Aaron Frazer - Introducing... Review

There’s authentic warmth to this record. Whether that’s due to the production work of Dan Auerbach or whether it’s Frazer’s songwriting talent, you never feel like this is derivative.

Introducing... is the debut album from Aaron Frazer, the co-lead vocalist and drummer of Durand Jones & The Indications. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years ago when the band were touring ahead of their sophomore album and was pleasantly surprised to find how talented Frazer was as a vocalist. Once again, I’m surprised. This album was written and recorded in less than a week with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and feels like an escapist dream from the cold winter blues of early January.

‘You Don’t Wanna Be My Baby’ opens the record to gorgeous rising strings and Frazer’s unmistakable falsetto singing. Lyrically, Frazer sounds lovesick; the imagery he paints of demons “so close behind” and the repetition of these lyrics emphasise the near-urgency of his desires. This track breezes straight in to “If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)”, one of the catchiest on the record. The crunchy piano riffs at the start and tight production give this song a classiness that seems prevalent throughout much of this album.

“Can’t Leave It Alone” Is another brilliant track. The infectious repetitive nature of the guitar riff that runs throughout really plays well with the lyrical theme of being unable to leave it alone – almost referring to the riff itself. The guitar solo on this track is surprisingly strong too.

The soulful bass melodies that bump in the following track ‘Bad News’ bring an undeniable distinctive groove, complimented even more so by the wistful flutes that underpin it. Towards the end of the song, the chorus begins to feel slightly repetitive; however, this feeling doesn’t linger long due to the smoothness of its transition into the next track.

‘Have Mercy’ starts with expressive ‘ooo’s’ that have a deep calming quality to them. The track has a slightly barer arrangement than those which preceded it. This one really gets its groove by the time of the chorus. Frazer’s calls of ‘Have Mercy’ and ‘Don’t Hurt Me’ continue to portray the underlying fragility that seems apparent in this record.

‘Done Lyin’’ is another track that has you singing along, with its call and response chorus between backing vocals and Frazer’s delicate falsetto. The thematic crux of the song seems consistent with similar themes on the record: fragility, love and connection. Frazer lyrically claims to be done but then says “Help me be done” showing his vulnerability once more, demonstrating his need for support from others. 

‘Lover Girl’ is the sweetest tracks on the record. The sentimentality of it and simple “Never gonna find me another lover girl like you” lyrics make this truly endearing. This cute cut is perfect to play to someone you love. There’s a sweetness running through a lot of the tracks on this record but this one might just be the sweetest.

There’s a current of cool running through ‘Ride With Me’ that’s undeniable. Remarkably carefree and breezy with its tight instrumentation, production and lyrics. The whole song has wholesome warmth that shimmers throughout it.

‘Girl On the Phone’ is one of the strongest tracks on the record. The way the lyrics and music intertwine with each other on this track is incredible. It’s almost optimistic at first, yet ends up emotionally defeated when the melody reaches the end of the chorus. The explosive horns and piano that come in at 2:12 almost remind me of Dusty Springfield.

‘Love Is’ is one of the saddest tracks on the record. Lyrically, unlike other tracks, it feels like Frazer has given up. There’s a sense of realism in this track that you don’t feel on the others. ‘Over You’ follows this and returns the record some much needed energy and optimism. The funky bass parts that play under Frazer’s angelic vocals and the harmonies in this track are some of the best parts of the record and lead perfectly into the final track.

That final track, ’Leanin’ on Your Everlasting Love’ almost feels like a perfect summary to this record and might even be the strongest track throughout. There’s a sweetness and tenderness to this track that shines extraordinarily bright. This track further extends a lyrical theme that seemed prevalent in this record – love and caring about one another. A final take-away in the lyrics feels all the more important in the world we currently live in: “Cause I found salvation and it's built on the power of love”. 

There’s authentic warmth to this record. Whether that’s due to the production work of Dan Auerbach or whether it’s Frazer’s songwriting talent, you never feel like this is derivative. This record is a beautiful debut. The instrumentation and arrangements on this album are solid. Rarely, if at all, are you left feeling underwhelmed.

One of the most amazing things about this record is Aaron Frazer’s voice. For an artist who mostly sings falsetto, at no point does Frazer’s voice grow stale. The control and use of dynamics in his voice make for an engaging listen and there’s an openness and fragility in this record that comes out through the lyrics. The flow of this record is really beautiful, all tracks running into each other with perfect precision. On Frazer’s first solo effort he successfully bares his soul, reaching out for love in what can often feel like a loveless world.