The new Album 'Leaving the Past' is available at iTunes Store
The new Album 'Leaving the Past' is available at AMAZON USA
Little more than a year after „Nights & Pearls“ Tom Kelly’s Music Factory’s third album – „Leaving the Past“ – is now being released. It contains more elements of pop and chill out; musically it’s more coltish than its predecessors. In fact its title „Leaving the Past“ meets the content of this autobiographically influenced work very well, much more than the other albums. While „Sciopadroxiu“ was the beginning of an idea originating around the millenium on the island of Lefkada in Greece, “Nights & Pearls†was a concept album basically influenced by moods and impressions Tom Kelly had experienced during his travelling in Southern Europe. It took him more than five years however, until his firstling finally appeared – exclusively in the iTunes Music Store – in August of 2005.
With „Sciopadroxiu“ Tom Kelly had adopted a completely new creative route, shaking off his musical past. In the 1980’s, known as the front man and singer of the rock group, Tom Kelly Band , and in the 1990’s, as a member of Liars Dance, he consequently followed his own personal and unmistakable sound.
It’s still difficult to classify Tom Kelly’s Music Factory’s music in a single unique style, as its sounds range from rock and pop to funk and chill out. Songs such as ‘Painting Grace‘, ‘Blue Night and City Lights‘, and the perhaps somewhat more obscure ‘In the Desert‘, are evidence of an interesting mix of rock and chill out. Kelly’s rock origins are clearly heard in these songs. However the musicality and the sentiments aren’t limited to these specific genres, and in fact the songs could easily pass for non-electronic music.
What became apparent in the first album – „Sciopadroxiu“ – was brought to perfection with the arrival of „Nights & Pearls“ in 2007, another exclusive iTunes Store release. „Tom Kelly’s Music Factory“ had obviously developed in the meantime and was now using all resources at its disposal. Tom Kelly redefined himself in a new way. „Nights & Pearls“ was full of new ideas and peerless sound mixes. The sound was warmer, the CD had a clear concept, was much more compact than ‘Sciopadroxiu‘, and the songs were somewhat mellower than the first CD. The songs lead the listener into different worlds and mystical spheres. The album realized substantial success in the iTunes Store: „Crimson Tide“, „Theme from P.A. Part 1“ and „Illusions In Neon“ were some of the songs listed for weeks in the Top Twenty internationally, in different countries and iTunes Charts.
„Leaving the Past“ is exceeding the expectations aroused by the first two albums from Tom Kelly’s Music Factory. From the beginning, the album is a firework of ideas and variety. The sound is accessible and direct while enfolding and embracing. The album as well as the song titles are autobiographical; all song titles were chosen carefully to match the emotion of each song.
It’s even more difficult to define the musical genre of „Leaving the Past“ than it was with the first two albums: from the opener „Live in Obsession“ to „Walkabout On Wood“ the music surprises with classic, chill out, rock, metal and rock n’ roll elements. The drums are very lively and playful; the spherical sounds converge skillfully into the arrangement. The sound of the album is earthy and natural, due especially to the acoustic- and electric guitars parts arranged throughout. „Appearance“, „Autumn Lake“, „The Girl from Torre Guaceto“ and „I Suppose We Could...“ convey the necessary sereneness to the album, without losing suspense. Despite the variety of the music styles – or perhaps thanks to this variety – „Leaving the Past“ is a complete piece. Tom Kelly and Armand Volker consciously take a step into an exciting and promising future, without making compromises.
With „Leaving the Past“ Tom Kelly has succeeded in forming an elegant balancing act using many different music styles. The style is unmistakably “Tom Kelly’s Music Factory“. He boldly rocks in the songs „Jump B-four“, „Over the Mountain Range“ or „Bounce of Metal“ (the last of which tends toward Trash Metal). For sensitive ears he has „The Mentor Song“, „Back from Silly Valley“ or „Beautiful Skin (In Memory of Anna Göldi)“, a hommage to Anna Göldi who was murdered in the last European witch trial of 1782. With „Walkabout On Wood“ the album ends in the same way it begins: groundbreaking and with a great amount of musicality.
