Is it possible to lose your voice if you can't even speak to begin with? Such is the conundrum Kelley Stoltz faces on his latest record, Circular Sounds. Stoltz has cheerfully exclaimed his sonic progression from lo-fi to “mid-fi,” which accounts for something since his last couple records sounded terrible (and this is coming from a K Records fan). Unfortunately, the sonic clarity only exposes his vocal shortcomings. During the absurdly loud, horn- and bell-laden chorus of album opener “Everything Begins,” Stoltz sounds as if his own devices are about to muscle him out of the tune, as he weakly creaks against a bombastic backdrop.
Indeed, Stoltz’ voice is better suited for quieter – not necessarily poorer-sounding – environs, notably on the hushed, Perspex-referencing love song “Gardenia” and the elegant sorrow tune “Something More.” However, when he returns to the big ‘60s rock sound, he sometimes achieves – and sometimes fails – to reach, his voice falters yet again; check the swaying “Mother Nature” and the non-starter “I Think I Lost My Mind” for the pudding’s proof.
If Kelley Stoltz can’t find his literal vocal range, he seems to refuse to look for his theoretical voice – that is, some trademark sound, something that makes his music interesting, something that doesn’t blatantly steal or borrow from other more notable musicians. It hurts to recognize that the strongest songs on Circular Sounds are the ones that contain the most obvious musical thievery. “Tintinnabulation” may have an appealingly jaunty and propulsive beat, but its opening also carries a too-close interpolation of the melody of Elliott Smith’s “Son of Sam.” Elsewhere, the entire structure of “The Birmingham Eccentric” sounds a lot like The Velvet Underground’s “Waiting For The Man.”
Except for the admittedly awesome surf-rock instrumental “Reflecting,” there’s nothing done on Circular Sounds that you can’t find done better on old vinyl, battered mixtapes, and (shudder) Counting Crows albums. Maybe “super-fi” will help?
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