Album Review: Jaret And Kelly – Sittin’ In A Tree

It’s only Jaret Reddick from Bowling For Soup and The Dollyrots‘ Kelly Ogden doing a duets album, for goodness sake. With a pedigree like that, it’s no surprise that I had high hopes of this record. The pair are long-time friends and touring buddies, and there is clearly a natural empathy and connection in the song writing process that immediately bursts through from the very first bars of fizzy pop opener Here We Go, which is a typical upbeat Dollyrots-style surf pop punk singalonga stomper. Just to defy any expectations, next up is Doin’ Alright which, with its almost country stylings, is a jaunty essay on optimism in the context of a love/hate relationship. And that’s the theme for the album; the switches in style are not disconcerting. Quite the opposite – there’s a storytelling thread that stitches together the influences of the two artists and makes this work as a piece. Yes, there are songs that could live on Dollyrots or Bowling For Soup albums, but there are also moments of quite disconcerting unexpected other brilliance, such as the sublime summer pop of That Night or the Americana of Daddy’s Girl, which recalls Dolly Parton at her dusty best. There’s even a bit of rapping in You Win. This album really has it all.

Some of the duets are ‘I sing/you sing’ conversations, some are harmonious shared viewpoints. As you might expect, there is plenty of humour and profanity. The end result is a kind of bright and breezy and very vivid American pop scrapbook that highlights the musical strengths of both musicians without it being self-indulgent. With its shifts in style and tempo, this almost feels like the soundtrack to a yet unwritten American musical about growing up, living and loving in a kind of timeless America insulated from the outside world – a kind of punk Footloose for those unafraid to let themselves go and not trap themselves in narrow genres. There are many reasons to enjoy this and liking Bowling For Soup and/or The Dollyrots is the least of them. But that’s a good starting point, for sure. This is a damn fine album and has something for everyone. Lots of shade but very little darkness, deep but not heavy. They’re going to make you happy, even if it kills you. Get some, you won’t be disappointed. 

Jaret and Kelly Sittin’ In A Tree can be pre-ordered here