By 
On May 9th, my favorite childhood duo released their first full-length album in 14 years: A Touch of the Beat Gets You up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun.
I did not plan to write this because I did not expect to love every single song as much as I did!
Most reviews of the album were written in May, but I decided to hold off for a month to fully get a feel for each song and experience how the whole album plays on a road trip. It gets better the more times you listen to it. I don’t think I’ve had an entire album on repeat like I have with a A Touch of the Beat Gets You up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun.
But I can’t just dive straight into this album without sharing with you my adolescent years listening to Aly & AJ.
In case this is the first post you read of mine, I grew up in Madrid, Spain. From 2004 to 2008, I would travel back and forth to Mexico City due to my father’s job. There, I would binge-watch MTV and Disney Channel. I became attuned to American pop-culture from a very early age, specifically reality TV shows such as Laguna Beach and The Hills, shows that were not aired in Spain. This was the beginning of my dream to someday move to LA and work in the entertainment industry.
As far as content goes, the Disney Channel Spain programming was very scarce compared to the US and other European countries. Yes, we knew about Lizzie Mcguire and That’s So Raven, but other European countries like Italy and the UK had very similar Disney Channel content to the US.
No one knew about Aly & AJ in Spain. I’d have my school folder stapled with artists that I loved and classmates would always ask me: “Who are those girls?”. Some girls recognized Aly from Phil of the Future, but that was it. I felt cool being the only person at my school who listened to these amazing girls.
When I think of Aly & AJ’s debut album Into the Rush, I think of Mexico City. Being in the backseat of my dad’s car and playing the whole album on my iPod or Walkman, I got lost in my own imaginary Southern California world.
The first time I heard Aly and AJ’s music was in Mexico City in 2006 in the “Rush” video, during one of the Disney Channel commercial breaks. I was completely in awe of them.
I vividly remember going to the Parque Duraznos mall in Mexico City to get their album and On The Ride concert DVD at the Mixup Store. I loved this particular store because, unlike back home in Spain, they carried every artist I was into at the time: Ashlee Simpson, Cheyenne Kimball, Jordan Pruett, The All-American Rejects, The Veronicas, etc.
The songs that resonated with me the most from Into The Rush were: “Never Far Behind”, “On The Ride”, “Slow Down”, “Out Of The Blue”, “Something More”, and their covers of “Walking on Sunshine” and “Do You Believe In Magic”.
So…what made Aly & AJ different?
Aly & AJ stood out in a way that no other Disney kids did. They were not a manufactured product, but real musicians who had a genuine love for songwriting and magnificently conveyed their love of music through profound lyrics and meaningful music videos. They didn’t just sing. They played guitar, wrote songs, and delivered impressive vocal ranges. You didn’t need to be a full grown adult to realize how talented they were. Don’t even get me started on their immaculate stage presence. If you don’t believe me, go watch the “Chemical Reacts” music video, which was featured in the deluxe EP of Into the Rush. I can’t believe Aly was only 17 and AJ was 15 when it was released!!
The album Acoustic Hearts of Winter was another banger, with songs like “Greatest Time of Year” and “Little Drummer Boy”. Overall, these girls have been the soundtrack to my childhood and adolescent years.
Insomniatic came out in July 2007, during a hellishly hot summer I spent in New Jersey. The day they released it, I dragged my mom, cousin and sister to Times Square in hopes to get a glimpse of them at TRL. I didn’t get to go inside because you had to be 16 to get tickets, but we walked into the building and saw them from afar. My cousin and I yelled at them hoping to get noticed by them since the security guard wouldn’t let us in. AJ was rummaging through her bag and stared at us with a “what the hell are you doing” face. After this failed attempt to meet them, I bought their album at the now defunct Virgin Megastore in Times Square, right across from TRL. Every time I see my cousin, she brings it up: “Remember when we saw them?”
By the way, the Disney movie Cow Belles has come up a few times in interviews, but no one has mentioned how iconic Super Sweet 16 the movie was.
