Kelley Ryan spent a decade as the driving force behind the rootsy Los Angeles-based power pop collective
astroPuppees, who issued four albums over the years of 1996-2005 -- two on the Hightone label and two on
Ryan's own Manatee imprint. Her work attracted notice from the likes of singer/songwriter
Marti Jones and
Jones' husband, producer
Don Dixon, as well as new wave icon
Marshall Crenshaw, all of whom guested at one time or another on
astroPuppees tracks. In turn,
Ryan co-wrote two songs on
Jones' 2002 album My Tidy Doily Dream, and did the same for
Crenshaw's 2009 album
Jaggedland, the latter while working on what she thought would be the next
astroPuppees record with producer
Dixon. Once it became clear that
Ryan was going to write all the lyrics for the first time on any of her records, the decision was made to release the album as a solo project under
Ryan's own name. The result, Twist, appeared in early 2010 and boasted guest appearances by
Dixon and
Jones, a pair of string arrangements by legendary pop eccentric
Van Dyke Parks, and a cover of
Beck's "Lost Cause." ~ Steve Huey