Tri-state musician, Rhode Rachel, is the brainchild behind the fun, sparkling music of New Jersey’s Aura Blaze. Rhode’s passion for creativity has resulted in a brilliant psychedelic rock record that sounds like it’s right out of the 1960s.
While The Sparkling Black is through and through a psychedelic rock record, it transcends just one specific genre and delivers a satisfying, fun musical experience.
On the opening track, “Overture: Solar Emerge,” pulls together elements of psychedelic rock including electronics, influences of Eastern music, and playful lyricism. Rachel sings “when I got there, I found she was perfect, sipping tea in the garden. Wisdom seldom leaves but one chance. Let’s have some fun, let’s make some plans.”
The second track “Good While It Lasted,” on the record is a really fun, typical psychedelic rock track. It opens with a playful flute as Rhode sings about the breakup and how the relationship was for him: “it’s hard to be mad when it was good while it lasted.”
The record was released June 21st, not coincidentally that it was also the summer solstice. Rhode organizes the tracks in which the initial track “Overture: Solar Emerge” begins the record and the final track, “Reprise: Lunar Dissolve” bookends the album.
“Keep On Believing” is a relationship song that encourages the listener that “you gotta keep on believing/you’re gonna get out/you’ve made it this far baby/no turning around/no time for this superstition/it doesn’t do you no good.” While the beginning of the song starts out positive, Rhode continues on to sing in the chorus: “you can say/that it was all my fault/I’m sorry/but truth would say/that there was more than one side/to the story.”
On “No Soul That Couldn’t Be Sold In Hollywood” blends some of the elements of old ’50s and ’60’s music to create something nostalgic. Rhode’s deep vocals blend well with the thumping bass and guitars. He sings about Hollywood and how souls sometimes are compromised in Hollywood.
Perhaps the best track on the record is “Hope It All Works Out.” It’s a very radio-friendly song with great melodies and lyrics. “I’d rather bear it all myself/try to turn it into something else… my baby, it’s not your fault/as I recall/I wasn’t there for you/I hope it all works out for you.”
