It seems like the more the years progress, it can be more and more difficult to find an artist who provides true substance rather than some catchy lines that will have a party or club bouncing up and down. That’s why, when I come across artists like Chase Aaron, I can’t help but listen up considering I know he wears his heart on his sleeve and doesn’t have any sort of hesitation about speaking his mind. I’m not entirely sure if this is the case, but I feel like he speaks so freely to not only vent and help himself through the hard times but to also help listeners who might be dealing with similar struggles or hardships.
Most recently, Chase decided to get the new year started off on a raw and somewhat emotional note with his song “I Ain’t Shit”, a record that is as revealing as it is freeing. Another thing I completely respect about Chase is the fact that he produces, records, mixes, and masters all of his music, at least from what I know, and this obviously usually takes an entire team to accomplish the same goal, so his work ethic and personal touch in each step of the musical process makes sure that his music comes out exactly as he wants it to.
On his latest release, he uses some lighthearted, jazzy guitar strums combined with calm percussion and consistent drums that continue to build and complement his voice throughout the track. Although the instrumental itself might be fairly simple and passive, this gives Chase the perfect opportunity to lay it all out on the line once again without the possibility of a haze over his narrative. Beyond this, you might be used to hearing autotune or other effects on most vocals nowadays, but Chase rather opts to keep his vocals clean and unperturbed by too many alterations. In fact, his notes seem to come through fairly pure and singular for the most part while in other moments his words are made more complex with some layering and background hums that match his already angelic voice.
Finally, the most notable part about this record isn’t the song itself at all, but rather the way Chase carries himself. It’s not easy to have a conversation with yourself, let alone one where he comes to terms with the fact that he does based on the title of the track. Nonetheless, he doesn’t let this get him worked up or bothered lyrically whatsoever, remaining relaxed and perseverant throughout this difficult and revealing conversation he has with himself.
For those of you who might be just getting familiar with Chase, he was actually diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the middle of last year, making his own life even harder amidst everything else going on globally. In a press release for the song, Chase says “It was as vulnerable as I could be with what I needed to say… I confronted a lot of demons in 2020. Still dealing with them while I learn more about my disorder and adjust to a healthier routine. The whole chorus is actually about that and just realizing how f*cking lonely I thought I was gonna be. How scary it is. I wanted to be honest and admit that even if I have to go through the scary and shameful parts by myself, I just can’t do this life shit alone. So it has to count for something, you know?” Life can obviously be difficult for everyone, but Chase Aaron isn’t going to let uncontrollable things control him, and “I Ain’t Shit” is the perfect introspective look at his inner monologue, so make sure you listen up and show Chase the respect he works so hard for and deserves.