Steve Poltz Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
There is an unwritten rule known to the various gatekeepers of the music business, be they A&R people, booking agents, or even critics: given the chance to audition or make a demo tape, songwriters almost invariably will present their worst songs, leaving their best ones to the end or not playing them at all unless coaxed. It is unclear whether songwriters just tend to be terrible judges of their own material or they think their more conventional material is more likely to further their careers; maybe it's a little of both. This observation comes to mind with regard to Steve Poltz's album Unraveling. Poltz recorded 22 songs, which he divided into two albums, Traveling, released to retail, and Unraveling, implied to be a collection of also-rans from the sessions, to be sold only at his gigs. (In fact, all 22 songs could have fit on one 75-minute CD.) Of course, Unraveling is by far the superior collection. Much of the reason for this is that Poltz is a witty, idiosyncratic writer, and the songs on Unraveling are ones on which he has let his imagination run wilder than usual. From the opening rocker, the socially conscious "Bombs" to "Tied Down," an account of a jealous lover's murder of his adulterous partner, and on to "Light in Your Eyes," which has an entire verse about watching a monkey pull someone's tooth in Morocco, Unraveling is full of songs with closely observed, individual details and bizarre, delightful descriptions. Traveling also has some excellent songs and is worth hearing, but Unraveling, the album the songwriter seems less confident in showing to the public, is actually the one to hear. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Singer/songwriter Steve Poltz demonstrates his craftsmanship on Traveling, a varied album of story-songs that range from complete fiction to apparently straightforward autobiography. The latter is represented by the longest cut, "Brief History of My Life," which follows Poltz from Canada to San Diego, including encounters with Liberace and Elvis Presley along the way. Those provide examples of Poltz's wit, which occasionally tips over into sarcasm. But he can also be seriously critical, as in "Street Fighter's Face," a first-person imagining of the life of a Marine wounded in Iraq that is part of a long tradition of antiwar folk songs, even if this one is set to a driving rock arrangement. Producer and multi-instrumentalist Billy Harvey deserves credit for that musical setting as for the others, which can give a pop sheen to Poltz's otherwise quirky songs. Harvey coaxes varied vocal performances from Poltz, even including falsetto, and makes his music more accessible than it might be with just the singer and his acoustic guitar. In doing so, he serves the songs well and makes them the point of the disc, as they should be with a songwriter as clever as this. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Steve Poltz had the chance to record his first solo album in 1997, after Jewel's "You Were Meant for Me" -- a song he had co-written with the singer/songwriter -- spent months in the upper reaches of the charts. Poltz, who had been in the Rugburns for several years, took full advantage of his opportunity, turning in One Left Shoe, an album filled with collaborators, cameos and producers of the first rank. Like Jewel, Poltz is an unassuming singer/songwriter whose primary strength is melody, not lyrics. However, his lyrics aren't as simplistic as Jewel's, which adds a bit of weight to One Left Shoe. The music also has a bit more weight than Pieces of You, largely because it wasn't recorded live in concert. Producer J. Steven Soles gives Poltz's appealing adult alternative pop a slight folk and alt-country edge, bringing in such musicians as Benmont Tench, Jim Keltner, Van Dyke Parks, Jewel and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones horn section for cameos. The detailed, considered production makes the dull moments tolerable, and they add a nice sheen to the best songs. Poltz still sounds a little unsure of himself in places on One Left Shoe, but on the whole, it's a promising debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
