While Aaron’s stirring falsetto and thoughtful songwriting have made him established in the world of revival soul music, he refuses to be pigeonholed. His higher register conveys a wide emotional palate and a progressive worldview in the tradition of musical masterminds like Curtis Mayfield. Soft-spoken with the look of a slightly disaffected 1950s matinee idol, Aaron Frazer possesses a unique voice that’s both contemporary and timeless.
The 12 songs on Introducing… – a mixture of mid-‘60s soul with Auerbach’s particular sensibilities (“Over You”), songs with a message in the key of Gil Scott-Heron (‘Bad News’), and uplifting tales of love told through a blend of disco, gospel, and doo-wop (‘Have Mercy’) – were recorded in a week at Auerbach’s antique and ephemera-laden studio in Nashville following a rapid and prolific songwriting session. It’s just hitting so hard and I reached out immediately after I heard ‘Is it Any Wonder.’ I love falsetto singing – there’s something so vulnerable about it,” Auerbach recalls. “Aaron is just so incredibly gifted to be so good at drums and sing like that at the same time. He penned some of the group’s most notable tracks, including ‘Morning In America,’ and sang lead on ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ – the latter an instant sweet soul classic anchored by Aaron’s falsetto, which caught the ear of producer and Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach. The Brooklyn-based, Baltimore-raised songwriter first came into the international spotlight as multi-instrumentalist and co-lead singer for Durand Jones & The Indications.
“I’m excited to keep breaking some of the expectations around what exactly I’m supposed to be artistically and musically, or what this scene as a whole can be.” We have this opportunity to be inspired by and take direction from our musical forerunners, and also what’s happening now - from contemporary hip hop, from pop music,” Frazer says. “I didn’t want Introducing… to be an exact recreation of an era or a style. Introducing…, Aaron Frazer’s debut solo album, co-released on Easy Eye Sound and Dead Oceans, is a testament to his wide-ranging influence and showcases deep gratitude for his musical community.
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