You may know Tyson Kelly as a touring John Lennon impersonator-because he is that-but he’s also a songwriter in his own right and a performer of frenetic hit material like Am I Ever Gonna See You Again (seen/heard here), which is just one song in his latest 4-song EP, Plastic Rockstar (available on streaming services now). And while this has nothing to do with Tyson Kelly’s own talent, he is the son of Tom Kelly, who has written hits for the likes of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and The Pretenders to name a few. So the genetics are good here, and Tyson makes it looks easy with Am I Ever Gonna See You Again. 

With a rapid-fire melodic hook, Am I Ever Gonna See You Again, strings the lyrics in rapid succession in tune to the beat with the music. It could be a club single for sure if the clubs were open that is. It’s a bit manic but in a good way!

The lead-off track for Plastic Rockstar, And I See Your Face,  is very reminiscent of a David Bowie single-in delivery that is. Starting in the lower registers, it slides effortlessly into the higher keys of the song. It feels Bowie, even though it isn’t.

Get Me Higher, had me going. At the very first it sounds so much like something that I’ve heard before, that it quite literally had me searching my back memory banks (they run deep!) for the beginning hooks-And I had to go back a long way! I did eventually find the track that had me second-guessing. It was The Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight about 55 to 56 seconds in. It is by no means exact, so this isn’t musical plagiarism, and I have to believe that the similarities are totally accidental here. It just shows you how many influences Kelly has in his mind and how many musical gems are still to follow. This is fun dance music!

The darkest track here is the finale, I Wasn’t Saying That, which is perhaps the best example here of Kelly’s singing voice: Rich, with multiple ranges. The track is full of grungy guitar licks, hard-hitting drums, but unlike Am I Ever Gonna See You Again, it strolls to the finish line.

Tyson Kelly has a lot to offer and he’s just getting started with his own material. He’s definitely worth your while checking out his music and purchasing it where you can. You can stream Plastic Rockstar by heading to Spotify or SoundCloud. You can find more information on Tyson Kelly (no one-stop-shop, like a website, that I can find) by heading to his Twitter or Facebook pages. 

Note: With Covid-19 still around, probably to be with us for some time, artists like Tyson Kelly and many others need your purchases to keep their heads above water. If your situation allows it, consider purchasing more in these tough times. –Vodka