Tuesday 25 June 2019

Album Review: Never Gonna Die by Aree And The Pure Heart (by Emma Prew)


Aree And The Pure Heart are a band from Atlanta, Georgia who combine rock ’n’ roll spirit and heartland-style Americana with punk rock energy to create something that simply sounds huge. At the end of March the band released a new album called Never Gonna Die on Wiretap Records (USA) and Homebound Records (EU). Here’s what I thought of it.


Fifty Dollar Bottle Of Wine is the album’s opening track and it kicks things off in a big way with the rebellious line ‘I smashed a fifty dollar bottle of wine.’. This is a feel-good song about not being afraid to fail or make mistakes. The first couple of verses are fairly mid-tempo but things really get good when the pace picks up for super catchy chorus – ‘And I’d do it again, do it again, do it again, do it again, do it until I find what I’m looking for.’ The track also features a saxophone solo part way through which is very nicely reminiscent of the E-Street Band. Next up we have Crash Into The Sun. Starting out with the band’s rhythm section, when Aree’s vocals come in they feel more strained than on the previous track. They are packed with emotion and have a real soulful vibe which I really loved. Speaking of love, this is a love song about that special person that you’re willing to do anything for – ‘You’re the only one.’ Things get switched up a bit for the third track, Tiger Champagne. This is hugely romantic piano-heavy ballad. As you would expect from a ballad, this is a slower song compared to the previous two but, if anything, it somehow manages to have an even bigger sound despite this. The focus is very much on Aree’s vocals here – and what an incredible voice he has! Alongside the romantic feelings, there’s themes of fondly reminiscing throughout track. ‘Up all night drinking tiger champagne, Falling in love and forgetting our names.’

If ballads aren’t your thing then you’ll be pleased to know that the pace picks up again for the next song, Under A Streetlight. This is a simply joyous Americana punk tune that could easily rival the likes of Dave Hause or Brian Fallon. There’s more nostalgic tones in Under A Streetlight as well as a nod towards the band members’ roots in punk rock – ‘Under a streetlight, Alive, in love.’ and ‘Singing punk rock songs.’ Finishing up with some triumphant whoa-oh-ohs is just perfect. If, like me, you enjoyed the inclusion of the saxophone on the first track then you’ll be pleased to know it returns for fifth song, Gasoline Heart, along with a pretty groovy bass line. You can’t fail to make the Springsteen comparison here as this is another heartland rock anthem – and there’s nothing wrong with that. Gasoline Heart is about how you’ve ‘been running through hell’ but still feel like you’ve come out on top and are in high spirits. It’s basically a combination of everything great about Aree And The Pure Heart – there’s whoa-ohs a plenty and it’s incredibly feel-good. Black Cats opens with an earworm of a bluesy guitar solo and immediately grabs your attention. When the vocals come in, accompanied by a steady bass line, they have a bit of a snarl to them and are delivered almost as a whisper. There’s still elements of Springsteen or Fallon here but there’s also a great deal more to make the song stand out. It stays fairly slow and soulful throughout but doesn’t ever feel boring.

The seventh song on Never Gonna Die is called The Feeling I Get and it is perhaps the slowest and most emotional song on the album. It’s a piano-led ballad and feels almost sad – there’s just that much emotion packed into these four minutes. If there was one track on the album that offered a truly ‘wow’ moment, this is it. I imagine this song would be so incredible to watch live, in fact it almost sounds live on recording. It’s so pure. ‘There’s something to be said about the feeling I get when you’re around me.’ The guitars return in a big way for the album’s penultimate track, Work For Your Love. A distinct, slow but firm, blues-style riff ensures that your head stays nodding throughout the track’s duration and you might even be encouraged to sway your hips a little as well. The inclusion of keyboards adds another layer that I’m not sure we’ve heard much of before. The verses are fairly mid-tempo on Work For Your Love but it builds wonderfully towards a huge sounding soulful chorus – complete with some more killer sax. The album closes in style, with its title track – Never Gonna Die. It almost sounds like Born To Run at the beginning with yet more amazing saxophone playing alongside rumbling drums and hugely passionate guitar work. This is the title track for a reason as it kicks some serious butt. Never Gonna Die is soulful and heartfelt rock ’n’ roll but, most of all, there’s a bit of punk rock spirit in there – and that goes for this track specifically and the album as a whole.

You can buy/stream/download Never Gonna Die on Bandcamp and like Aree And The Pure Heart on Facebook.

This album review was written by Emma Prew.

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