you won`t be able to get out of your head. The pop energy in this time is likely to consume you." - Wildy's World
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Here`s something we in the power pop world don`t see too often. A decidedly progressive rock band(with the pedigree to prove it - Lo-Fi Resistance features Nick D`Virgilio of Spock`s Beard/Tears For Fears) with a deep love affair with all the elements that make the `power pop` genre work for so many of us; angelic vocals, sharp, tight melodies, hooky song constructions. With his poppy orientation, Lo-Fi Resistance freely delves into the vast expanse of modern progressive rock exploration. It`s so tightly song-constructed, in fact, it`s hard to think of `A Deep Breath` as a progressive rock pop project but it plays like one, which makes it unique, impactful and a cut above almost anything you listening to right now.
Fans of Spock`s Beard, the softer, more melodic side of King`s X(in fact, King`s X frontman Dug Pinnick appears on this record) and Roger Waters are on display but the melodies of, say, Jellyfish and Todd Rundgren anchor the preceedings down. A Deep Breath is a compelling musical journey
Offering a unique cocktail of progressive pop/rock and beyond, it refuses to conform or bask in any one particular genre.
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BRIAN RAY
Brian Ray ventures confidently, assertively with a set of stylish power pop songs that bring to mind Jason Falkner, Parthenon Huxley, World Party(Ray`s voice is similar to Karl Wallinger, actually), Brendan Benson and lots of Bleu! Translation: it has it all, pop fans. But it all ain`t pop, as Ray`s soul has classic rock `n roll flowing thru his vein, pouring out big `ole riffs on top of smooth, immediately catching melodies
Bristling excursions down scorchingly memorable rocking pop paths - the intent is pure in all the undulating melodic centers of this outstanding material.
Gotta love the fact that the two guitarists for Paul McCartney are unadulterated popsters in their private lives. Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray, both with new discs.
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May be THE best reissue of power pop for 2010! Fans of Paul Collins`Beat, The Plimsouls, 20/20 and The Laughing Dogs you-are-gonna-FREAK!
Their tunes are filled with strong melodies, irresistible hooks and creative harmonies supported by their powerful backbeat and hard driving guitars. "4 stars. For folks who`ve been wondering when Sorrows` Teenage Heartbreak would ever arrive on CD, Bad Times, Good Times isn`t the next best thing, it`s an actual improvement over the already fine original. and rescues one of the better pop bands of the `80s from oblivion; folks who like their rhythms peppy, their guitars ringing, and their harmonies tight will find lots to love on this collection."- AMG
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THE POSIES
The Posies chart unforeseen territory on Blood/Candy while holding onto their well-known signature sound. The almost entirely self-produced record boasts melodic hooks, provocative lyrics, and intricate layers of instrumentation that blend far-out, spacey sounds with sophisticated hues.
"3 1/2 stars. Blood/Candy bears the hallmarks of a project that`s tinkered on for a while. It`s not that it`s the work of fussy obsessives, the kind who can`t bear to have a single note out of place, but rather that it was completed track by track, whenever Auer and Stringfellow had the moment to finish a cut. Some of this disparity is deliberate: the duo wanted Blood/Candy to explore some sonic avenues they`ve yet to pursue. " - AMG
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MARIANAS TRENCH
So really, they should suck. BUT check out the vocals on Track #1 below. These guys have talent. They`re not scared to embrace the poppy side of their musical personality with melodies and vocals better suited to The Beach Boys, Ben Folds and Queen - lots of Queen. But they are, get this - an emo band on much of this album. Strange, right? .
"Every track is worth listening to. The harmonies, arrangements, and different styles experimented with throughout the spread of the CD are absolutely awe-inspiring. To start a disc with Queen caliber/style harmonies and then drop into a rock fused, hook filled song works far better than i ever imagined it to be." - Melodic.net
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SILVERY
TOTAL SLEEPER! "Imagine an album that sounds like the lovechild of Sparks` Kimono My House and Blur`s Modern Life is Rubbish and you will at least have a starting point as to what this CD sounds like. A very good album indeed, which will enthral and delight anyone who likes their pop music to be imaginative, eccentric and have more hooks than a fisherman`s tackle box."- Amazon. With a doff of a stove pipe hat to Blur, Bowie, XTC and Sparks, their sound is an eclectic but commercial proposition. Railway Architecture expertly blends Post-Punk, Britpop, music hall and `60s pop into tone of the year`s coolest CDs.
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THE 88
Their finest collection of songs yet. Melding various influences raging from British Invasion-era bands to 70s glam and garage rock, the self-titled album will appeal to audiences everywhere.
" 9 out of 10. An impressive effort that succeeds in being accessible and keeping your attention glued to a pile of radio-ready singles...Fans of Supergrass will find solace in the Brit-styled chord structures and impressive riffs...It`s also the most consistent album so far, without a weak song to be found...Power pop is not about innovation, so much as getting the basics right and the 88 do. Easy to classify this as one of the year`s top ten albums." - Power Pop Acholic
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Re-Stock of one of 2007's very best releases!
