The Kelley Deal 6000

Go To The Sugar Altar (Nice)
by Katy Shea

After four months in rehab in Minnesota last year with only her acoustic guitar, Kelley Deal emerged with the songs and the vision that would eventually lead to the creation of Go To The Sugar Altar, her first “post-Breeders” project, and notably, her first independent songwriting experience “post-Kim.” The album is filled with sugar-sweet pop hooks and enough sexy, funky levity to bring her clearly out of twin sister’s illustrious shadow and into her own “Girlie Action.” Apparently spurning the advances of the bigger industry labels, the album was released on Kelley’s own Nice label, further establishing the individual spirit that seems to fuel this bright, inventive record. Although the general sound – guitar distortion, quirky lyrics, driving beat, and of course, the Deal voice – are reminiscent of The Breeders and even the Pixies, she displays, along with her band, The Kelley Deal 6000, a versatility and looseness that sets her and her band apart. On the “hummability” tip, this woman can write a mean hook. Especially on tracks like “Canyon” and “How About Hero,” her talent for entwining strong melodic ideas with simple guitar hooks and shaking it all up into something unique enough to be interesting and accessible enough to be understood makes her future as an indie tunesmith look bright and full of promise. “Sugar” is by far the song with the most groove and soul. It’s a seductive tryst and deserves special mention as it’s a more marked departure than other tunes on the CD. “Goodnight” is the last song on the album. If you close your eyes, the gentle and surreal effects of the guitar’s narrative melody lines will take you into a David Lynch movie of uncertain derivation and leave you with an unrelenting need to Go To The Sugar Altar again.