Lee Aaron had a good run before turning her back on rock’n’roll. In 1984, at the age of 22, she emerged as the poster girl for Canadian rock with the album Metal Queen, its title sticking to her like glue. She worked with legendary producer Bob Ezrin. She toured with Bon Jovi. Her 1989 album Bodyrock went double platinum in Canada.
In the 90s, as her fame dipped, Aaron turned to alternative rock. In the next decade, she reinvented herself as a jazz and blues singer. She also put her music career on hold to raise two children. But now, at 53, she’s made her first rock record in 20 years.
The results are mixed. Aaron’s voice, reminiscent of Ann Wilson, is actually better than it was in her youth. And there are some fine songs on Fire And Gasoline – the title track is a Def Leppard-inspired anthem; If You Don’t Love Me Anymore a classy AOR number. But on two misguidedly teen-oriented tracks, Tom Boy and Bad Boyfriend, she comes on like the Avril Lavigne of Sk8er Boi. At her age, she should know better.
