June 20 2025
“Forcing your beliefs adds hate to the world, forcing your traditions won’t keep down the girl, holding onto hate will put you in a cage, right next to a bully that’s full of rage.” That’s Kelly’s Lot, kicking against the pricks on “Bully,” a track off their latest album, Late Bloomer.
This L.A. band has been a going concern for more than 30 years. Founded by singer-songwriter Kelly Zirbes in 1994, the band has had an ever-changing line-up that has allowed it to increase and decrease in size from an octet down to a duo.
Whatever the configuration, Kelly’s Lothas consistently served up a smorgasbord of sound that incorporates Blues, Roots Rock, Folk, Country and Americana.
Now they’re back with their 19 th long-player, Late Bloomer. The record kicks into gear with the rambunctious “Pied Piper.” This revved-up Rocker is powered by scorching bottleneck guitars, jumpy keys and a piledriving beat. Lyrics warn against a duplicitous lothario, but the die is cast: “He waited for a time, to get your every dime, and when you wouldn’t pay, he planned his takeaway, now you find yourself with only lies to tell, and you find yourself with only lies to sell.”
This band has always been able to effortlessly shift from one musical genre to the next (sometimes all within the same song). That tradition continues here. From the continental drift of “Savior,” and the sunny twang of “Dad,” to the boisterous confidence booster of “This Time,” and the nuanced narrative of “Miner’s Ode.”
Stand-out tracks include the broody and Noirish 12-step intensity of “Terry,” and the sprightly and lightly autobiographical title-track. The aforementioned “Bully” wraps feathery guitars, agile bass lines and a chugging beat around a withering disquisition on the Cheeto-hued short-fingered vulgarian that currently occupies the Oval Office.
The album closes with “Where There Is Hope,” a swaggering and sanguine plea for grace and understanding. If you’re a fan of Mary Chapin Carpenter, Linda Ronstadt or Lone Justice, Kelly’s Lot is the band for you.
https://www.kellyslot.com/music
Eleni P. Austin - I was born into a large, loud Greek family and spent my formative years in the Los Angeles enclaves of Laurel Canyon and Los Feliz. My mother moved us to the Palm Springs area just in time for puberty and Disco. I have spent over 40 years working in record stores, starting back in High School.
I wrote music reviews for the Desert Sun from 1983 to 1988. I began doing the same for the Coachella Valley Weekly in 2012.
I live in Palm Springs with my wife and our amazing dog, Denver.