the "un" page

Great music has a timeless quality that cannot be defined to a single decade, and yet many would not have a problem singling out the Sixties and Seventies as an unparalleled period in soul music. Performers like Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and Curtis Mayfield testified to the glory of songs that stood out because their sinewy yet sophisticated arrangements made their melodies so memorable.

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys has long championed the sounds of the Seventies, so it’s no surprise that he saw fit to produce the debut album by Aaron Frazer, a multi-instrumentalist who established his retro reputation as the co-lead singer for Durand Jones & The Indications. His ability on the drums is only surpassed by his fabulous falsetto, which is given an extra shot of adrenalin on Over You, a propulsive smack of gospel soul flavored with dancefloor-ready drum and bass.

There is something reassuring about the glorious old-school groove set forward by Frazer, who clearly has been influenced by the musical game-changers of the past but still seeks to make himself heard in a contemporary setting that can be unforgivably trendy in its desire for new faces.

Aaron Frazer, with a little help from Auerbach and a long list of heavy session players at Easy Eye Sound, has created a record that brings back memories of fantastic 45s and solid-state transistor radios.