Album Review: Euphoria by Chris Stamey

Chris Stamey spent much of Lovesick Blues luxuriating in a hazily romantic twilight, but he eases himself into the bright light of a new day on its 2015 successor, Euphoria. That so much of this new day is quite deliberately reliant on yesterday doesn't signal a creeping nostalgia as much as Stamey's comfort with building upon his power pop past. Certainly, he's spent much of the new millennium revisiting his roots, whether it was staging tribute concerts to Big Star 3rd or reuniting the dB's, but Euphoria is where he consolidates these dalliances with yesteryear and marries them to modern sensibilities.

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In the 21st century, Yep Roc has become something of a facilitator for career renaissances for a host of celebrated critical favorites. Beginning with 2001’s The Convincer, Nick Lowe released a string of fantastic albums that saw an impeccable return to form. Similarly, Robyn Hitchcock and Paul Weller put out some of the best work of their respective careers on Yep Roc.

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Chris StameyEuphoria(Yep Roc)Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars If it seemed like dB’s frontman and co-founder Chris Stamey was consciously shifting to a quieter, more romantic approach on his lovely if downbeat 2013 solo album Lovesick Blues after that band’s raging 2012 reunion, Euphoria returns him to the ringing power-pop waters he is best known for. The opening “Universe–Sized Arms” sets the tone with its multi-tracked strumming guitars, glockenspiel and sweeping chorus along with horns, strings and backing vocals. It’s an audacious start and arguably one of Stamey’s finest recorded moments.

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