Given the widespread success of their previous two records, it would have been a no-brainer to keep stay signed with Hollywood Records and cede their creative control of their music career to a bunch of white old men. But they stood their ground and didn’t let that happen.
After departing Hollywood Records due to creative differences, they came back under the name 78 Violet and released “Hot House”. I, like many fans, was on board with this new venture and I loved the “Hot House” music video. However, that foray into the folk genre under a new moniker wasn’t ultimately the direction they wanted to steer themselves in. Following this creative stagnation, the sister duo took a 4-year hiatus to focus on their acting careers.
Other Disney artists that were signed with Hollywood Records completely left music and never looked back. But, despite the sisters’ acting jobs throughout the years, their hearts were always inherently set on music. AJ said in an interview with Joel Madden: “Our heart and soul lies within songwriting and touring.”
Fast-forward to my first year in LA in early 2016. I saw AJ at a pilates class at a gym I used to go to! Naturally, I was very excited, but I didn’t want to come across as a typical fangirl. Try to imagine doing pilates next to your favorite childhood singer. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t freaking out inside.
I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to approach her after class and tell her about my 2007 mishap at TRL. “OMG you were there?” she said, and proceeded to embrace me in a hug! I didn’t expect this reaction, but needless to say, it was a pleasant surprise. I also coincided with both of them at another pilates class later that year. AJ told Aly about me after class and I had a quick chat with both of them. I’m pretty everyone knows this at this point, but they are super down-to-earth. It was a relief to confirm that they were as nice as I imagined them to be.
From 2017 to the end of 2019, the sisters released two EPs, Ten Years and Sanctuary, accompanied by two tours. This era featured heavily 80s synth songs mixed with contemporary beats. I still remember jamming out to Take Me when it first came out in 2017. I had never paid attention to this genre before, but when they announced they were making new music, I knew that they were going to hit it out of the park. And boy, were those songs good! A few of my other favorites were “Promises,” “Church”, and “Star Maps”.
In the beginning of 2020, they dropped two more 80s synth pop bangers, “Attack of Panic” and “Joan of Arc on the Dance Floor”, which were featured in their compilation record We Don’t Stop.
Also in 2020, “Potential Breakup Song” from the 2007 Insomniatic album experienced a resurgence in popularity among newer generations on Tiktok. To commemorate it, Aly & AJ re-released the song and spiced it up with an explicit version. Funnily enough, back in 2007, I ended up listening more to the rest of the songs like “Flattery”, “Bullseye”, “Like or Leave it”, “Closure”. Don’t get me wrong, “Potential Breakup Song” is arguably one of the catchiest songs of the 2000s, but I just didn’t feel a personal connection to it like I did with “Rush”.
Aly shared on the Zach Sang show: “It wasn’t written about anyone specifically. We’re not super attached to it because it didn’t come from a personal experience. A guy didn’t actually forget our birthday”.
A Touch of the Beat Gets You up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun is an escape from the humdrum and ennui of everyday life. It’s a celebration of life, of freedom and exciting new beginnings, which we could all use after 2020.
Upon doing research on the handful of interviews they did for the album, I came across Buzzfeed’s article after I wrote the paragraph above. Yes, see? It’s freedom!
Buzzfeed: Describe your album in three words.
Aly: California, sisterhood.
AJ: Freedom
I went on a roadtrip to Ojai while I was writing this review. Instead of directing me to take the 101 freeway, my GPS took me through the mountains and canyons of Santa Paula. Blasting this album in my car while driving through open skies, open valley fields and white farm fences on two-lane roads was a magical experience. If you don’t live in LA or California it’s fine, but listening to the album in California will 100% enhance your listening experience.
This is completely unrelated but if you want to have the best burrito of your life, go to Ojai Tortilla House. Ok, back to the album.
When I think of this album, I picture myself somewhere in Ojai or a small town in Ventura laying down on a picnic blanket on a sunny day with chirping birds while the music envelops me in a whimsical trance. It takes you on a sonic journey.
