Aidan Knight/Busty and the Bass
Aidan Knight
Aidan Knight // Next Door Records
After his 2016 album Each Other, it was hard to believe Aidan Knight could create anything better than that masterpiece. However, Knight has shown his flexibility and ingenuity with his latest work, his self- titled, eleven-track album, Aidan Knight. In Knight’s own written words on Bandcamp, “I’m sure I won’t be the last singer-songwriter to mine the depths of their ennui, depression and suffering for lyrics but these 11 songs are also some of the clearest and most shameful memories I have. When you feel horribly exposed but calm singing a line for the first time, you know it’s right.” It’s no surprise with a self-titled album we may hear a new depth in Knight’s songwriting, but it IS a surprise he uses his medium to express depression, suffering, and shameful memories. Rather than lean into a slow, contemplative body of work, Knight first offers us 5 bouncy, feel-good tracks that don’t vibe like shame or sadness at all, but when we listen closely to the lyrics, we see the beautiful metaphor Knight has presented us with: heavy lyrics on a upbeat sounding track, mirror the darkness of our personal thoughts in a fast-paced world that just keeps spinnin’ on, whether you’re ready or not.
Sonically, Knight has leaned further into the 70’s sound of dusty drums and guitar solos, and at risk of sounding too repetitive in my reviews, it’s obvious Knight has borrowed some sounds from his days spent touring with Andy Shauf. However, he doesn’t feel limited by traditional 70’s song structure, descending into a moody chorus of ooo’s and acoustic guitar at the end of “La La”, or the modern string ensemble accompanying him on “Mary Turns the Pillow”.
With “Slacker II” and “St. Kierans” we get back-to-back acoustic tracks, one growing into a beautiful mess of sound and the other just delicately skipping along. But again, these aren’t just easy-to-swallow tracks; Knight is talking about deep loneliness, the kind of loneliness that isn’t solved by having another around, the kind of loneliness where you’re alone even when together.
As we near the end of the album, we reach arguably the climax of the album with “Rolodex”. Though of course beautiful in a song, I encourage listeners to search the lyrics and read this track for the poetry that it is. Knight so succinctly discusses staying in a marriage for the kids, and questioning “am I terrified of being alone? Did you ever love me? Will you ever forgive me?”. We can hear the pain in this song, and again while quite upbeat sonically, we see Knight is showing how “normal” this pain is, how all of this pain can be present and all these thoughts can haunt, all while “taking the boys to school”. We just keep pushing through.
The album ends with a beautiful, crushing piano ballad, with the end of each verse ending with “it’s all gonna work out one of these days”. Again we have a juxtaposition, this time with optimistic language on a bed of melancholy piano, perhaps almost sarcastically: IS it all going to work out one of these days? I’m not sure, and I’m not sure if Aidan Knight knows either, but we can take solace in knowing that even the great songwriters of our time, those who visit the depths of their souls professionally, are also just trying to figure it out on the journey alongside us, and we can be grateful we have another soundtrack for this journey.
- Lana Winterhalt
Busty and the Bass
Eddie // Arts & Crafts
I saw Busty and the Bass play last year at The Capitol in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and instantly fell in love. Their music is refreshing and their live show is a must see. Their energy is high, yet smooth, and they somehow had every soul in attendance dancing for the entire show. Hearing they had a full-length album coming out on August 14, I was eager to listen and get my fill of funk from this talented band.
Busty and the Bass is are making a name for themselves in the funk and soul music scene. Their sophomore release, Eddie, includes collaborations with musicians: Macy Gray, George Clinton, Amber Navran, Jafe, Illa J, and Jon Connor. Released through Arts & Crafts and produced by Grammy Award nominated Neal Pogue, this album is insanely impressive for the Montreal octet.
The concept of the album is a mixtape for a younger version of themselves, or “Eddie”, that paints a reassuring future. Vocalist and alto saxophonist Nick Ferraro explains this saying, “The album is a bunch of songwriters talking to this fictional kid and reassuring him, ‘You may be young and going through some shit, but this is for you. It will all work out.’ We made the mixtape we would’ve wanted and needed at that age.” I love that there is a central theme throughout the album that the listener can reflect upon with each song. It is fun, expressive, and creative.
The twelve-track release features a wide range of style, including soul, funk, hip-hop, and jazz. The percussion is super tight and the horn lines are stunning. They do a wonderful job of making their music diverse, with head bopping dance tracks and sultry ballads. Eddie is a wonderful compilation of each member’s talent and is a blessing to the ears.
My favorite track is definitely “Baggy Eyed Dopeman”, which was released as a single back in February and is also included in their 2020 EP Go So Far. This song immediately grabbed my attention with its catchy melody and full chorus. It features funk legend George Clinton and is incredibly groovy and hip-hop influenced. The punchy bass is balanced out by the jazzy horns and smooth vocals, which are all held down by the flawless percussion. Clinton’s vocals pop in and out throughout and add an extra layer of groove and richness. It is one of the more exciting tracks on the album and does not disappoint.
This is a band that is working their way to the top. They are collaborating with some really talented musicians and are performing on stages big names frequently appear on. Their sound is energizing, diverse, and addictive, which has been turning many heads. I am excited to see where Busty and the Bass goes and hope to see them live again soon.
- Holly-Anne Gilroy
