Tyler-James Kelly blazes his own trail with debut album ‘Dream River’

When a band ceases operations, each member usually goes off in their own direction. One of them might lay low for a while to focus on other things, another will pursue a different project with some musical friends of theirs and the other will continue their songwriting craft and establish a solo career. Providence country-blues artist Tyler-James Kelly has been an example of the latter ever since the blues-rock power trio The Silks called it a day earlier this year. Since this change occurred, Kelly has been performing all over New England and beyond with a guitar in his hand and a microphone in front of his mouth while serenading various types of audiences. He also recently released his solo debut titled “Dream River” back on November 15 via the Clover Music Group and it showcases his artistic talents in real and genuine fashion.

To begin the creation process, Kelly wrote all the songs for the album after moving into a new house with his significant other, Jess Powers. The new and serene environment sparked a sense of inspiration, which became the catalyst for the making of “Dream River.”

"My lady and I had just moved into a small, mid-century house on a hill, overlooking a river that I'd grown up swimming in," he says via the bio on his website at tylerjameskelly.com. "It's a very humble house, but it does things to you. One day, I just picked up my guitar and banged out a tune about gratitude and the peace that a home like this can bring."

For the recording end of the endeavor, Kelly went to Dead Pop Studios in Providence to work with engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Nic Coolidge. It was there that he brought drummer Bart Lingley, pedal steel guitarist Will Van Horn and bassist Lee Clay Johnson into the fold with the result being an organic sound that possesses an excellent sonic quality.

"I just want to be a torch holder for something that's very American — something that means the world to me and my community of country music lovers," he adds. "Country was originally called folk music. It's music for the people. It's stories about life. That's all I'm trying to be a part of."

“Company I Keep” starts the album off with a strumming guitar and a howling harmonica while relaying an excellent chorus. The main single is “Big Dreams,” which has a major presence of a violin along with some fantastic harmonies. A rendition of a classic Silks tune, “Mud Money” has more of a bluegrass vibe than its rock & roll predecessor, but with a similar energy. Other highlights include “Going Strong,” “She’s The Only One” and “Gone Too Soon.” It also should be mentioned that Powers does a pristine job on backing vocals throughout the entire full-length release.

For people who’d like to give “Dream River” a listen, they can log onto Kelly’s Bandcamp page at tylerjameskelly.bandcamp.com and give it a stream and perhaps even make a purchase. They can also stream it on other platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube among others. To see Kelly perform a few songs off of his album in a live setting, he’s going to be taking the stage at Strings Bar & Grill on 183 George Waterman Road in Johnston on December 17 at 7pm. Whoever attends will be able to grab a physical copy of the album as well. No matter what you do, go for a ride on the “Dream River” and love every minute of it.