Kelley Stoltz playing in Echo & The Bunnymen, preps 'Que Aura' (stream "Same Pattern")

Kelley Stoltz musical life has come full circle. One of his first releases was Crockodials, a song-for-song remake of Echo & The Bunnymen’s debut album, and he also fronted a tribute band of the same name that included Pavement’s Spiral Stairs and Shayde Sartin (later of The Fresh & Onlys and Sonny & The Sunsets). For the last year or so, he’s put his fandom to more formal use as a touring member of the actual Echo & The Bunnymen and he’s on the road with them as we speak. Living the dream.

All the while, Kelley stays busy recording bands at his Electric Duck studios and making his own terrific solo albums. His latest is Que Aura which is out August 11 via Castle Face. Like 2015’s In Triangle Time, this one merges two of his biggest influences: ’60s Summer of Love pop and early-’80s post-punk. All his records have charm but this one has a little extra spark, with every song containing an extra catchy hook, surprising synth line, great arrangement or other clever flourish. (The Chic-meets-Strawberry-Letter-23 closer “Empty Kicks” might be his best song since “Kimchee Taco Man.”) It’s a terrific record. The first single  is “Same Pattern,” a low-rent new wave number in the best possible way, with a waspy synth hook that grabs you on first listen. We’ve got the premiere of it’s gauzy video. Watch that, and check out the album art and tracklist, below.

—

Kelley Stoltz – Que Aura – tracklist:
1. I’m Here For Now
2. Tranquilo
3. Get Over
4. Feather Falling
5. No Pepper For The Dustman
6. Looking For A Spark
7. Same Pattern
8. For You
9. Possessor
10. Walking Against the Greenlight
11. Empty Kicks