Brown, Ted: Solstice Canyon Loop

Occasionally, we get albums sent to SoT that don’t fit the genres we traditionally cover. This album is such an example, and it’s why I like getting some unexpected stuff to review.

At first, I thought it might be a prog album given the cover with the hovering spaceship; also, there were no promotional materials accompanying it. But when I put the CD in, it quickly became obvious that it couldn’t be further from that. Instead, it is more in the vein of the California singer-songwriter genre, but with a more country feel, closer to the Bakersfield sound than CSN or Jackson Browne.

Ted Brown is a native of New Zealand who moved to California in 2002. According to Brown’s website, these songs tell the story of his journey from Auckland to California, literally and metaphorically. The standout tracks for me are “Dark Side of Memory Lane,� due to some well-crafted lyrics; “Come Back,� which displays a more powerful side to Brown’s voice; and the lilting closer “Lauraly.�

I doubt I will revisit this album much. It’s simply not one of my preferred styles of music. But I appreciated its craftsmanship and enjoyed more than half the tunes. (It should be noted that Brown is joined by a number of accomplished musicians.) If country folk, with an emphasis on country, is your cup of tea, give it a shot.

Track Listing
1.Stops (4:10)
2. Better at That (4:39)
3. Mr. O’Neil (4:48)
4. Dark Side of Memory Lane (4:40)
5. Come Back (5:05)
6. Little Running (4:10)
7. Sugar and Daylight (4:24)
8. Lauraly (3:55)

Added: January 25th 2026
Reviewer: Aaron Steelman
Score:
Related Link: Artists @ Bandcamp
Hits: 67
Language: english

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