A glorious throwback to when pop was a term to be embraced, the new record from Chris Stamey reveals the depth of the legendary figure's power as both performer and composer. Anything is Possible, with contributions from contemporaries The Lemon Twigs, is one of Stamey's most consistent solo records to date, and a reminder of how to construct a song, bring it to life, and get it to linger in my ear and mind of a listener.
The Jerome Kern-y "I'd Be Lost Without You" is the lead cut and it's elegant, while a crunchy "Anything is Possible" brings things back to Stamey's past with The dB's. The lovely "After All This Time" is old fashioned in its charms, and sits nicely near a run at "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder" by The Beach Boys. With help from The Lemon Twigs, Stamey puts his own mark on the Pet Sounds classic. Recorded before the untimely death of Brian Wilson, it now seems like a very fitting tribute to the legend from another legend of American music. Similarly, "In a Lonely Place" is pure power pop goodness, a throwback to Stamey's own dB's stuff, and the material which clearly influenced them from earlier eras, while "Done with Love" is sp neatly constructed as to serve as a sort of textbook example for anyone taking up pen to write a pop song.
Anything is Possible works best as a songwriter's showcase. Chris Stamey isn't trying to recreate the glories of The dB's here, though the listening pleasures are similar. What he's doing is serving up 10 tunes immacuately crafted, and one smart and appropriate cover. It's almost like Anything is Possible is a crash course into why Chris Stamey matters, why his skills need to be cherished. Smart yet heartfelt, concise yet elegantly embellished, the songs here are all superbly realized, and each is an individual gem that puts most contemporary pop songwriters to shame. This is a classic in Chris Stamey's solo catalog.
Anything is Possible by Chris Stamey is out on Friday, July 11 via Label 51 Records.
More details on Chris Stamey via his official site.
My 2017 interview with Chris Stamey is here.
[Photo: Chris Stamey by John Gessner]