Aer – Aer

A Breath of Fresh Aer

The Boston duo Aer are a culmination of their influences. Equal parts reggae, hip hop and alternative rock, these two have created a sound that is both fresh but yet still manages to emit feelings of familiarity. On their self-titled sophomore album, Aer show that they have not just grown artistically, but lyrically as well. These 12 tracks read like a diary passage written during a high school summer love: at first you hang on every word but eventually you come to the realization that nothing this good can go on forever.

“I could give you what you want / If you give me what you need / I could take away your pain / and still bring you to your knees ” starts off the track “Stars.” With lyrics like this, one might expect a mushy love song to follow, but instead of some prose about unrequited emotions, Aer professes their love of being an independent act. “Says She Loves Me” is another track parading as a love song, but once the chorus starts it is revealed that the only time this chick utters the phrase is when she’s inebriated.

Love in its different forms is a constant theme on this album and two of the best tracks show both extremes of the spectrum. On “I’m Not Sorry,” Aer explains how quickly feelings can go south once trust is broken, while on the following track, “Pretty Lady (Come Dance With Me),” Aer emotes about the joys of starting a new relationship. Both tracks are accompanied by musical stylings that could easily have been on a Sublime album.

Aer has created a fun album, even though at times the subject matter is not light-hearted. With every pluck or strum of the guitar strings, every thud or crash from the drums and every noun or verb uttered, there is not one wasted moment present.