"My Regime" is the tenth album by San Francisco psych pop artist Kelley Stoltz. After several critically acclaimed albums of impressive baroque pop gems mixing Californian 1960s psychedelia, jangle pop, and art rock, Stoltz goes into the endless and always reliable melodic legacy of the 1980s to construct one of the catchiest and stylish bodies of work of his career. I appreciate how sonically it’s not a revival album with 1980s production value per se but instead, uses the melodic sensibilities and some key sonic traditions of the time to give his music an effective appeal. One of my favorite albums of the year.

Something else from the press release:
Kelley Stoltz enters his 20th year in the record business with the release of his 10th full length album, “My Regime.” A longtime DIY home recording multi-instrumentalist, Stoltz again engineers, mixes and plays all the instruments on the album and his unique brand of “60’s/80’s” pop, garage-rock and folk sounds seem to have gotten better with age.

“My Regime” was recorded during an emotional year that saw him get engaged to marry, his father pass away and his tenure as rhythm guitarist with longtime heroes Echo & the Bunnymen come to an end. Jovial and reflective moods ensued and were put to tape by Stoltz in his Electric Duck Studios at home in San Francisco.

RIYL: Sonny & The Sunsets, The Church, Ric Ocasek, Chris Cohen, and Echo & The Bunnymen.

FCC CLEAN!
Recommended Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9!!!, 10, 11, 12

1. (3:15) ***Sister – Medium/medium-up tempo. Jangle guitars, calm echoey vocals. Striking build-up. Sax solo towards the end. Part Dire Straits, part The Clean. Yeah.
2. (3:39) *2020 – Medium-up tempo. Classic psych pop Kelley Stoltz sound. Nice rhythm. The Church forever.
3. (3:31) ***Turning Into You – Medium-up tempo. The single of the album. Pure psych pop perfection. I love the 1980s vibe. Ric Ocasek would be proud.
4. (2:49) **My Regime – Medium-up tempo. More classic psych pop Kelley Stoltz sound here. Cool vocals. Brings to mind early XTC.
5. (3:11) Uh Oh – Medium-up tempo. Part psych rock, part folk pop piece.
6. (3:22) ** Good To See You – Medium-up tempo. More pure psych pop perfection here.
7. (3:50) **Your Life – Medium tempo. Tasteful psych pop composition. Cool calm echoey vocals. Part ELO, part Lloyd Cole and the Commotions.
8. (3:39) ***Perfect Stranger – Medium-up tempo. Solid jangle rock cut with synths and great vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the album. Sonny & The Sunsets forever.
9. (4:07) ****Fire On Fire – Medium-up tempo. What a track. Pure psych pop perfection wrapped in a 1980s vibe. My favorite song on the album.
10. (3:51) ***Baby, Be Good To Me – Medium-up tempo. Lounge pop with a great piano riff and calm echoey vocals. Another great track.
11. (3:21) **Zonked – Medium-up tempo. Classic psych pop Kelley Stoltz sound part III. Part Echo & The Bunnymen, part Sonny & The Sunsets.
12. (3:53) *Things Go Bump – Medium-up tempo. Classic psych pop Kelley Stoltz sound part IV. The epilogue of the previous track. Great ending cut.