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Aug 16, 2023 Web Exclusive By Ian Rushbury

Chris Stamey is a pocket legend. Wherever keen students of rootsy American-anglophile pop-rock gather, his name will be spoken about in hushed whispers. As a member of The dBs and a collaborator with Alex Chilton, Yo La Tengo, and Pylon, among others, he’s a little bit like the tallest kid in eighth grade. How does that impact on his ninth solo album, The Great Escape?

There is no denying that Stamey has a way with a tune. The Beach Boys influenced “I Will Try” is low key and lovely and “Greensboro Days” is a tight pop-rocker enlivened by a memorable chorus. Unfortunately, the standout tune on the record is “She Might Look My Way”—an Alex Chilton cover.

The bulk of The Great Escape is polite and pleasant, but lacks something indefinable. It would be foolish to expect Stamey to come on like a snarling punk-rock dervish, but this record, while having a certain charm, doesn’t really linger long in the memory.

There is one other song worthy of discussion on The Great Escape. “Sweetheart of the Video” takes the country-rock stylings that permeate the record and does something interesting with them. Pedal steel guitar punctuates a lovely chord progression and Stamey’s lyrics are simply put and fit beautifully. For a moment you can see why he is held in such high regard. If the rest of the record was at this level, we’d be talking about a candidate for one of the albums of the year. Instead, we get an album that hints at what could have been. (www.chrisstamey.com)

Author rating: 5.5/10