Aaron Neville
Apache
Reviewed By: Lauren Rosier
Aaron Neville. A voice of an angel that’s known for singing classic love songs like “Don’t Know Much,” “Tell It Like It Is,” and “Everybody Plays The Fool.” Neville is an artist that has had a long career, and at 75, his voice still has the angelic quality to it as when we were first introduced to him. He still has that distinctive voice when pronouncing his vowels. It’s a voice that doesn’t sound worn-down, weathered, or what you’d expect from someone who’s had a career that spans more than five decades.
Today marks the release of Neville’s latest record, Apache, and it’s somewhat a reflective journey of Neville’s past. On “Stompin’ Ground,” Neville sings of his hometown city of New Orleans: “Sometimes them streets was mean, can you dig?” revealing the complicated history of the historic city and its streets. It offers a blend of funk, R&B, jazz, and gospel quite apropos for a song about the Big Easy.
“Orchid In The Storm” is an excellent example of a classic Neville love song that opens with a romantic falsetto while he croons to his love “You’re the rose among the thorns / You’re the diamond in the dirt / You’re my orchid in the storm / I can’t see living without you.”
You can’t have an Aaron Neville record without a slow jam, which is where “Heaven” comes in. A slow, tender number singing “God please forgive me / for all the wrong I’ve done / Please forgive me / If I ever hurt anyone / And save a little place in Heaven / for me.” It reveals the soft side, and spiritual side, of Neville, that leaves him hanging vulnerably.
Overall, Apache pulls together elements of Aaron Neville from the past, a reflection if you will, and creates new sounds, while always maintaining Neville’s signature image.
Rating: Listenable
