Rick Astley – Are We There Yet? (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Rick Astley – Are We There Yet? (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 41:13 minutes | 475 MB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited

‘Are We There Yet?’ is the new, long awaited album from Rick Astley via BMG. His ninth studio album overall, it’s the third in a row of which Astley has written, recorded, played and produced himself at his home studio in London. Featuring the single ‘Dippin My Feet’, an invigorating twist on his signature stye, ‘Are We There Yet?’ is the sound of Rick reflecting and building upon the experiences he’s gone through since the release of 2018’s ‘Beautiful Life’.

An abiding love of classic soul, twangy rock, and R&B has always been at the core of Rick Astley’s pop sound. It’s an organic blend that he’s been increasingly digging into since 2016’s 50 and one which underpins all of 2023’s Are We There Yet? His third album to be produced out of his home studio in London, the album feels like a love letter to the earthy, blues-influenced work of artists like Bill Withers and Otis Redding. Central to the album is “Dippin’ My Feet,” an infectious, country- and gospel-tinged rocker that nicely evokes the similarly rootsy, throwback style of Oklahoma singer JD McPherson. In fact, it’s easy to imagine Astley hearing the rise of roots-inspired artists like McPherson and even singers like Hozier (another possible touchstone for the sounds at play on Are We There Yet?) and finding common pop ground. Here, he takes a back-to-basics approach, framing his resonant baritone in ringing piano and organ flourishes, crisp acoustic guitars, handclaps, and warm backing vocal harmonies. While the album certainly has a lovingly crafted, analog quality, there’s a raw immediacy to many of these tracks, as if they were recorded live-in-studio or captured at a passionate church service. It’s an earthy vibe reflected in Astley’s vocals, as on the gospel-influenced “Never Gonna Stop,” where he takes on the throaty intensity of a blues singer. Other evocative sounds pop up elsewhere, as on “High Enough,” a minor-key number with echoey vibraphone accents that brings to mind the yearning atmosphere of a Chris Isaak song. Similarly, “Forever and More” has the crisp, guitar-driven soulfulness of an ’80s Style Council track. Certainly, all of the rootsy soulfulness Astley embraces on Are We There Yet? is far removed from the studio sophistication of his early hits. That said, it feels genuine and hard-won by age and experience. With Are We There Yet?, Astley hasn’t just arrived, he’s come into his own. – Matt Collar

Tracklist:
1-1. Rick Astley – Dippin My Feet (03:13)
1-2. Rick Astley – Letting Go (03:22)
1-3. Rick Astley – Golden Hour (03:45)
1-4. Rick Astley – Never Gonna Stop (03:17)
1-5. Rick Astley – Close (Your Shoes) (03:37)
1-6. Rick Astley – High Enough (03:27)
1-7. Rick Astley – Forever and More (03:37)
1-8. Rick Astley – Driving Me Crazy (03:32)
1-9. Rick Astley – Maria Love (03:34)
1-10. Rick Astley – Take Me Back to Your Place (03:15)
1-11. Rick Astley – Waterfall (03:12)
1-12. Rick Astley – Blue Sky (03:17)

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