"Imagine, then, mid-70s Rolling Stones with Paul Collins` Beat, The Godfathers, late 80s Social Distortion, late 80s Replacements and The Psychedelic Furs. That somehow grabs it, I think. Well, in fact. Watts` sound combines all the best elements of 70s glam, old school punk, new wave, British Invasion and, oh yes, straight up rock-n-roll to create a timeless amalgam that is at once familiar and fresh.
Another one of those bands that gives me cause to remember why I have done Not Lame since 1995. Someday, I`ll figure out a way to avoid writing all these words and, when you see a CD here for sale, you just automatically listen and get it or you don`t. This is one of those that`s an easy sell or not. Why? Well, try it - LISTEN AT THIS LINK!
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THE CHURCH
2010 reissue/remaster with addition of two tracks: "Life Speeds Up" (the B-side of single "Almost with You") and "The Golden Dawn" (B-side of "When You Were Mine").
"4 1/2 stars. On their debut, Of Skin and Heart, the Church play straightforward pop/rock firmly rooted in new wave, though owing no small debt to `60s pop. Edgier and more direct than their later work, it also ranks among their finest for that very reason. None of the excesses and ambitions that would sometimes get out of hand on later releases are present, though much of the band`s basic formula was laid down -- Steve Kilbey`s cool, detached vocals and slightly surrealistic lyrics combined with some outstanding pop hooks, nice harmonies, and layers of ringing guitar. The classic "Unguarded Moment" (arguably one of the greatest singles of the `80s) overshadows much of the material on the album, but there is really no shortage of great songs here. " - AMG
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JIMMY EAT WORLD
"Arizona`s alternative rock/power pop legends Jimmy Eat World do not make throwaway albums. They are one of those bands who always records more repeat-worthy songs than not, but who set a new standard in rock that is so high, any future records will be judged by it for as long as they keep making them." - Seattle Post.
"7 out of 10. Invented represents them well. Jimmy Eat World basically do three types of songs at this point, even if elements of each often run into the others, and Invented contains 12 more solid examples of each...In the end, though, Jimmy Eat World`s neatest trick resides not in their ability to shift smoothly between these different modes, but rather in how plausibly they manage to present the entire combination as pop.- Pop Matters.
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PETER HIMMELMAN
Peter Himmelman`s first new (non-kids) album in three years! "A terrific singer-songwriter. Earnest and passionate, he has a sturdy melodic sense and deeply reflective lyrical bent adept at rooting out the toughest contradictions of everyday life and values." -- The Oregonian
CHEAP TIME
ROCKING!! Too glamtastic and bubblegum for the garage purists and too raw for indie rockers. Cheap Time`s new album, entitled Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations), proves that they are capable of further artistic leaps. " 3 1/2 stars. 3 1/2 stars. Cheap Time sound rough, snotty, and urgent on their second album, Fantastic Explanations (And Similar Situations), but the defiant shrug in this music`s attitude could have come from T. Rex, Alice Cooper, or the New York Dolls, and the raunchy guitar figures, swaggering melodies, and tempos more suited to hair swinging than the pogo strongly suggests Novak`s greatest influences aren`t just old-school punks but older-school glam rockers." - AMG
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VIEW ALL NEW RELEASES FOR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER - CLICK HERE!
DUNGEN
"4 stars. finds the band relying less and less on the fuzzy psych-rock fireworks that filled earlier albums. Instead, the guys dream up a sophisticated, widescreen version of psychedelia, with folk and offbeat jazz playing as big a role as guitar heroics. The result is part retro, part avant-garde, and part polyrhythmic elevator music, which is to say it sounds wholly Dungen.
DUCKS DELUXE
This CD bridges both their pioneering early career and current reunited incarnation. It features six newly discovered rough mixes from the 1973 `Ducks Deluxe` debut album sessions, including a non-album track, and two b-sides from `73 & `74 unavailable since then. The archive tracks are coupled with reunion recordings from 2009
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PETE YORN
The 11-song collection was produced by Frank Black (The Pixies) and is comprised of raw tracks, born of shattered nerves and shifting dreams- yet edged with hope. While in the midst of tracking Back & Forth, Yorn received an email from Frank Black suggesting they record some songs. The result is Yorn s most introspective work to date, as the self-titled album explores relationships, ambivalence and our natural fear of the future and unknown.
KELLEY STOLTZ
"Grade: B+. Stoltz, who`s been dabbling in mid-fi `60s-influenced psych-garage in the Bay Area for a decade-plus. And the guy does it just about as well as anyone right now. Those looking for boundary-pushing, genre-defying music will have to look elsewhere, but if you like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, The Byrds, Tom Petty, and The Kinks, this singer-songwriter takes those obvious influences and applies them to his rock-solid, instantly likable songs. Stoltz reminds me of a more droll version of Ray Davies, and his lyrics feature the same kind of wistfulness and melancholia found in Davies` best Kinks songs." - New Times.
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