One of the most accomplished guitarists currently treading the boards, Arielle’s musical journey began at the age of five, when she became a part of the Peninsula Girls Chorus of California. Discovered by Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt in 2010, Arielle put in the miles, touring with a range of artists from Heart and Gregg Allman to Joe Bonamassa and Guns ‘n’ Roses, only to find that the embedded sexism of the music industry remained firmly to the fore. Rather than succumb to the frustration of a business model that placed a higher value on sexy clothing than exquisite playing, Arielle left the label with which she had started, and engaged on a remarkably prolific independent career, building a following on her own terms, and proving herself to be one of the most principled and capable artists in an industry more known for catering to the superficial than the serious.
Back with a new album, her tenth, Reel to Real sees Arielle offer up eight wonderfully warm tracks that once again mark her out as a sublime talent. Recorded in Nashville’s famed Bomb Shelter studio, and captured on 16-track, 2” tape, Reel To Real is a genuine analogue treasure in these days of increasingly digital artifice, and it sounds absolutely gorgeous.
The album opens with the slinky Back To Being Bad, which sets Arielle’s soulful vocal against a stinging riff, celebrating the out-of-control abandon of youth. With its subtle organ stabs and taut backbeat, it’s a hell of an opener, and if you’re not catapulted out of your seat, you’re not playing it loud enough. Following such an explosive track is no mean feat, but Arielle makes it look easy as she passes through the looking glass to offer up the gorgeous Mirror Of Life – a mix of Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac, vintage psyche, and Eric Clapton. Then there’s the brilliantly bluesy instrumental – Bel-Bottoms & Bel Air’s, which hides some blistering guitar lines beneath its lazy shuffle. The first half concludes with Stray Dog, a pretty slice of pop music that would neatly slot into a latter-day Beatles album, thanks in no small part to a chorus that seems tailor-made to infect your brain cells one at a time, until you find yourself singing it at all hours.
Opening the second half of the record, Lava Lamp Love is a short, Eastern-tinged instrumental that effortlessly evokes the titular object. It’s followed by Love For Yourself, another track with a Stevie Nicks vibe, and some wonderfully understated guitar work. A brave song to tackle, given Nancy Sinatra’s timeless performance, Arielle delivers a credit-worthy take on These Boots Are Made For Walkin’, giving her guitar plenty of grit, and clearly having a blast tackling so well-worn a tune, while the harmonised leads are a joy to behold. It only remains for this short, sweet album to conclude with the airy psyche of Moonchild – a truly mesmerising finale that caps off an album that has you hooked throughout.
For Arielle’s longtime fans, her deft skill is no revelation here. What is a revelation, however, is the wonderful depth of sound captured by the recording process. In terms of sonics alone, it’s a record that should be paired with high-end systems to demonstrate their clarity and transparency. More than that, though, there’s the rich thread of emotion that runs through Arielle’s performance while her empathy as band leader means that she leaves plenty of space for her fellow musicians to shine alongside her. A glorious, dynamic, and richly varied listen, Reel To Real may just come to be Arielle’s defining masterpiece. 9.5/10
Arielle on tour:
Headline – September
TNMC, Coulsdon – Tues 3rd
1865, Southampton – Wed 4th
Greystones, Sheffield – Fri 6th
Anarchy Brew Co, Newcastle – Sat 7th
Asylum, Birmingham – Sun 8th
Musician, Leicester – Tues 10th
Arlington Arts, Newbury – Fri 13th
King King Dates – October
Kendal Brewery Arts – Thu 10th
Chester Live Rooms – Fri 11th
Southampton The Brook – Sat 12th
Brighton Concorde – Mon 14th
Gloucester Guildhall – Tue 15th
Bath Komedia – Wed 16th
Stockton ARC – Fri 18th
Leeds Brudenell – Sat 19th
Carlisle Old Fire Station – Sun 20th
Gateshead Glasshouse – Wed 23rd
Lincoln Drill – Thu 24th
Reading Sub 89 – Sun 27th
Cardiff Globe – Mon 28th
Southport The Atkinson – Tue 29th
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