Lamar Holley "Confessions of a College Student"

Utah native Lamar Holley emerges like a bolt out of the blue, and it’s clear he has a love of Broadway, Brill Building era songwriting style and dramatic power pop (Beach Boys, Beatles, Jellyfish, Queen, XTC). Confessions.. is like the soundtrack to an uber-nerd musical, on par with Paul Steel’s “April & I,” only at a higher grade level. The listener follows Lamar’s ups and downs during infatuation, rejection, and retrospect. Musically it concentrates on keyboards and perfect harmonies that plays a bit like Ben Folds without the bitterness. After a slick overture, the hooks start with “Biology” and the main monologue continues on the Jellyfish-styled “Forgotten Friends.” The compositions here are full of cascading melodies and layer upon layer of harmonies, dense instrumental details and genuine passion. Every song here is meticulously constructed for maximum emotional impact, and both powerhouse mid-tempo songs “Madame Shamrock” and “Pretend That’s She’s Ugly” are so catchy, you’ll be guaranteed to hear them over in your head all day long. It then takes us to the quirky “This is True” with it’s banjo lead, that reminds me of the band Fluid Ounces. The album’s second half then slows to a reverent romanticism that is the strongest musical statement I’ve heard since Pet Sounds. The next three songs that close out the album are like hymns to those “fleeting moments” of a love never requited. True to his vision, Holley will take this pop-musical on tour this fall, and I for one would not want to miss it. This album is also an easy contender for best album of 2009.

My Space | CD Baby | Lamar Holley’s site | itunes