Artist: Aaron MacDonald
Album: Rights & Wrongs
Release Date: September 23, 2022
Genre: Country/ Folk
Cape Breton, NS-based artist Aaron MacDonald has unveiled his album, Rights & Wrongs.
The album, which consists of twelve tracks, starts with “Hangin’ on & Lettin’ Go.” The track drew me in immediately with its upbeat, rootsy sound. Aaron’s husky vocals merge perfectly with the music, creating a first-rate roots track with a classic country vibe.
“If It Was Easy” slows it down and showcases another side of Aaron’s vocal abilities. Throughout the song, Aaron postulates various situations that would be different “if it was easy.” Such as, “If it was easy, nobody would ever leave, If it was easy, that’s only real in make believe,” and “If it was easy, there’d be no wrongs, If it was easy, there’d be no songs.”
Next, Aaron delivers a blues-infused country track, “See The World Alive.” Through the verses, this uplifting track speaks to seeing the world as it is, with lyrics, “I’m taking the road less clear, With the one I hold so dear, There’s no better way, To see the world alive.” The track has a sing-song quality to it as if Aaron is urging the listener to join in.
The title track, “Rights & Wrongs,” offers a mellow beat, along with smooth, emotion-filled vocals, contemplating mistakes he’s made throughout his life and the hard work it takes to make things right. The lyrics, “The patch back is all uphill, And I find me climbing still, No matter how I fall, She picks me up each time I call,” speaks volumes. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to try to make it right while learning from each one.
“A Little Rain on Me” was released as a single and brings back that rockin’ roots vibe that we heard on “Hangin’ On & Lettin’ Go.” On this track, I was reminded of a 90s band, Sawyer Brown. The beat just seemed right up their alley, but as Aaron’s vocals joined in, the track took another route. It’s easy to see why this track was chosen as a single, with its high-energy, gritty beat and a chorus that you can’t help but belt out.
At the halfway point, “Saturday Just Tells Me Lies” slows it back down and speaks to the masses about never having enough time and always waiting for the weekend. I feel as though Aaron’s message is just to live life in the moment, don’t wait for the weekend because, in many cases, it’s not going to be what you’re hoping for.
“Hardest Sea” shifts back to the classic country side of things. This track takes us on a voyage through a fisherman’s life and the trials and tribulations that they face. The lyrics, “For 40 years, I’ve felt this breeze, Left me nothing but two shot knees,” speaks of a family member who can no longer fish due to bad knees and health issues. When COVID hit, and there was talk of fishermen not being allowed to go fishing, it struck a chord with Aaron. He thought about the old timers, who have spent their whole life on the ocean and that may not be able to fish again. As he says, “Seems the hardest sea is the one that never rolls.”
“Friday, ’bout 7” consists of that same gritty vibe from “A Little Rain on Me.” An anthem for a weekend of drinking and getting away from the work week, with lyrics “I’ve thrown back 6 or 7, I’m ready for a change, Little switch over to Captain, This night won’t be the same.” I can picture this being played at a summer festival, with the crowd roaring while chanting along with the chorus.
The fun continues with “When Love Goes,” which has a slightly more predominant rock vibe than most of the tracks on the release. Aaron’s vocals are slightly sped up in comparison to the rest of the songs, and the lyrics express that when love starts to go south, he makes himself scarce because he’s been there before.
Aaron continues to show the listener additional sides of his talent in “Never Letting Go.” Landing somewhere in the middle of country and folk, this track speaks to the lovers out there. “Lost in your stare without any cares, As the fires in me blaze, The kiss of your lips with the salt and the mist, Sends shivers to my toes.”
“You Came in Time,” tells a story of someone looking for a purpose or waiting for a sign. “Trying to put my focus on, What matters most, I needed something better, In this life of mine, And you came in time,” pinpoints that moment in life where that purpose shows itself.
Closing out the release, “3rd of December” takes us to a completely different route. With a melancholic beat and mellow drawn-out vocals, the emotion-filled lyrics left me wondering about the backstory on this one. Aaron shares the background of the sorrowful track, which involves a single father who has struggled with addiction and lost his young child due to an accidental death on December 3, 2020. The emotion evoked on this track is deep and true, as Aaron shares he could relate to this man and came close to losing his own family a couple of times.
Whether you’ve already heard Aaron’s music or you are a brand new listener, this album shows you every side of him as an artist. Also, it gives you insight into his life, both good and bad, as every one of his tracks is written to help him process something happening in his world. As he says, “My life is an open book. My songs are pages from my life.”
Upcoming Shows:
Oct. 8th – Blueberry Jam Harvest Series, Mabou
Oct. 13th – The Carleton, Halifax
Oct. 14th – The Sandbar, Dominion
Oct 21st – Social Enterprise Centre, Antigonish
Oct. 28th – Grimross, Fredericton
Oct. 29th – Happy Craft Brewing, Moncton
Nov. 4th – NSMW Showcase, Sydney