“The Bay Area’s most reliable purveyor of psych-pop charmers” (Uncut)
KELLEY STOLTZ
announces new album, The Stylist, due June 10
on Agitated Records 

Shares new track/video “Your Name Escapes Me”

With an impressive discography (including releases on Sub-Pop, Third Man & Thee Oh Sees’ Castle Face label) full of paisley pools of pop and jangled-nerve post-punk, Bay Area one-man music machine Kelley Stoltz is a purveyor of his own unique strain of pop psychosis. Equally inspired by 60’s psychedelia and the darker sides of 80’s synth and guitar driven indie, Stoltz also has numerous friends and fans in Australia, where he has toured numerous times – including appearances at Falls Festival and Meredith with changing local pick up bands featuring members of Eddy Current Suppression RingDick Diver and legendary Melbourne scenester Julian Wu. Indeed, he’s called Australia his second home ever since local labels Corduroy and Raoul released his album “Antique Glow”, long before the rest of the world was paying attention.

“The Stylist”Kelley Stoltz‘s 17th album, finds him following up the Third Man Records reissue of his 2001 “Antique Glow”, and his late 2020 album “Ah! (Etc)”, which was a big hit with Australian press and community radio, including Sydney’s 2SER’s who made it their Feature Album upon release.    

“The Stylist” was recorded early in 2021, and has been languishing in the vinyl pressing log jam ever since – but luckily Stoltz writes timeless songs, the kind that might’ve appeared on the fringes of the late 60’s or mid 80’s.

Acoustic guitars, synthesizersdrum machines and strong melodies abound. As with his other classic records “Below the Branches”, “Double Exposure” and “Ah! (etc)” Stoltz plays most of the instruments himself and records in his home studio in San Francisco. Kelley says, “I chose the title ‘The Stylist’ because musically I guess that’s what I am… because of the way I write, at my leisure over a period of months at home, I kinda flit around between styles. It’s all in the pop-rock vein, but there’s usually a wide range of sounds and inspiration from song to song. It sort of fits together in a mix tape kind of way, rather than an exploration of one particular mood. That’s always been the case with my albums.”

The chorus-y guitar jangle of “Your Name Escapes Me” somehow name checks the New Bomb Turks, while reflecting on familiar if forgotten faces from Stoltz’s past. On “My Island” insistent piano and saxophone solos take the listener on a tropical trip to the soft rock radio dial.

Stoltz played rhythm guitar in Echo & the Bunnymen for a few years, and “We Grew So Far Apart” clangs like a lost Liverpool 80’s classic. Stoltz says, “There’s a touch more piano on this record… going back to my Sub Pop days, when I was writing more Beatle-y bits… Harry Nilsson… that kind of thing.” Indeed, the piano led “It’s a Cold World” plays like a holy union of Todd Rundgren and the Zombies where Stoltz declares, “it’s a cold world at times, but I’m not ready to give up the fight.”

Thankfully, after 23 years the beat goes on… and no matter what style Stoltz chooses, “The Stylist” is another platter of tuneful delight in the impressive catalog of one of the great songwriters of our time.

KELLEY STOLTZ
THE STYLIST

Agitated Records/Distributed in Australia by Rocket
Release date: 10th June 2022 (LP/CD)

Tracklist:
01. Change
02. We Grew So Far Apart
03. You Had To Be There
04. My Wildest Dream
05. It’s A Cold World
06. Is There Anything Better Than This, Babe?
07. Your Name Escapes Me
08. In The Night
09. Wrong Number
10. My Island

Extra CD tracks:
11. Steve & The Rats
12. Plants
13. Jacuzzi Blues

‘… the Bay Area’s most reliable purveyor of psych-pop charmers
 UNCUT

‘…It’s a rare artist who gets MOJO as excited on their seventh(ish) album as we got on their
first, but then Kelley Stoltz is a rare artist. His always-stirring mix of pop and psych tastes
different every time, but hardly ever fails to satisfy…’
– MOJO

‘… absolutely brimming with brightness and charm… delightful, put frankly... ‘
– DROWNED IN SOUND

‘…absorbing, sophisticated, feel-good, and nostalgic music like this that makes you want to
hang out with the kids from “The Jetsons”...’
– CLASH

‘… Kelley Stoltz is an unsung pop genius… His records may get ignored by Spotify algorithms and larger music sites, but it’s never too late to play catch-up…’
– BROOKLYN VEGAN

www.kelleystoltz.com
www.facebook.com/kelleystoltzofficial/
twitter.com/kelley_stoltz
www.instagram.com/kelleystoltz/

agitatedrecords.com/
www.facebook.com/AGITATEDRECORDS/
agitatedrecords.bandcamp.com/

Agitated is a UK record label, born 2009, specializing in psychedelic, rock and indie. It is UK home to Australians like The Aints, Joel Silbersher, The Straight Arrows, Headland and The Sunset Strip, as well as Howlin’ Rain, Carlton Melton, Spacin’, Birds of Maya, Star Spangled Banana and more.

Mick Pacholli

Mick created TAGG - The Alternative Gig Guide in 1979 with Helmut Katterl, the world's first real Street Magazine. He had been involved with his fathers publishing business, Toorak Times and associated publications since 1972.  Mick was also involved in Melbourne's music scene for a number of years opening venues, discovering and managing bands and providing information and support for the industry. Mick has also created a number of local festivals and is involved in not for profit and supporting local charities.        

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