“A-man-with-an-acoustic-guitar” is a phrase that has the potential to fill any listener with a lot of understandable dread. The music industry is inundated with such acts, and to not fall into the grave of the awfully-nice-but-dull, there has to be a certain something about a musician that prevents them joining the ranks of the less fortunate.

Aaron Wright is a lot more than a mediocrity. On his second album, Flying Machine, his Scottish heritage (and accent) gives the folky tracks a Celtic twang, and creates sweeping soundscapes embellished with brass, piano, stings et al. A fan of Neil Young and John Lennon, with a penchant for Simon and Garfunkel, Wright is taking his influences from the greats. Never shy with a melody, Wright’s songs sparkle, from the dainty ‘Rob a Bank’, to the endearingly honest ‘Proper Chronic Lonely’. ‘Miles of Clear’ sees Wright at his most Richard Hawley, with ‘All I Need is You’ seeing a boy-girl duet reminiscent of a Wild West country saloon.

Wright’s vocals further channel this unashamed honesty, with an unpolished sincerity that makes his songs sound all the more authentic. This is perhaps more clearly seen on album closer ‘Till I Found You’, where Wright sings his lyrics with such a personal quality, who cares if they’re true or not.

At its heart, Flying Machine is a collection of lyrical, straightforward, yet accomplished songs. Wright has made writing that tricky second album look easy, displaying an intuitive understanding of what makes up a catchy pop song. What is more, Wright has firmly established himself as much more than just a voice and an acoustic guitar.

Tara Hodgson
@tarahodgson