25. March 2025
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Media Review

Rick Astley – Are We There Yet?

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Rick Astley - Are We There Yet?

Rick Astley - Are We There Yet?
4.2

Rating

 4.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very nice range of songs
  • Good performance n different styles

There are these artists in your life you immediately have a song in your mind when you think of them. For me, this is valid for Rick Astley – I just cannot stop think about Never Gonna Give You Up. The song has been released more than 36 years ago. The more, I was curious when I received access to Are We There Yet?, the 2023 album of the British artist. It has been released on 13th October 2023.

 

Rick Astley – About The Artist

Richard Paul Astley was born in Lancashire on 6th February 1966. He started a professional career as a musician in 1985. Rick Astley’s 1987 debut album has already been a huge success. Whenever You Need Somebody topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany was was a Top 3 in many other major markets. It was also successful in Canada (fourt time platinum) and the USA (double platinum). The basis for that success was the very first single release, Never Gonna Give You Up, which has been a massive global success. However, the other single releases, Whenever You Need Somebody, When I Fall in Love, Together Forever and It Would Take a Strong Straong Man all topped the charts in some of the major global music markets. Even though the following album Hold Me In Your Arms (1988) performed quite well, the following releases could not connect to that success. In the mid-1990’s, Astley went on a hiatus from music.

He came back in the early 2000’s. While only the 2005 album Portrait made a significant chart success (26th in the UK), he had a very successful release with the following album ten years later. 50, his seventh studio album overall, topped the UK charts when it was released in 2016. His latest album release has been Beautiful Life (2018). Astley is also working as a guest vocalist and rather frequently appears on major tour productions.

 

Rick Astley – Are We There Yet? – Track by Track

The twelve song album lasts 41 minutes.

1. Dippin My Feet

The first track Dipping My Feet is a nice pop track with an Americana touch. I like the flavor of soul and blues in this song. Very nice opener.

2. Letting Go

Letting Go is rather having a folk-pop touch. Similar to the song before, Rick Astley creates a nice, catching ease, which makes the song stay in your mind. The backing vocals are quite intense and sometimes a bit too much to me.

3. Golden Hour

The slow strumming guitars at the beginning of the album already tell you that Rick Astley is going for some more emotional experience in here. Especially once the chorus is starting, the Golden Hour turns into one of the most present tracks of the album.

4. Never Gonna Stop

Even though Rick Astley 2023 has much more soul in his songs,songs like Never Gonna Stop have a certain touch of his good, old listens. Luckily, he sounds much more mature three and a half decades later. This single release is a lovely listen, indeed.

5. Close (Your Shoes)

The groovy Close (Your Shoes) is one of the coolest sounds of Are We There Yet?. Again, Astley is very soulful and his present voice leads to a very present and good listen. However, I feel that the chorus has the potential to spread more magic.

6. High Enough

High Enough is another song with an Americana influence. You would not be too surprised if you found this one on a Springsteen album. But it works very well in the context of these songs as well.

7. Forever and More

Forever and More introduces swing elements to the album. Rick Astley masters this style as well, so that the album stays very entertaining. You just have to move to the vibes of this song, which is such a nice fun listening.

8. Driving Me Crazy

Especially in the chorus of Driving Me Crazy, Rick Astley almost feels to be grumpy. However, the verses with his crystal-clear vocals are such a great contrast. The composition feels rather simple at first sight, but it is a lovely one with a nice mid-tempo melody.

9. Maria Love

while some arrangements rather feel lean in this album, Rick Astley is going for a wide range in here. Especially a set of brass instruments is nicely driving the song, the percussion set is setting the right vibes. The backing choir adds another layer to this track. Very intense listen which is having a rather unique presence in this album.

10. Take Me Back to Your Place

The first notes of Take Me Back to Your Place feel a bit of dark. However, the tenth song more and more shows its friendly side. Still, the song is coming with a nice bass groove.

11. Waterfall

The eleventh song is a mid-tempo song with a very personal touch. A nice mid-tempo closer, which does not such a strong character as other listens in here.

12. Blue Sky

The title Blue Sky may sound like a rather happy ending of the album, but this piano song is coming with a dark touch, which is fading out Are We There Yet?.

 

Rick Astley – Are We There Yet? – Spotify

Here is Are We There Yet? on Spotify:

 

Rick Astley – Are We There Yet? – My View

Of course, Rick Astley 2023 is not Never Gonna Give You Up any more. There are still some pop song with a similar ease, but also but deeper, more thoughtful and also more saddening listens. The British touches different styles in here – and practically all of them are at least working out well. This finally turns Are We There Yet? into a really nice versatile listen.

Favorite Song: Golden Hour

 

 

Rick Astley – 2023 Concerts and 2024 Are We There Yet? Tour

Rick Astley is having a couple of UK gigs this year, before he is heading off to a 2024 European tour. The UK dates of the 2024 tour will be supported by the amazing Belinda Carlisle:

Mo 16.10.2023 London (United Kingdom) – Electric Ballroom
Su 29.10.2023 Sheffield – The Leadmill (2 shows)
We 01.11.2023 London – Royal Albert Hall
Th 02.11.2023 London – Royal Albert Hall
Sa 25.11.2023 London – London Palladium (with Emeli Sande and Simply Red)
Th 22.02.2024 Nottingham – Motorpoint Arena
Fr 23.02.2024 Newcastle – Utilita Arena Newcastle
Sa 24.02.2024 Leeds – First Direct Arena
Mo 26.02.2024 Cardiff – Utilita Arena Cardiff
Tu 27.02.2024 Glasgow – OVO Hydro
Th 29.02.2024 Bournemouth – Bournemoth International Centre
Fr 01.03.2024 Birmingham – Resorts World Arena
Sa 02.03.2024 Manchester – AO Arena
Mo 04.03.2024 Belfast – The SSE Arena
Tu 05.03.2024 Dublin (Ireland) – 3Arena
Th 07.03.2024 Liverpool (United Kingdom) – M&S Bank Arena
Sa 09.03.2024 Cologne (Germany) – Palladium
Su 10.03.2024 Berlin – Columbiahalle
Tu 12.03.2024 Utrecht (Netherlands) – TivoliVredenburg
We 13.03.2024 Borgerhout (Belgium) – De Roma
Fr 15.03.2024 Hamburg (Germany) – Edel-Optics.de Arena
Sa 16.03.2024 Bochum – Ruhrcongress

 

 

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