If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz If the previous singles from Durand Jones & The Indications revealed the neo-soul titans dabbling in disco, "The Way That I Do" leaps headfirst into the genre. "The Way That I Do" is a straight up disco jam. The song may be laced in old school soul, but it's fully a dance song that sounds like it could be from the late 1970's. It features Aaron Frazer's falsetto over some of the smoothest music (including strings) we've heard in decades. I think we're all well past the whole "Disco Sucks" thing, and if you're not, you're going to miss out on songs as fantastic as this one. In a press release, Aaron Frazer says of the song: “Whether on tour or spinning records, over the years we realized how much we love making people dance. When the first notes hit or the needle drops and the whole crowd lights up, that's a feeling we held onto all through 2020. And that's what we're bringing on 'The Way ...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz Durand Jones & The Indications have become our favorite neo-soul band and with good reason. Their songs are just consistently great. Even as they slightly play with their sound, the results are fantastic. Their latest single, "Love Will Work It Out," drops the disco we heard in "Witchoo" and brings back more of the classic soul. This time around, classic soul is more along the lines of 70's soul. The groove in "Love Will Work It Out" is front and center, even in front of both Durand Jones and Aaron Frazer. This is the kind of song that would make Barry White and Isaac Hayes proud. In a press release, the band says of the new song: “For months into the pandemic and the racial/political chaos that ensued, we found it hard to write.  The biggest creative dry spell we'd experienced in a decade. The constant barrage of horrible news felt overwhelming, and songs just seemed inadequate in response to police murdering people in bro...

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen We're playing a little bit of catch up here at the end of the year, but this one is worth the wait. Aaron Fraser is a member of Durand Jones & the Indications, but is striking out with a solo album next month. A new-ish single is "If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)." If you've been into Durand Jones & the Indications, or any of the modern neo-soul we've brought you, you're going to love this new song. It's the kind of soul song that could have been made in the 60's instead of 2020. It's an upbeat, horn heavy song focused on Frazer's impossible to hate vocals. Producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) brought in some legendary session musicians such as members of The Memphis Boys, drummer Sam Bacco (who played on Aretha Franklin's "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman"), and players from the Daptone-Big Crown Records bands. With that kind of pedigree, "If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)" is a...

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen Last month we brought you the new solo single from Aaron Frazer, best known as the drummer and second vocalist with Durand Jones & The Indications. Now, we have a new single. "Over You" keeps the soul that we love about Aaron Frazer's band, and somehow amps up the groove. The new song has a certain level of funk not typically heard in American soul. Frazer explains:  “‘ Over You’ is inspired by the legendary northern soul 45s that electrified dance floors across the UK in the 1960s .  Breakneck speeds and breakbeat drums challenged even the best dancers to pull out all the stops. Lyrically, ‘Over You’ captures a moment of despair in the darkest hour of a breakup. But sometimes to feel better, you just gotta shake your ass .” You can watch the video for "Over You" below. Introducing..., the upcoming Dan Auerbach produced album from Aaron Frazer, will be out January 8 on Dead Oceans/Easy Eye Sound. You can pre-order the album here . For...

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen You might know Aaron Frazer as the drummer and co-lead vocalist in Durand Jones & The Indications. Frazer is striking out with a solo album, and the debut single will work for any fan of Durand Jones & The Indications. "Bad News" fits into the classic soul through a modern filter that we love about Frazer's band, but doesn't just sound like an Indications's b-side. It's a gorgeous song that will suck you in despite its laid back vibe. In fact, it almost lulls you in before you realize how intense it truly is. The song is laid back despite its serious subject matter. Aaron Frazer explains the meaning behind "Bad News": “I wrote ‘Bad News’ last November, originally as a song about climate change - a threat that feels so big, so existential, that sometimes it's easier for us to just look away.  But today, I think it's taken on a new meaning. It's become a song that gives voice to the things everybody i...

Photo by Rosie Cohe We're quietly in the middle of a soul revival, and no one is doing it quite like Durand Jones & The Indications. Their latest single, "Don't You Know," features Aaron Frazer on vocals and sounds like it's straight from the 60's or 70's. Seriously. If the press release that came with this declared it was from a lost Motown session we'd all believe it. It's an impossibly smooth classic soul song, the kind we all need to hear every so often regardless of what style of music we prefer. As much as we loved their debut album, this new song feels like a step forward even though it's a throwback to half a century ago. You can watch the video for "Don't You Know" below. American Love Call , the new album from Durand Jones & The Indications, will be out March 1 on Dead Oceans/Colemine Records. You can pre-order the album here . For more on Durand Jones & The Indications, check out their website . Their ...