Lee Kelm - Majestic Acoustic Guitar

Reviews

This guitarist/singer/songwriter, living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has released his second album, NIGHTSOUNDS. On these 14 tracks, you'll hear passionate guitar playing and a voice that reminds one of Dan Fogelberg. There are three guitar instrumentals: the sensitive and passionate JENNA'S SONG, the cheerful, almost flamenco-style THE CENTIPEDE, and the quietly introspective SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING. Lee carves out his tunes in standard and alternate tunings, each conveying its own distinctive mood. The music is coupled with a clear, clean voice that comes from that place deep inside. His lyrics are engaging and his songs are composed in a traditional folk style. THE CENTIPEDE is one of my favorite songs, which has a nice uptime tempo played in DADGAD, with appealing bluesy bendings on a great melody line. OLD 88 has a good groove, a nice bass pattern and a bluesy mood, a style, in which I think, Kelm is at his best. CASCADE-IT'S ALRIGHT is a great song with excellent guitar playing techniques and engaging lyrics. SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING, played in DADGBE, is a truly great finger-style piece. Lee uses a Taylor 612c and a Taylor 415 jumbo 6-string acoustic guitar, with GHS Phosphor bronze strings. Although Kelm has a terrific voice, his instrumentals are the most captivating, and that makes one wish for a total acoustic album, as Lee's playing techniques in altered tunings are more than outstanding.
Bridge Guitar Reviews - September 2003

Nightsounds is Lee Kelm's second CD, and contains 14 original tracks. Kelm wrote the music to each and the lyrics to all but one, which was written by his daughter Kristin. Three are guitar instrumentals: the tender and passionate "Jenna's song," the upbeat, almost flamenco-style "The Centipede" (which evokes a picture of the creature wondering which leg to begin with and then finding its scurrying stride) and the quietly introspective "Sometimes in the Morning."
Kelm is an accomplished guitarist and singer-songwriter with a pleasant voice well suited to his "new-folk" style songs. The opening track has a relentless pace to the playing, hounding the poor fellow who is the subject of the song, "Mass Confusion, he's right on track/One step forward and two steps back." After this somewhat pessimistic beginning, he does a one-eighty with the encouraging "You Can."
The title track is a gentle mood-setter, a 3-D sketch of the author looking onto a moonlit landscape, city lights adding a warm glow, sounds filtering through the window of trains and boats at work, while he becomes aware of the sound of the bedroom clock and the heartbeat of a loved one.
The powerful lyrics to "Mother Nature's Call" vividly encapsulate the feeling of seeing and experiencing a wild storm, but I felt that he missed an opportunity to evoke more of the storm within the music. The nostalgia-ridden "Friday Nights," reminiscing shamelessly through rose-coloured lenses about high school days, will probably strike chords of memory within a certain age group. He remains in similar pensive mood with "Blessed," exhorting us not to pity the man who hasn't travelled and experienced the wonders away from his hometown, as he is content with the pleasures of home and family. Within this town, however, not everybody is happy with their lot; "Charlie's Lament" is the unfortunate tale of a disillusioned man's descent into alcoholism.
Kristin's uplifting lyrics in "Never Alone" offer salvation; even though life is not necessarily fair or happy, it is made better by a hopeful attitude and a belief in angels. There is some nice finger work on "Cascade -- It's Alright," the first part being instrumental, then flowing into a real-life love song explaining that opposites and differences are all right because of love and acceptance. I felt this would lend itself well to a male and female duet, though it would perhaps detract from the integral clarity and simplicity.
There's a wryly amusing observation on people's tendency to judge by looks, the focus being a decrepit Oldsmobile; formerly top of the line, now causing paranoiac drivers to search for alternate parking spaces for fear that rust is contagious! These lyrics can be taken at face value or can be considered as metaphor for the shallow attitudes of modern life. "On The Shore" closes the album, rejoicing in the bonds of friendship and the beauty of nature.
Nightsounds is an easygoing, enjoyable album. Nothing grates on the ears, and the harsher social commentaries in a couple of tracks are virtually smothered by the feel-good vibes of the majority. "Jenna's Song" and "Never Alone" are its highlights for me. Kelm is a competent musician, with a particular gift for lyrics. Doubtless he will continue to gain popularity with a growing and appreciative audience.
- Rambles
written by Jenny Ivor
published 15 February 2003

"I have always felt that simplicity has been a big part of my life, and that is why I have never been able to read a stitch of music. I was never able to “sit still” long enough to get in the frame of mind that would allow me to read notes, scales, and learn the ins and outs of music theory. With that in mind, I decided to do what comes from the heart, and I haven’t looked back since."

This became abundantly clear when Lee’s 1999 release ”Reflections” was critically reviewed by Victory Acoustic Review Magazine which had this to say about his first CD “Reflections”.
There is a lovely simplicity and a soothing spirit in Lee’s work. He has an exceptionally nice voice with a big heart behind it, as manifest in his lyrics, his guitar playing is darn good too. “Reflections” was also described as a very tasteful, pleasant, well recorded album.

The music of Lee Kelm is like a cool dip on a warm summer’s day. He delivers his songs from the heart, with a voice of an everyman and an outlook that is refreshingly positive and grounded in simple pleasures of daily living. Combine the carefree days of childhood with the wisdom of the ages, and you get the picture. Lee’s songs are musical landscapes that capture places and people we all know, and sets them free to soar another day. An accomplished fingerstyle guitarist, Lee carves his tunes in standard and alternate tunings that each carry their own distinctive mood. Coupled with a clear clean voice that comes from that place inside all of us that wants to sing out, his compositions fuse carefully crafted lyrics, tuneful melodies, and finely woven guitar playing that touches those who hear it. His first CD “Reflections” was a peek over the fence. His latest effort “Nightsounds” opens the gate. Please come in, the waters’ fine.

- Glenn Boren - Producer/Engineer