Description
San Francisco psych-pop legend announces new album, La Fleur out June 7th, 2024.
Between outside musical projects, pushing past 50 years old and becoming a father for the first time, San Francisco psych-pop legend Kelley Stoltz has spent the past two years steadily writing and recording his 18th album, La Fleur. The dazzling 12 song collection will be released in June by Agitated in Europe/UK and Dandy Boy Records in the USA.
La Fleur finds Stoltz once again playing nearly all of the instruments on the album- though a new friendship with pop guru Jason Falkner has led to Falkner appearing on two songs, Hide In A Song and Make Believer respectively. Theres the requisite 60s meets 80s pop rock confections that Stoltz favors with a new focus on out front vocals and perhaps a bit shinier production. Pandemic era blues, politics and fatherhood are lyrical touchstones throughout.
The albums first single Renis Car is the jangle rock lead single based on an actual event of Kelley riding around Manchester in the Stone Roses drummers car. The accompanying music video was shot (partially) on location. About Time marries Twin Peaks synths to Fleetwood Mac and Avalon era Roxy Music in a cautionary tale to Stoltzs young daughter. Human Events puts revolutionary prose to a Moody Blues strum that floats off into Osees territory and do I hear a nod to Gershwin in there?
During the 2010s Kelley played live as a sideman with Rodriguez and Echo & the Bunnymen, as the 2020s dawned he was invited to support Pavement on their big reunion tour. Hes also been heard playing drums live with Robyn Hitchcock as well as adding sitar to Hitchcocks last two albums. In 2022, Stoltz was championed with a live appearance on Marc Rileys BBC6 show. As producer, he has recorded the new album by Brigid Dawson formerly of the Ohsees.
In my ears, Stoltz rarely does any wrong, and these comparisons are only just that little fruit to get you curious- he is still one of a kind. An under the radar hero to a few, and still after all these great songs, deserving of more. Climb on the bandwagon as ever its quite pleasing here.
GEORGE CLOUD San Francisco, CA 2024
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