The best emojis to describe A Touch of the Beat Gets You up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun are 🧡💛☀️👢🏜🌼🍦.
Regarding the album title, AJ explained: “It’s just a run-on sentence that symbolically represents West Coast energy and the feeling of recording an album in California.”
Aly explained in an interview with UF Zoomterview: “We wanted to celebrate the fact that we are from Los Angeles, California. This music is made on the West Coast with West Coast musicians and we wanted to capture that.”
The sisters live minutes away from each other in Laurel Canyon, a woodsy neighborhood in LA that turned into a hub for musicians in the 60s and 70s, including artists like Frank Zappa and The Mama’s and The Papa’s. When I first moved to LA, my jaw dropped seeing this mystical neighborhood that was less than a 10-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of the Sunset Strip. Every time I went to the Valley, I couldn’t not drive through Laurel Canyon.
The album was recorded in the historic Sunset Sound recording studio using live instrumentation. This inconspicuous place on Sunset Blvd is where some of the most iconic albums of our time were recorded. The logo is plastered on the back wall facing Sunset and I always notice it every time I drive by. I can’t name one artist without going on a tangent, but if you don’t know the history behind it, definitely look it up.
The California vibes are further represented in Aly & AJ’s impeccable taste in clothes. I always marvel at their effortless California vintage style.
A Touch of the Beat Gets You up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun integrates old-Americana while paying homage to the 80s-inspired synth sound from their previous EPs, making it an eclectic yet incredibly diverse album. To me, this record is Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour meets Fleetwood Mac.
Excerpt from Nylon Magazine.
AJ: “Aly and I listen to a lot of old music. We love classic rock. We just have a very eclectic old-school taste, and it’s really opened up this landscape of just what we’re capable of doing as writers that we didn’t even know we were.”
The guitars, the drums and all the other instruments will take you for a ride. You can definitely notice the old-school influences throughout the record, but at the same time, Aly & AJ’s unique blueprint on each song.
I highly recommend going to their Spotify account, where they share a handful of playlists that range from songs that inspired them to make this record, to songs they like to play while they’re driving in LA or stuck in traffic.
Aly shared in another interview: “We wanted this record to feel really timeless. We wanted it to feel like something you could play at any point in your life.”
The sunshine and the laid-back vibe of the West Coast shines to the forefront in the visuals for the album. Get them here!
Music Videos
At a time where most pop music videos rely on sets and a whole entourage for hair and makeup, Aly & AJ leverage the beauty of their home state.
From following Aly walking around LA in “Symptom of Your Touch” to exploring the beautiful scenery of Santa Ynez in “Slow Dancing” and “Don’t Need Nothing”, Aly & AJ are clear-cut examples that you don’t need a big record label behind you to fund compelling music videos.
They’re not dressed to the nines and their makeup, which they did themselves in every video, is quite minimal.
Aly shared on Vogue magazine: “We realized that we didn’t have to be all slick and made-over like we’d been in the past. We don’t really wear a lot of makeup and usually wear jeans with T-shirts and beat-up boots. AJ and I wanted to just start looking the way we would if you ran into us on the street.”
Regarding their cinematic-style music videos, Aly told NY Mag:
“Everything that we shoot is on film: all of our music videos, all of the imagery for the albums — even 80 percent of our Instagram images are shot on film. Portra 400 is a staple, an absolute must, for photos. No other film looks as good in terms of quality and texture and vibrancy.”
Aly & AJ also credit the album producer Yves Rothman, who was an integral part in helping them capture this sound. I love how the instrumentation, beats and guitars are interwoven in each song. The album unearths so many familiar feelings like hopefulness (“Pretty Places”, “Don’t Need Nothing”), the pain of breakups (“Symptom of Your Touch”, “Stomach”), the trauma of toxic relationships (“Listen!!!”), emotional health (“Lost Cause”), and other suffering related to mental health (“Hold Out”). It’s a mesmerizing body of work. Also, there are a few collabs. If you’re ready for stunning melodies, harmonies that can hypnotize, and a melange of sounds and beats, press the play button and keep on reading.
