The golden boy of Richmond

All told, it took David Shultz and his new band The Skyline a year to create his brand new sophomore album, “Sinner’s Gold.”

“It’s a little warmer than my first album that was recorded in February. This one was recorded in August, and I think you can tell,” Shultz said. “It’s a little Tom Petty-ish, and it has a sweet Paul Simon vibe to me.”

Recorded with his brother Kenny at Imagine Music Studios in Richmond, the album was produced by local label Triple Stamp Records.

Shultz says this album is more poppy than his self-titled first, which had a delicate and jangly melancholy sound.

The 11 songs on the CD don’t have a cohesive sound, Shultz says, but do have similar themes. He wrote all of the songs on both his albums and says his favorite part of the process is writing.

“I just want to play with words and my guitar. It’s selfish, but it’s so much fun.”
– David Shultz

“Writing the songs, that’s where the good stuff is,” said Shultz, who didn’t write his first song until he was 21. “I wish I knew where my inspiration came from; it’s a big mystery.”

The Skyline consists of bassist Marcus Shrock, drummer Matt Morton and guitarist Curtis Patton. Shultz has known Shrock since the second grade and Morton since high school.

He met Patton at a show in Richmond, and by the time they finished talking the bar was empty, and Patton was Shultz’s new guitarist.

Shultz has played in the area a couple of times a month for a few years now. Humble and passionate, Shultz, 25, says he hasn’t taken any of his local success for granted. (Even though he’s done three press interviews this week.)

“There’s no right way to do it,” Shultz said. “You can make it your job or make it your quiet passion. For me, I never want to stop making albums.”

Michael Hagen, a childhood friend of Shultz, is in the process of making a documentary about the band. He showed what he’s filmed thus far on Feb. 17 at the Arthouse Short Film Festival.

Shultz says Hagen is still filming, and hopes to fit him on the bands’ newly acquired van, admiringly dubbed “Paul Simon,” to capture their first tour in late April.

As for Shultz’s weirdest gig, it was at an Internet caf