Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties : Bittersweet

Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years continues his other project, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, with a new EP, Bittersweet. The EP serves as a bridge between his first LP, We Don’t Have Each Other, and the next album to come.

If you’re not familiar with Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, Campbell tells listeners the story of a fictional man, named Aaron, who is going through a time in his life where everything is in shambles as he tries to figure out what to do after his divorce. Each song is part of the bigger story, so listening to We Don’t Have Each Other before Bittersweet is a must.

“67, Cherry Red” starts off the EP with more complex instrumentals happening than on the earlier album which makes it more intriguing for music lovers and fiction lovers alike. In this song, Aaron is dealing with financial troubles and has flashbacks while selling a car to pay his debts. The most amazing thing about Campbell’s lyrics is how easily I can picture everything he describes, and how attached I feel to Aaron; the same way readers connect and empathize with their favorite characters.

During “Goodbye, Carolina Blues,” your attachment to Aaron will make your heart ‘crash-land on the floor’ along with his as he encounters the unexpected, and you can hear his heartbreak in Campbell’s voice.

In the third and final song on Bittersweet, Aaron is let into the old apartment by its new tenant. The only thing his ex-wife left behind was the couch that she never liked which serves as a symbol of sorts through the rest of “Green Like The G Train, Green Like Sea Foam.” The fictional lyrics of Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties are fun because talking about the songs is hard without giving away supposed spoilers which adds to the excitement to hear each track.

For only being a three song EP, Dan Campbell packed an immense amount of powerful imagery and emotions into Bittersweet. I’m eagerly anticipating the continuation of Aaron West’s life in the next album.

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties are currently on tour. Check out their dates here!