Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter and Grammy-winning artist Charles Kelley is stepping into a moodily-hazed midnight spotlight with his forthcoming solo album SONGS FOR A NEW MOON, set for release June 25. A project seeping with unbridled optimism and irresistible 80’s pop flair, SONGS FOR A NEW MOON marks a new chapter for Kelley, as the 16 tracks celebrate an age of renewed possibility and fresh perspective, both musically and in life. Produced mainly by Sam Ellis and Lindsay Rimes and with Kelley co-penning all the original songs, the album fully embraces a freeing sense of sonic abandon, as the richly textured digital grooves feature roaring saxophones, saccharine guitars and sky-high vocal stacks, pushing Kelley to new levels. Today, Kelley offers a set of tracks, the unabashed anthem “Run” captures the rush of a couple making their escape from the world, covered in syrupy guitars and anthemic vocals soared over a booming rhythmic pulse and “Driving And Listening to Music” shifts into high gear, with shimmering synth melodies and processed drums on a nostalgic, windows-down jam, reminiscing on an escape into the sunset.
“I’ve always loved really well-written, great ’80s pop, from Toto to Ambrosia, and I always just felt like no one gave it enough credit,” Kelley explains. “This is me wanting to explore a different sound and pull from influences I’ve had for the longest time – but I didn’t want to make an ’80s sounding record, and then throw a bunch of country ‘insurance’ on it. I almost feel like that would be an insult to the listener… I wanted to go all-in.”
“The album’s north star” (American Songwriter) “Can’t Lose You,” made a splash on the Adult Contemporary radio charts, with its radio debut charting at No. 26. Tracks like “Take Back Goodbye” infuse the urbane edge of new-wave pop with an effortless, laid-back vibe, while “Can’t Be Alone Tonight” explores the epic R&B feel pioneered by Boyz II Men, stirring haunting romantic memories with grand piano and digital beats. The one-last-time anthem “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” sees Kelley and producer Nathan Chapman go for a sexy, ravenous romp, and the propulsive “Angel Eyes” gets lost in hypnotic desire – with ’80s icon (and Lady A producer) Dann Huff laying down the guitar solo – while the velveteen plush of “Lost and the Lonely” offers a vibey retreat from heartbreak. Inclusive of covers of The Killers’ “Here With Me” and reimagination of Cyndi Lauper’s immortal “Time After Time,” the collection ends on the sentimental piano ballad “Look What We Did.”
“This is about as honest as I can be in my music, and I’m super proud and just grateful. I’ve been in a really positive life-is-good headspace, and I want to soak it up. I want to take this second chance and self discovery and stop being afraid,” Kelly admits. “A little bit of that unknown is what makes life fun – it’s scary, but good scary.”
