Tag: lee aaron

So, here’s another blast from the past for ya! Well not actually. She has been around near enough constantly, just taking a break between 2004 to 2012 and giving up the rock to do some jazz. Since 2016 with the Fire And Gasoline album, she has returned to rock. I had the pleasure of seeing her and the band live this Canada Day and she put on a kick ass show, the voice still has all the power. Produced by Lee herself and mixed by Mike Fraser you get ten tunes of melodic rock goodness for you to digest that range, from straight up rock, to pop, and a few diversions in between.

She sure knows how to write a great hook that just drags you into the song. Freak Show is a perfect example of that, a great pop rock groove and believe me you will be singing the hook and chorus for days. Highway Romeo is power pop at its best. A simple chord progression, a flat four groove, and a so infectious hook and chorus; if this was ’85, radio would have been all over this. My favourite track is the last tune on the album, Elevate. I think it’s about the hell that is social media and the evils that it pushes. A slow but sleazy groove seems to fit the subject matter perfectly, and you will singing this baby all day as well.

Since she came back to rock, the records have all been great and this one is no different.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the 2nd album from the Canadian songstress, and in my opinion, was the best female rock/metal album around at the time. Yes that includes Diro and Warlock. I think Lee has a better range to her voice, and the band she had around her were better. This is the RSD reissue in glorious shocking pink, and Unidisc have actually done a decent job on this one – unlike Whitesnake’s Live album where they omitted the second disc.

The title track opens the album and shows what a great voice she has – plus guitarist John Albini riffs hard. Lady Of The Darkest Night is more of a melodic rock track than metal, but the chorus and melody are cool – again, John Albini’s guitar shines through and he has a killer tone. Head Above Water is next and the opening riff is awesome. The melody and chorus is quite stock, but again, it’s the guitar that lifts the song. Got To Be The One is a generic power ballad, which as you would have picked up on if you have read previous reviews of mine, are not my favourite type of tune, but again a killer solo saves the day. Shake It Up closes out Side 1 and is a hair rock anthem type of tune.

Side 2 starts with Deceiver, and as with Metal Queen on Side 1, the metal side of Ms. Aaron comes out to play. Great song, big riff, rocking groove, huge guitars, and a killer vocal, it’s the best track on the album. Steal Away Your Love follows and this track would not be out of place on a Judas Priest album of the eighties. Great tune, and a killer guitar sound. The slow build of Hold Out is next up, and the band are trying something a little different with a cool quieter section that flows into the power chorus. Power ballad number two, Breakdown, follows with a Zeppelin style middle eight, and then we are onto the last track, We Will Be Rockin’. That’s just what it does – it’s a good old feel good rock song.

A great little album that sounds just as good today as it did then – mainly down to Lee’s vocals and John Albini’s killer guitar.

9/10 from The Grooveman.