Accompanying the release of the Prime Video TV adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel Daisy Jones and the Six, comes the tremendous record – Aurora.
Blake Mills who led the construction of Daisy Jones and the Six’s 1970s-era debut, Aurora, was almost bound to fail when faced with the task – given that Taylor Jenkins Reid had described the album as changing the face of rock and roll itself. It’s an incredible feat then that this album – the work of a supposed fictional band, stands up as an extraordinary record. One of the greatest records of all time? Probably not, but the record is a perfect and integral part of the Prime Video adaptation of Daisy Jones and the Six. It’s no small wonder that the record is a polished gem of a record, given that it features songwriting contributions from Phoebe Bridgers, Jackson Browne, Marcus Mumford and more.
The magic of Aurora though is in the live and vintage feel, with which Mills has imbued the record. Aurora kicks off the record, a pacy and thrumming off kilter track that feels experimentally 70s in feel, as Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin) sings an ode to his wife Camila. ‘You’re my morning sun / Aurora, you’re my morning sun.’ The track is infused seamlessly with the touches of Riley Keogh’s vocal that soar above the rock melee, complete with a rip roaring and riotous guitar solo to round out the track. The live feel runs through throughout in the transitions between songs, blending seamlessly into Daisy Jones (Riley Keogh)’s honeyed rock vocals on ‘Let Me Down Easy’ where she pleads with a lover to let her go gently, before the duo trade lyrics back and forth. It’s no small stretch to imagine the track as a hit of the 70s, one that became an easy break out hit.
There is more than enough emotion that points to the rest of the show on Aurora. So, ‘Kill You to Try’ is an anger fuelled and bitter track, filled with a lot of pain albeit with a gorgeous and resplendent harmony layered latter half replete with triangle and a luscious groove. It’s a moodiness brought back on ‘You Were Gone’ – a groovy and moody Billy Sunne-led track .
The record is often at its best when the pain of the Dunne and Jones’ vocals is allowed to shine through. So, ‘Two Against Three’ offers a gorgeous pared back track from Daisy complete with an acoustic strumming guitar, as she points to the pain of the love triangle and final track ‘No Words’ is a quieter and pluckier track where Billy and Daisy trade off lyrics about being unable to put their emotions into words – a plaintive note to round out the album.
Still, the duo are also poised and brilliant when they trade lyrics back and forth, sparring at each other in song. So, on the pre-released ‘Look At Us Now’ and ‘Regret Me’ the duo appear to bait and dare each other back and forth, indicating that they can really ‘make a good thing bad.’
It is in the latter half of the record that the brilliance of Aurora is truly unleashed. So, ‘Please’ offers a musical ode to the 70s itself, complete with an Elton John-esque build and solo from Dunne, infused with a Magical Mystery Tour tinged production. On ‘The River,’ the band is seamlessly brought together in a truly delightful and hopeful track, where their harmonies are brought to their true potential.
Whilst Aurora can by no means stand shoulder to shoulder with Rumours, something truly magical was achieved in Aurora – an evocation of real nostalgia for 1970s rock and roll, and live and authentic songwriting and experimentation. Above all, the record is a love letter to the era and music itself.
