Kelley Stoltz - Crockodials

  by Andrew Carver

published: 24 / 6 / 2005

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Kelley Stoltz is one of the premier purveyors of psych-pop in the U.S., up there with Outrageous Cherry and Cotton Mather. His music skillfully combines Syd Barrett and West Coast psychedelica, with Alexander “Skip” Spence being a particular muse. Stoltz has crafted dozens of superb originals for his two albums 'Antique Glow' and 'The Past Was Faster',so his decision to cover another artist’s album in its entirety may seem a bit odd to his fans, but there is a sort of method to his madness. Echo and The Bunnymen have their own roots in the music Stoltz draws on, and since it’s been 25 years since their debut album 'Crocodiles' why not commemorate the occasion with his own lo-fi redux of what he calls one of his personal favourites ? As it happens, 'Crocodials' was recorded in 2001 … one suspects its release is not unconnected to the decision to push back the release of his next album on Sub Pop to 2006. Stoltz’s homage is a more rambunctious and ramshackle affair than the original … it bears the same sort of relation to the 1980 model as the teenage U.S. garage bands of the 60's do to the British Invasion bands that inspired. Production wise, the album was recorded in a week on an eight-track, likely in his apartment; Mac and Co’s version was done in three in various studios around Britain. Both by design and circumstances the latter sounds a lot cleaner. Where Will Sergeant would back some clean guitar motif with jangly chords, Stoltz (who plays all the instruments) puts a buzzing stream of Syd Barrett-isms; the rhythm is often supplied by a drum machine –a distant cousin of the original Echo, no doubt! - and some hand percussion, instead of Pete DeFreitas. Even when comparing the original single of 'Read It In Books' to Stoltz’s version, the Bunnymen’s dedication to rhythmic precision stands in fairly stark contrast to the free-spirited energy and homey clutter of its 'Crocodials' counterpart. Though it’s something of a curiosity, 'Crocodials'is definitely of interest to fans of both Kelley Stoltz and Echo and the Bunnymen.

Track Listing:-

1 Going Up
2 Do It Clean
3 Stars Are Stars
4 Pride
5 Monkeys
6 Crocodiles
7 Rescue
8 Villiers Terrace
9 Read It In Books
10 Pictures On My Wall
11 All That Jazz
12 Happy Death Men

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