Pretty Places
My favorite song changes all the time, but if I only had to pick one song off the album, this would be it. “Pretty Places” could be the soundtrack to this post. Last year, I went on a solo road trip, which was a nice way to escape the confinement of quarantine. It was just me, my car and my playlist. Listening to “Pretty Places” gives me all the feels and I cannot think of a more perfect music video to accompany the song. As someone who explores LA on a daily basis, goes on a road trip every other week, and is a sunset lover, this song is the embodiment of what California represents to me.
I was shocked when AJ said this song was 5 years old. It clearly didn’t fit the aesthetic of their previous EPs, so they shelved it. The song went through some writing changes, but the melodies stayed the same. Sometimes when I listen to it, I shed a tear or two because it’s so beautiful. 🥺😭 Had this song been released before the pandemic, it wouldn’t have the same meaning to me as it does now.
The video was directed by Michelle Laine and Stephen Ringer. It follows the two sisters on separate road trips. Aly went on a cross-country road trip to Colorado while AJ stayed in Southern California.
If you’re in LA, I highly recommend playing this song while driving from the Long Beach bridge to San Pedro. The impressive, newly-constructed bridge can be clearly seen in her part of “Pretty Places”!
Don’t Need Nothing
The album title was picked from the lead chorus line of this song, which is the backbone of this record. Aly said in an interview this song encapsulates the album: sun, West Coast, outdoors, laid-back vibes. I cannot imagine listening to this song for the first time and not getting hooked. This is what California sounds like.
A touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun 🎶 🎶 🎶 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Symptom of Your Touch
This song leans more towards their 80s synth pop sound. I have listened to “Symptom of Your Touch” almost every day since they released it, and I can’t get enough of it! Catchy is a huge understatement. The shred on the guitar you hear in the post-chorus elevates the song to a completely different level. I also love the buildup of the tempo. The music video shows Aly walking from Laurel Canyon to the beach. FYI, if you don’t know LA, that would take you about 5 hours to accomplish.
Slow Dancing
Think watching a fiery sunset from a mid-century modern house in Palm Springs sipping a cup of red wine while this song plays on a vinyl record. It’s a delightful dreamy ballad.
What I love about this album is that the songs are never static. For example, in this song, after the second verse, it transitions into a different beat where the instrumentation takes over, as opposed to the slow mellow start. The result? A beautiful, effortless juxtaposition.
This song was the first single of A Touch of the Beat. When it was released in December 2020, Aly & AJ put this caption where they explained the inspiration behind the song.
Paradise
AJ: “We all have this goal in mind whether it’s where you want to move, where you want to visit or where you want to be in your career.”
Aly adds: “Then once you get there, do you even recognize you’ve made it? The questioning of, will I even appreciate it? And know that I’ve made it when I maybe have made it to that place of euphoria, is very telling for where we kind of are as a society”
AJ said this was especially true in the entertainment industry, where people are constantly on to the next thing.
The song has become one of my top favorites and I hope they release it as a single! I cannot wait to hear this song live. In the meantime, I highly recommend listening to it on your headphones or blasting it in your car.
Lucky To Get Him
The song starts mellow, then in the middle, a catchy, uptempo beat drops in, followed by a piano.
The layering of the instruments here is beautiful. Once again, Aly and AJ prove that they are not afraid to push the envelope and dabble in different genres.
Lost Cause
Another one of my favorites. It’s very funky and groovy. The guitar in the pre-chorus is mind-blowing. Aly plays a lot with high and low registers throughout the song. Her voice is pure beauty.
Break Yourself
It’s so fun and infectious, very 60s/70s and makes for an excellent workout song. The drums and the horns are my favorite instruments here. It reminds me of being in a 70s disco party: flare pants and bright colors everywhere. AJ’s “away”s at the end of the chorus are angelic.
