The novel Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid was originally published on March 5, 2019. Four years later, on March 3, 2023, Amazon Prime released the original series by the same name.

The album ‘Aurora’ is the main event of both as it marks the first album that the character, Daisy Jones, makes as part of the band, The Six. This album is their first and last together because they break up shortly after its release.

Set in the 1970s, Daisy Jones & The Six’s sound is inspired by Fleetwood Mac. Blake Mills composed, performed, and produced the real life ‘Aurora’ album with Tony Berg assisting in additional production. Chris Weisman, Jackson Browne, Marcus Mumford, and Phoebe Bridgers also had a hand in making the album a reality for book-fans everywhere.

Riley Keough (Daisy Jones) and Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne, the lead singer of The Six) sing the lead vocals for this album. Being the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, it is no surprise that Keough’s vocals are incredible. It is hard to believe that prior to this job, neither Keough nor Claflin had sung before.

As someone who is a huge fan of the book, the prospect of listening to these songs I’ve heard described for so long was super exciting. However, I cannot hide my disappointment that the album did not match the book.

‘Aurora’ has some of the same song titles as the book – such as ‘Aurora,’ ‘Regret Me,’ and ‘Please’ – however, none of the lyrics that are listed in the back of the book made it into any of these songs.

Perhaps the most noticeable lyric to be missing is “And, baby, when you think of me/ I hope it ruins rock ‘n’ roll” from the song, ‘Regret Me.’ That being said, the Amazon series version of ‘Regret Me’ delivers a line that is almost just as gut-punching: “You couldn’t handle your liquor and you can’t seem to handle the truth.”

Pair these aggressive lyrics with the intense electric guitar, and it is hard to turn off this song despite it not living up to many readers’ expectations.

Even though the songwriters for the series left out essentially every lyric from the book, some changes are for the better.

For example, the song ‘Please’ in the book did not stand out. On ‘Aurora,’ though, it immediately caught my attention. The unwavering beat that kicks off the song continues as Claflin’s vocals drag out each note, illustrating Billy’s desperation.

This song could raise me out of my grave – it is so intense when accompanied with the knowledge of Daisy and Billy’s illicit relationship. The opening line is “Please, I’m down on my knees/ I have a family.” Anyone who knows the storyline would drop to the floor at this line.

There are some songs that go by a different title and have new lyrics, but the journey of how it came to be parallels the book.

‘More Fun To Miss’ is the perfect example. The origin of this song is that Billy writes it for Daisy to sing, and it is completely out of her comfort zone.

In the book, the song that follows this story-arch is called ‘Impossible Woman.’ However, for the series, it becomes ‘More Fun To Miss,’ and I am A-Okay with it.

Keough’s vocal fry and belting are exceptional. The repeated “Oh-ah” phrase is haunting and should be repeated for all of eternity.

The electric guitar that backs her up should not be ignored, for it is one of the key reasons this song is perfect for jamming-out. When you listen to this song, be sure to do so in a place where you can jump around and hair-whip safely.

As much as it pains me that they strayed from the book so much, I cannot complain too much, for the best song on the album holds no resemblance to anything from the book.

‘The River’ is the standout from ‘Aurora.’ This song is the epitome of 70s rock ‘n’ roll. The instruments’ rhythm and vocals’ melody work together flawlessly to create a top-notch sound.

I would rate ‘Aurora’ 3 out of 5 stars. Listeners who enjoy Fleetwood Mac or are nostalgic for 70s rock should check it out. If you are a fan of the book, though, listen with caution, for it may not satisfy your cravings.