If you're a regular reader, you know I love me some Kelley Stoltz. His newest album has been on almost constant rotation since I got my paws on it a few weeks ago.

Circular Sounds finds Stoltz still alone in his home recording studio, but this time hanging out with his Gretchs, Gibsons, and Ricki Ram more than the piano pictured on the cover of his critically acclaimed album, Below the Branches.

Stoltz furthered his commitment to the environment with his new album and again offset the electricity used to record it with help from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and Green-e. He was the first to use that cute 'lil e to signify the fact that he bought certified renewable energy certificates to green the recording back in 2006.

Music often tells the story you don't have the guts to tell. On "Put My Troubles to Sleep", Circular Sounds tells the story of breaking up with your lover and rolling over to their side of the bed and finding them not there. "Morning Sun" revels in the moments early in the morning when the city around you is just waking up. "To Speak to the Girl" rounds off the batch by simply describing that "it's hard.....to speak to the girl."

So if you find it hard to speak to the girl, let Circular Sounds speak for you. The jams will speak to you here.

Labels: Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Kelley Stoltz, sarah, Sub Pop

As part of Kelley Stoltz's recent tour to Australia and New Zealand, Mistletone Records and Touring is putting on a climate cool event in Melbourne. From the Mistletone website:

As well as his headline show at the Corner Hotel on Saturday February 9 (with The Lucksmiths + Ross McLennan - grab your tickets now!), Kelley Stoltz and a host of special musical guests are playing a carbon neutral show at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal, Sunday February 10.

The Theatre Royal show, coined Tonnes Of Fun, is co presented by the Mount Alexander Sustainability Group, a non-government organization comprised of householders and local schools, businesses, and community organisations, all taking action as a community to combat climate change.

MASG will coordinate a competition Tonnes Of Fun at the show, where attendees can have their annual carbon emissions calculated by completing a short survey/questionnaire, with a Kelley Stoltz pack for the winner. The show itself is also carbon neutral.

It’s a fitting marriage. Kelley’s third album Below the Branches was the first record in music industry history to be packaged with the Green-e logo, promoting the use of renewable energy. Kelley tracked his electricity use and with the help of the Green-e program, offset all the electricity used to record his record with green tags from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. In Kelley’s words:

“Using renewable energy to offset the electricity I needed to power my guitar amps and my recording machines was a simple and effective way for me to do something about my impact on the environment. Green-e certifies that I am buying 100 percent renewable energy. Hopefully, people will see their logo; check into what they do, and make renewable energy a part of their lives, too.”

Tickets are $20 + BF and on sale now for Kelley Stoltz at Theatre Royal, or ph 03 5472 1196). Support comes from locals Roostar and Archer, together with Melbourneites Sime Nugent, the sublime Lisa Miller, plus R&B garage party chaos from The Breadmakers. Doors at 2.30pm, Kelley Stoltz on stage at 8pm.

Labels: Australia, green resources, Kelley Stoltz, sarah

Sundance 2008! Whoo-hoo!

I took a little trip to Utah over the weekend to take in the sights in lovely Park City, Utah. A brief power-outage in the middle of the Sub Pop showcase stopped the show, the cause of which is still undetermined (maybe Robert Redford wanted to green the festival through mandated energy efficiency?).

The highlight, besides the showcase, was a quick swim in a 10,000 year old crater. The crater, a 20 minute drive from Park City and 40 minutes from Salt Lake City, is a great, relaxing retreat amidst a busy tour, and probably one of the most amazing multi-sensory experiences I've ever had.

The crater looks like a rock version of Pantheon in Rome (left), a big dome with a hole in the center. From the inside it's a gorgeous calcified crater with azure clear water naturally heated to 90 degrees all year round by geothermal energy. Yup--a natural hot spring. Here are some more Flickr shots.

Mmmmmmm.

Labels: Kelley Stoltz, sarah, Sundance, tour resources, Utah

Upon creating my holiday iMix, I stumbled upon this track by a Leeds-based group, Buen Chico. Their newish album (released in October) featured this season appropriate jam:
Giving Your Gifts by Buen Chico

With every minor-chord followed by some rammy happy chords, this jam makes me feel like a teenager again, instantly transporting me back to my Pennsylvanian high school days of rushing to see the next Supergrass feature in the NME , my asymmetrical haircut flapping in the breeze ala Rachael from Slowdive. So transported in my reverie was I, that I did a little research on these dudes and found that, lo and behold, they offset the emissions associated with producing their last album! RAD! As you know, I love it when my worlds collide.

NewConsumer.com reported on the story back in August and included this quote about their eco-intentions from Morgan Tatchell-Evans, who fronts Buen Chico:

"Basically, global warming is a theme present in quite a few of our songs, so we want to put our money where our mouth is. Obviously virtually anything you do as a band or with any project will have a potential carbon footprint, but there are things you can do to minimise the effect. Hopefully as we go on we'll be able to tighten up on emissions related to other things we do as well. I think it's important for any artist to speak up about what is one of the most critical issues affecting the world at the moment. We just have to try and sweeten the deal with some hummable tunes!"

Hummable, indeed! And applaudable, too! This rounds out the roster of indie-darlings who not only have downright lovely records, they care enough for their fans and the environmental impact of their music. Andrew Bird, anyone?! Kelley Stoltz, anyone?! Guster, anyone?! Take that, Pitchfork!

Come on! Give me more ammo! What other indie artists are out there making great music while being environmentally-conscious?

Labels: Andrew Bird, Buen Chico, carbon neutral, guster, Kelley Stoltz, sarah

Kelley Stoltz and I sat down with Meet the Planet and discussed the greening of his record, Below the Branches and his plans to green his next record--due out on Sub Pop Records in a couple months.
Listen here

Labels: interview, Kelley Stoltz, renewables, sarah

Labels: fan resources, Kelley Stoltz, Matt Costa, renewables, sarah