Personal Cathedrals
Briefly working in the entertainment industry in LA came with a fair share of uneventful industry parties and events where I felt like a fish out of water. This song is based on Aly and AJ’s personal experiences attending the “cool” parties in Hollywood. Newsflash: Most Hollywood parties are boring and are for networking. All I can do is nod my head or play dead. Couldn’t have said it any better.
Upon hearing the record, this was the first song that caught my attention. Because I love a good playlist of western music with twangy riffs, this song has become one of my favorites. AJ said the song was originally going to be a synth-pop influenced track, but I’m so glad they took the western route.
Stomach
The gentleness of the slide guitar and the echo of the drums that hits right before the chorus gives me goosebumps. This was the last song they wrote for the album.
The way Aly & AJ write ballads is so simple yet so touching. They’re able to convey so much in two lines. They did an AMA on Reddit where someone asked them what the inspiration behind the song was, to which they replied: “fear of divorce”. You don’t need to be married to relate to the lyrics.
It hurts my stomach, cuts me like a knife
All these memories, they don’t feel like mine
Haven’t we all felt like that at some point in our lives?
Listen!!!
Aly said on the Zach Sang show : “This song touches on being in this hostage situation whether that’s a relationship or a moment in time in your life.”
The music video was filmed in front of AJ’s garage. AJ said she had just moved in when they shot it, hence the pile of boxes. What would be a hindrance to many was an advantage to them. They incorporated the boxes as part of the music video.
Speaking of boxes, AJ reaches for a pizza box (Prime Pizza) and casually bites into a slice of pizza mid-way into the song lol.
It took a few listens for me to warm up to it and now I can’t stop playing it. It has an alt-rock retro vibe from the early 2000s infused with synthpop. The legendary rock-n-roll musician Nancy Wilson, who is also Aly & AJ’s mentor, contributed to the backing guitars and vocals. Jack Tatum also did vocals and collaborated on the synth sound. The beginning of the song is an 80s soundscape experience!
Hold Out
This guitar ballad is the perfect album-closing song. A big surprise was the hauntingly beautiful guitar solo by Melissa Etheridge that comes in on the last chorus. In recent years, Aly and AJ have been very vocal about mental health. “Hold Out” for me is the mature version of “Rush”.
A lot of teenagers turned to Aly & AJ’s 2005 album Into The Rush seeking solace from the everyday struggles they were experiencing. I, for example, didn’t have a lot of friends at school, but when I think of my adolescent years and the music that stuck with me the most, Into The Rush was always there to make my day better. Their music has also helped a lot of members of the LGBTQ community come out, which is probably one of the best rewards Aly and AJ can get.
Listening to this record hits different now that I live in LA. It feels like a full-circle moment for me. From 2005 to 2021, these girls have grown up and accompanied me through different iterations of my adolescence and early 20s.
I’m an adult now, but sometimes when I listen to this record, I feel like the 14-year old Mariana who watched them for the first time in the “Rush” music video on Disney Channel in 2006. I moved here in my early 20s on my own, and every time I look back at the experiences I’ve been through and how much these have contributed to my personal growth, I’m just taken aback.
For them, this record is the amalgamation of musical growth and personal discovery. Although this album is a complete 180 from their 2000s predecessors, it still feels like Aly & AJ. Their sound feels like them: “There’s no way we would have made A Touch of the beat without all of those obstacles in front of us along the way,” said AJ.
After all, like they have stated in almost every interview they have done for A Touch of the beat: “In a way we feel like this is our first record”.
I cannot wait to keep witnessing their growth as artists and songwriters in the years to come!
Have you listened to A Touch of the Beat Gets You up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun? Can you say the title twice without stumbling on your words? Besides Aly & AJ, am I the only one who likes saying the full title out loud?
I will probably have this album on repeat until their tour next year. Hurry up 2022!
Aly & AJ – Website and Instagram
Picture taken by me. 5/27/2021 📍Hollywood blvd and Western Avenue.
Full album credits. Thank you for making this masterpiece.
