Right off the bat, the album cover sets the tone for this ode to the past. An album titled after the track based on her vintage 1973 Volkswagen bus, the album’s vibe sets you back in time while her guitar playing sends you out of this world. 73 by Arielle is unmistakably rocking with her vintage sound.
On your quest back in time, this album gives us a killer blues look into the life of Arielle. The intro track has that spacey sound to lead us into the first full song, a highway jam called “Somewhere Slow”. The drums in this song fit right in the pocket and give us the full blues percussion we need. With a rise in tempo, we then lead into the title track, “‘73” keeping the vintage sound going. As a young female driving a ‘79 Dodge van myself, I can’t wait to cruise with this song coming through the speakers. The slide throughout the album brings home that blues tone, especially in her rockin’ guitar solo for this track.
The next couple of tracks gives us a bit of a break from the speed with slower melodies and more intimate emotion. “Goes Without Saying” reminds us of a love that we just can’t put down; the love between them goes without saying and carries on, even when they’re not aware. The classic jam band sound comes through in the inspirations of these tunes. Track 5, “The Way You Look At Me” really takes on the challenge of painting a vivid picture in your head of the feelings she had while writing this tune. Arielle nails the task with her imagery and sound. This one is a great blues ballad with a solo that is nothing but honest. Next, “Weakness For You” continues to paint the picture of the one we want to stick to, with a similar vibe as that of a Lumineers or Mumford & Sons song.
The next song is the only instrumental on the track with a name as fun as Arielle’s guitar playing. “Kalypso ” is an enticing jam complete with funky bass and a tone in her strings that reminds us that rock and roll will never die. The guitar playing in this song is true musical creativity. We then come back around to a slower, waltz-y beat, where Arielle shows us her vulnerable side and sings through her cry for help in “I Need An Angel”. Picking it back up in track 9, I appreciate listening to the inner battle as her internal dialogue speaks and the dissonant chords stand. Our hearts are listening and our feet are moving when “That’s Just Lonely” is on!
The final three tracks close off the album on a positive note. Keeping the pace quick, “The Other Side (Let The Sun Set Down) has the ability to lift spirits and get you going. This one has a catchy guitar riff throughout the track. Not to mention the sweet Irish-inspired breakdown towards the middle of the song. Of course, we can’t forget to mention the next track as it is a beautiful cover to an all-time great, David Gates, and his song “If”. Arielle does a beautiful job fingerpicking and sweetly singing to this soft tune.
The album closes with a slow anthem, reminding us that whatever our next steps are, even when we can’t control the outcome, we have to lead ourselves with love and see the beauty in it all. Overall, this is a gorgeous album that truly showcases Miss Arielle’s skilled guitar playing and magical vocals. 73 is a great second album for a young new artist.
The Review: 8/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Somewhere Slow
– 73
– Weakness For You
– Kalypso
– That’s Just Lonely
The Big Hit
– Somewhere Slow
