Chris Stamey - Travels in the South (12 tracks) +Album Reviews

Superb return to solo work for one-time dB

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 08/01/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Though it's been 14 years since Stamey issued his last power-pop solo work (that is, discounting 1995's free-form instrumental LP "Improper Linear Models..."), he's hardly been away from the music industry. Having garnered significant college radio and club fame in the 1980s with the dBs, as a sideman for Alex Chilton, and with and a string of solo albums, Stamey stepped out of the limelight to spend time as a producer for alt.country acts like Whiskeytown, Caitlin Cary, Alejandro Escovedo, and many others.

His time in the studio is evident in the rich productions he's crafted for his mid-life songs of travel - often Spectorian in grandeur, but more spare in their layering. From the opening "14 Shades of Green" Stamey's trademark chiming guitars and quirkily memorable melodies are front and center. The lyrics beautifully chart reminiscences of high-school's geographic and emotional landmarks ("Here's where we went to class / A hundred hours a day / Here's where we smoked grass / And laughed our cares away"). Similarly, the Paul Simon-esque "In Spanish Harlem" takes a loving, wide-eyed stroll through the Brill Building-era of New York City ("Kenny Burrell doesn't know how to play out of tune / The orchestra swells across Fifth Avenue / Hal Blaine hits the drum so hard / You forget just where you are / In Spanish Harlem").

As he's done on earlier solo works, Stamey stretches well beyond jangle-pop, adding touches of blues, jazz and soul to his often melancholy tunes. He also stretches out instrumentally, clocking several tracks over the five minute mark, and many more over four. The catchiness of the 2'30" single is here, such as the British Invasion-meets-the-Byrds guitar riff of "Alive," but stretched and explored more deeply than AM radio would have ever allowed. By touching not only his personal memories, but the musical, social and philosophical influences (e.g., "Kierkegaard") from which they were born, Stamey's greatly deepened the content to which he puts his considerable song craft. This is an album long in the making - both emotionally and practically - but quite worth the wait."

Glad He's Back

Blackberry Tea | Kansas | 07/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stamey is a guy who has never disappointed me - from Sneakers to the dBs to his solo stuff. His music is always very well crafted and interesting. This record is no exception. If you are a fan, I bet you will enjoy it. If you are new to the guy, take a chance. Mature, fun and smart!"

Chris Stamey achieves a rare feat in contemporary music

Blackberry Tea | 06/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An absolute gem. Musically, lyrically, sonically brilliant.
Chris Stamey has been quoted as saying that he wanted to be adventurous and make the kind of record they use to make in the late 60's. He succeeded. This is the kind of ambitious record you can only get from a major artist who isn't on a major label.
I love this CD."

He's Back

Blackberry Tea | 07/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great album, from wall-of-sound to great solos. Well-crafted songs, brilliantly arranged. 10 years is too long a layoff -- let's hope Chris gets back into the studio quick."

Unexpected And Impressed

Daufhin Thorndike | New York , NY | 07/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album came out of left field for me. I've never been much of a db's fan, but have loved Chris' work with Whiskeytown, REM, and Alejandro Escovedo. I took a chance on this record based on reviews I read when this was released. Let me say, I am glad I listened. More often that not critics are off the mark and not a good indicater of whats best about music, but in this case they had it right. This is a wonderful record from start to finish. Chris Stamey really delivers here. His talents as a producer and musician are widely recognized, but I never expected him to make such a solid record for himself. It is pure pop through and through- nothing rocks too hard here- but I love how he keeps it interesting and is still able to reel the listener in and hold thier attention. Alot of the songs at face value seem like very traditional pop songs, but what makes them stand out so well is that he does take alot of unexpected detours along the way, forsaking the obvious in many of the songs here, and instead leaning toward the eclectic. But never does he go overboard, and as a result we get an album of finely crafted pop songs with an arthouse sensibility. Also, I have to mention what may be the best part here. When this album was released the first pressing included a bonus cd. The cd was an all- instrumental version of the album, and in my opinion it is as good or better than the album itself. The songs are all represented in the same sequence as the album, but the great part is that instead of just removing the vocal tracks from each song- Chris has remade each song into all instrumental versions that at times are very different from the originals, but still holds true to the original enough to be recognized. In this cd you can really see Chris' strengths as a top- notch producer come through. I HIGHLY recommend that anyone who is a fan of his to try and track down this bonus cd which was titled as "The Speed Of Sound: Instrumental Remixes From Travels In The South". It is as good or better than the album itself, and is a wonderful compliment to it as well, showcasing the quality and strength of each song is a very enjoyable and unique way."

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