When looking at the leading ladies of Heavy Metal music to pave the way for the future, chances are names like Lita Ford and Doro come to mind. Rightfully so, we should also never discount the significance of Canada’s own Lee Aaron.
Looking back, Aaron first emerged with her 1982 debut album The Lee Aaron Project, leading into a conquest of the Heavy Metal genre with releases such as 1984’s Metal Queen and 1985’s Call of the Wild. Two stellar albums, the power behind Aaron’s voice was second to none to go along with her songs which were razor sharp. Then, showing even more diversified, she broke with the more Pop Rock leaning self-titled in 1987, before the straight-ahead Hard Rock Bodyrock in 1989. Now forty something years later, Aaron continues to keep her edge as a dominant lady of Rock-n-Roll with her latest album Tattoo Me.
Released on April 26, 2024 through Metalville Records, Tattoo Me marks Aaron’s 18th overall album and her first ever exclusively of cover tracks. An interesting project, after years of writing and recording, Aaron felt it seemed like a fitting time to assemble a group of songs which inspired her at various points in time. Each holding a place in her heart as a bullet point in her life’s journey, what is most interesting is the eclectic nature of the tracks she selected to record. Really all over the place, the track list ranges from Nina Simone’s “The Pusher” and Led Zeppelin’s “What Is and What Should Never Be,” to Hole’s “Malibu” and Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.” Showing Aaron’s undying affection for music through the decades gone by, in all, she puts her own signature touch on each performance.
Consisting of 11 selections in total, beyond those already mentioned, you also get a really fantastic take on Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way,” Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” but also Elastica’s “Connection.” On each song of Tattoo Me, including those not mentioned here, Aaron channels her high energy and full-bodied voice into something that makes the songs recognizable, but also entirely her’s. In fact, with each passing song of Tattoo Me you can feel the genuine excitement and passion Aaron put into each of them. Imagine yourself transported to some point in the past where you are personally bearing witness to younger Aaron in the solitude of her bedroom singing along to each song… and what you get is unguarded performances, straight from the heart.
A really pleasant surprise, if you are someone who has happened to lose track of Lee Aaron through the decades, perhaps Tattoo Me is a good place to start reacquainting yourself. From here, you can backtrack to 2016 when she released Fire and Gasoline; at that point her first all Rock-n-Roll album in 20 years. Then you can look at a slew of other releases in the last decade, including the gritty, heavy Blues Rock aimed 2022 original album Elevate. So, whether you are a diehard fan or someone who recalls the Metal Queen from back in the day, it is recommended you check out Tattoo Me. That is why Cryptic Rock gives it 4 out of 5 stars.
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