Album Notes

A year in the making, Haymaker Heart is the latest chapter in Kelly’s odd musical journey that has taken him from Iowa City to East Nashville. This near double album, distributed by Redeye, is his most ambitious work yet and a wonderful genre hop from the alt-country of his last two releases. Still plenty of roots on this 20 track opus, but some lush pop/rock goodies as well. An all-star cast of veteran musicians including Dave Moore and Teddy Morgan lend their talents to this new album produced by Kelly and John Svec at Minstrel Studio in Iowa City.

“A moody alt-country original.” —Nashville Scene

“Not in Iowa suggests a sinuous atmospheric spaghetti-western shootout between Dire Straits and Calexico.” —No Depression

“What makes Brand New Bag so consistently good is Pardekooper’s ability to show different sides of his craft without diminishing the song’s quality or shortchanging himself. 8/10 Stars!” —PopMatters

“Haymaker Heart is a jaw-dropping album of hook-laden pop, folk-rock and raucous paint-strippers.” —Iowa City Press Citizen

“Iowan Kelly Pardekooper sounds as if he’s channeling The Dandy Warhols on Brand New Bag, the retro-rock, groovy title track that sets the album off on the right course. 8/10 starts!” —PopMatters

“Memo to Tim McGraw: Pardekooper’s “Draw the Line” is a hit just waiting to happen. And there’s even a harmony part for Faith.” —No Depression

“Haymaker Heart is not just the best album released in a 120 mile radius; it’s one of the best things I’ve heard all year. Iowa City native Pardekooper fares well compared to virtually any singer-songwriter out there.” —River Cities’ Reader

“Folk This is a hilarious, name-dropping snipe at Alt-Country, No Depression-style posers.” —MusicEmissions

“Forced to pick favorites for the year, ‘House of Mud’ is all grit and guts in the best possible sense!” —Des Moines Register

“Haymaker Heart moves from Steve Earle to Beatles to Buzzcocks.” —Rockzilla

“The title track on House of Mud is a slow-driven southern swamp blues that cuts through to the soul.” —Miles of Music

“Haymaker Heart goes good with beer, anger or sadness, and looks fine next to some other records you keep close by, just in case…” —MusicEmissions

“Pardekooper’s art is true Americana. Americana enough to make good fun of the whole genre in ‘Folk This’ — a mocking yet catchy tribute to the alt-country/Americana genre with references, direct and oblique, to Dylan, Mellencamp, Uncle Tupelo, the Old 97s, Ryan Adams, Robbie Fulks, among others. Really clever and the tune stays with you. It’s surprising ‘Folk This’ hasn‘t gotten airplay as a novelty song.” —SlackerCountry.com

“Folk This is a straight slap in the face at John Mellencamp and others who try to jump on the folk-roots bandwagon.” —Freight Train Boogie

“This Iowa Singer-Songwriter plays a loose combination of narrative songs that range in presentation from stark, acoustic guitar Folk to loud, endearingly sloppy Country Rock.” —RollingStone.com

“Apparently his name — which means ‘horse buyer’ in Dutch — doesn’t sound as funny to Amsterdam fans, who have embraced him as a prodigal son.” —No Depression

“Kelly Pardekooper’s opening tune ‘Not to Iowa’ has a dark, moody tone to it that is somewhere between Tarbox Ramblers, The Mavericks and Handsome Family. The singer nails the niche format to a tee on the first song with a bit of bolero mixed with accordion.” —PopMatters

“He must be good if he was featured in the German Glamour magazine!” —the Onion

“Haymaker Heart is an early candidate for one of the top-10 alt. country CDs of the year and a valiant effort that should garner some much deserved recognition for Pardekooper.” —Cheezeball.net