Daisy Jones and the Six - Part III: The Songs
From fictional band to number 1 on iTunes, Daisy Jones and the Six is the first ever group to hit this milestone with their debut album “Aurora”. I personally think Spinal Tap’s “Smell the Glove” deserves this honor, but iTunes wasn’t around in the 80s…so…moving on!
To conclude my trio of reviews on Daisy Jones and the Six, I present to you: The Songs!
Look At Us Now (Honeycomb) - Very Eagles vibes with Wings-like guitar solos (think ‘Band On The Run’ and ‘Junior’s Farm’). When Daisy and Billy first get together and sing this song in the show, everything falls into place. They are magic together! The harmonies are beautiful. Like I said in my previous review, the two definitely make each other better and I’d be more likely to buy an album of their music together than solo.
Aurora - Also very Eagles - Sam Claflin’s (Billy) best song.
Please - Intro like Hendrix (think ‘Voodoo Child’). I love how layered this song is. The piano, the drums, the backup vocals coming from all different directions, the melodic shifts. Bravo.
Let Me Down Easy - More wonderful harmonies…in fact, this song might have the best harmonies on the album! A very Fleetwood Mac type intro but the real Fleetwood Mac Song is…
The River - Think ‘The Chain’ and ‘Gold Dust Woman’. Not very subtle with Riley Keough (Daisy) screaming “SHADOW” every five seconds while she jumps around with her cape-like dresses and shawls in the show. Cough. Stevie. Cough.
And when the band sings “lonely, lonely, lonely”, how can one not think of Led Zeppelin? This song and 'Let Me Down Easy' remind me of ‘The Riverbank’ by Paul Simon.
More Fun to Miss - Tells the story of Daisy and Billy the most in the lyrics. This song is more for television than it is for the album. It’s not good enough on its own. It needs context to enjoy.
Silver Nail - Jackson Browne was one of the writers on this one. I definitely can hear his influence, not just on this song, but on most of the songs from the show. Remember, he was not only a writer for himself and his solo career, but he co-wrote the Eagles’ hit song ‘Take it Easy’ along with many others.
Look Me In the Eye - Intro like Aerosmith (think 'Sweet Emotion'). The chorus reminds me of ‘Don’t Hang Up’ by Ringo Starr (featuring Chrissie Hynde). Great lyrics, great melody, great song!
Stumbled On Sublime - When Daisy sings it, I am reminded of Joni Mitchell with the effortless and subtle vocal runs. Plus, very Mitchell-esque lyrics. But when Wyatt sings it…trash just like him.
Type of Guy - Phoebe Bridgers had a hand in co-writing this one…probably why it’s forgettable!
Regret Me - This song was teased the most in the show’s trailers and it’s a fun one! Probably the least reminiscent of the time period, but still a good song. Gives me a little 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around', Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty vibe. However, the PCH Highway line…as an LA native, I cannot let that slide. On Instagram, one Daisy Jones viewer commented “that’s like saying Pacific Coast Highway, Highway.” Couldn't have said it better myself. They went on by suggesting the simpler lyric ‘Off the Pacific Coast Highway…’ it wouldn’t change the song's melodic structure and, it just makes more sense. In the end, however, not too big a deal. I just thought it was worth mentioning. And I love the scene in the show where Daisy writes this song...in the midst of getting into a fender bender. Very funny, very Daisy!
Score: 7/10. I’m really impressed by how well the writers captured the 70s vibe in these songs. That’s not easy. The “Aurora” album, as a whole, is very reminiscent of the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.
Other than 'More Fun to Miss', you don’t have to read the book or watch the show to enjoy these songs.
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