Some people need a caffeine fix to get their day started, not me, I need a shower and a dose of music to get me into the groove of my day. This past Friday was the release date for The Aces new album Under My Influence so I woke up early, bought it and downloaded it for my commute. It was the boost of adrenaline I needed to make the long day ahead bearable and the perfect destresser for the drive home.
Driving under The Aces’ influence is dangerous because there’s no way I can listen and not roll down the windows, snap my fingers, sway my head and have a mini concert in the confines of my car. If I don’t get busted for speeding then there’s a good chance I’ll get pulled over for disturbing the peace with my singing.
With their track record, I knew the album would be good but never did I expect the full-on party they deliver. Not only is the mood fun and fabulous but it’s also unexpectedly same-sex positive on songs like “Kelly” and “Thought Of You.” They’re taking the pop, all-girl group path paved by Fem 2 Fem in the 90’s and bringing it to a whole new generation. Everything about this album is unapologetically celebratory.
With emotionally driven smooth jams like “New Emotion” and sway worthy ballads like “I Can Break Your Heart Too,” Under My Influence is the album of Summer so far, at least in my gay opinion.
