reax music magazine :: music + culture » Reviews » Kelley Stoltz - Circular

I don’t hate Kelley Stoltz, I’m just a little jealous of him.  His newest release, Circular, is a little gem of pop arrangements replete with complicated layers of instrumentation and harmonies.  So why am I jealous if I appear to be a budding fan?  It comes so easy for him – he’s got a nice store of songs (enough to have four releases in four years), and they’re loaded with details that a woman (me) previously settled with her mediocre skills as a musician might be a little envious of.  

Yes, there’s an obvious nod to retro-pop, and many listeners will find hints of Emmitt Rhodes and Brian Wilson on all fourteen tracks of Circular.  I am a huge fan of the newest batch of genius pop connoisseur singer-songwriters (Jason Falkner, Brendan Benson, Jon Brion, etc) and Stoltz falls right in line with the aforementioned batch.  I thought I’d had my fill of this uber-clever almost too-catchy brand of music, but each time I pop in this CD I am pleasantly swayed.  – Susie Ulrey