Extra fine songwriter and longtime bedroom-pop auteur Kelley Stoltz has a new album Que Aura, and it delivers on the promise so many of his records have slyly hinted at, teased us with - what we have here is the platonic ideal of a Kelley Stoltz record, which is a very exciting thing indeed. Mr. Stoltz continues to embrace his best synth-pop tendencies, but the glimmer silvers an incredibly self-assured set of tender tunes, embracing in his own hangdog fashion both a disco-lit abandon as well as the attendant post-party sighs of dread and remorse. Great songs come out of Kelley at an alarming rate on any given day but this particular collection is some of his most effortlessly catchy stuff yet. Ennui under the disco lights suits him very well - there’s a hearty sip of Pulp-ian white Brit shimmy with a wink…a dash of Fleetwood Mac’s cynically professional late 70’s sheen, and even a spritz or two of Echo and The Bunnymen, which should surprise no one who’s noticed Kelley’s been playing guitar with McCulloch and Co for the past year or so. This record should cement Kelley into the power-pop pantheon where he belongs, right between Dwight Twilley and Martin Newell…let the Hall of Fame know we’re expecting their call.
