Aaron West And The Roaring Twenties is one of my favourite musical projects. It is easy to resonate with the lyrical ability of
Dan Campbell, the poetic storytelling and the brutally honest tales of love and loss which flow through the heart of the albums.
Dan is better known as the lead singer of Pennsylvania Pop Punkers
The Wonder Years, with this being his 'side project' - although it doesn't make sense referring to it
as such, due to it being a project that is
art in its own right.
Campbell refers to it as a "
Character study through music" as it follows his fictional counterpart,
Aaron West as he struggles with divorce, alcoholism and mental illness.
The album,
"Routine maintenance" picks up exactly where the previous album left off - with one difference: Instead of running away from his past, Aaron is running
towards a better future.
The album opens with "
Lead Paint & Salt Air", a track which reintroduces us to Aaron and what he's doing through slow instrumentals and desperate vocals which fill the five-year-old, Aaron West shaped hole in listeners hearts before leading into "
Just Sign The Papers". In an
interview with Rocksound,
Campbell spoke of a "Redemption arc built into this album". This is an example of that, as it sees Aaron finally accepting his divorce in a way he never has before.
"
Bloodied Up In A Barfight" is another acoustic anthem, haunted by emotional vocals as he sings of fights which lead him to travel towards LA in "
Bury Me Anywhere Else", settling down with a roommate in "
Rose & Reseda". Aaron is a character the listener connects with, in this almost magical way that can occur through
Campbell's lyrical brilliance that is delivered in the most sincere, emotional way. The final and title track, "
Routine Maintenance" offers closure for not only the album but for Aaron too. Through returning home and reconnecting with his family, we finally see him find the light he's been running towards.
The way Campbell can tell such an emotional story of character growth
, blending poetry like lyrics with guitars, trumpets and horns - It shows his ability and growth. This is the best chapter in his story so far, but it's clearly not over yet. Campbell delivers the final line softly, but full of emotion, really leaving the listener hoping Aaron can become "
Someone you can count on for a change"
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