The Patchwork Quilt Fallacy

"Putting on "The Great Escape," the new EP from northeastern Pennsylvania’s The Patchwork Quilt Fallacy, is like slipping through a portal back into the alt-rock days of the ‘90s, but with less flannel and far less whining.

And that’s a good thing, really.



The group, transplants from California, have distilled all that was good in that oft-maligned era and have trimmed the fat, creating a five-track disc that’s at once moody, atmospheric and, yet, euphoric.

Guitarist/backing vocalist Karl Strauss’ multi-faceted axe inhabits the music like Cerberus: jangly and sweet; thick with distortion; loud and staccato like an aural machine gun assault. Scott John Miller’s bass flows and dips like heavy water. Ricky Ahner, hammering the skins on the album, gives the whole deal a rhythm as distinctive as a heartbeat, favoring heavily staccato and syncopated beats. And vocalist/pianist Shelah Kelso tickles the ivories, lending the whole mix some added depth and a nice counterpoint to Strauss’ muscular guitar. Imagine the big wall of sound a la Smashing Pumpkins, but without Billy Corgan’s self absorption and big shiny head.

But as fantastic as the music is, I’m just going to say it: The album balances on Kelso’s finely nuanced voice. The gal’s got an ear for harmony, layering vocal tracks and playing oh, so nice with Strauss’ backing vocals. Kelso lists ‘90s It-Girl and Lilith Fair headmistress Sarah McLachlan as an inspiration, and you can hear the similarities — they both have throaty, smoky voices. Kelso, though, is her own woman with her own protean voice: temptress; gamine; broken hearted.

Never is that — and the band’s full spectrum — on better display than on featured track, "Live Until My Life Runs Out," a paean to hard-won fortitude. The group starts out tentatively, all guitar and piano arpeggio, until they burst out of the gate swinging, guitars and drums a-blazing. Hell, Strauss even whips out a surprisingly wicked solo."

Reviewed By:

Domenick Moore (Bio)

RECORDED AT: "The Shack"- Karl and Shelah's personal studio

RELEASED: 2007
Featured Track: Live Until My Life Runs Out


• Album Info •
The Great Escape EP By The Patchwork Quilt Fallacy
- Shinbone Magazine

Patchwork Quilt Fallacy is doing it backward.

Local bands looking to hit the big-time usually go from the Poconos to Los Angeles.

"There was demand," Kelso, 26, the band's lead singer and pianist, said. "All the hits we were getting (on Myspace and the Internet) were coming from the East Coast. We decided we wanted to live in a place where it would be easy to get to New York and Philadelphia, so we came to the Poconos."

Since then, PQF has been making a name for themselves playing local shows, including a headlining gig at the Sherman Theater in November.

To their surprise — and probably to the surprise of Pocono music fans — the members have found the region to be one of the most diverse around.

"The music scene here is awesome," Kelso said. "There are so many talented people around here it's incredible. We love it here."

"You can't even find a good music show in L.A., unless it's a big-name act," Strauss, 28, said. "Here, they're all over the place."

But since a pianist and a guitar player don't go very far, the two started looking for a bass player when they moved here in June 2007.

They found it in East Stroudsburg's Scott John Miller, 34, who's also been around, playing in bands in the San Diego area and in his hometown of Red Bank, N.J.

He thought he had given up on playing in bands until he met Strauss and Kelso.

"When we met, it clicked," he said. "And it still does click."


- Sharp Magazine 2008

"(The) Patchwork Quilt Fallacy is a band that knows how to structure an epic song.

Their compositions are dynamic; the arrangements are precise and expertly executed.

There are some very good moments on this 38-minute collection of music presented as an EP. Full records used to be that long. In that light, this is a solid first album that points the way for good things yet to come from PQF.

Bottom Line: Talented musicians with precise delivery.."

- Jim Kanavy for Sharp Magazine

"You often hear it asked: Where can you find good new music and artists? Stop right here and take a listen. I have had the benefit of seeing these guys play out and was so entranced by the age versus talent, forget that, just the talent at any age. Shelah, Karl, Scott, ..comprise this very talented organization of notes, chords, instruments, and players. They are songsmiths that have little local equal. I find it impossible to single out any of the 5 pieces on this disc.. They are all equally entrancing. The production is very good, the songs are tasty, the vocals are wonderful, and the harmonies, exquisite. Buy this CD. Go see them live (they have CDs for sale at every show). This is new music from young craftsmen that needs exposure."
- Scott Flax, editor of NEMO Magazine