This Hamilton duo reflect on love, loss, and growing up on their sophomore album.
Jack McAvoy and Andrew Wright are The Enrights, a Hamilton-based alt-rock duo combining contemporary trends with 90s rock styles. Contributing both guitars and vocals each, the band released, As Long As it Makes Sense to You, their second full-length project exploring themes of loss, depression, and breaching adulthood.
"We like to blend 90s rock styles with early 2000s rock, while adding more modern influences and honest lyrics about our friends and people we know," said McAvoy. "Think Sloan meets PUP."
The boys starting writing their sophomore record in 2019.
"It was originally going to be heavily influenced by 60s and 70s records, but we had a hard time making the lyrics fit," said Wright. "We just let the songs flow, and finished writing it by the end of the year. We planned to record it early 2020, but the pandemic kept pushing back our plans and we didn’t get it finished until the end of the year- which is also when we mixed it."
The debut single, "So Often", is about falling out of touch with a good friend.
"This song is about assuming the worst," said McAvoy. "Maybe you feel like you did something wrong or they have something against you, but it’s usually just life getting in the way and your anxiety talking."
The secondary track is about toxicity in a relationship.
""Two Birds" is about a toxic relationship, with two people doing things to undercut the other one," said Wright. "And blaming each other for everything."
"The Witch of Skeleton Park" is about the the lows of student life.
"This one is about being a student in post secondary and feeling like your world is crumbling around you," said McAvoy. "While you try to balance your studies and mental health, while keeping your bills paid."
"All The Time We Had" is a walk down nostalgia lane.
"It's about reminiscing on a relationship that ended and what happened to that person," said Wright. "Sometimes feeling like you didn’t have enough time, but coming to terms with it in the end."
"Motivated" is about post-secondary dread.
"It's feeling like you’ve lost all motivation when life hits you in the face, and wishing you could get it back," said McAvoy.
"Still Worth Talking About" has a double meaning.
"This one is about another toxic relationship," said Wright. "But it could also be taken as our band asking if it’s still worth trudging on, even though we have been off for awhile."
The seventh track, "Life on the Shoulder", is a simple single about feeling like everything is steering off of the rails of your life.
"Same Old, Same Old" describes a friend repeating old patterns.
"This is about a friend who can’t get over their breakup and keeps falling into bad patterns," said McAvoy.
Dreaming about leaving your dead-end job? Then, "Three Chord Wonder", is the single for you.
The final track leaves As Long As it Makes Sense to You off on an introspective note- you've graduated college, left bad relationships in the past, and you're ready to start fresh as an official adult.
""Lemon Tree" is about navigating your mid-twenties, and plans falling through with friends," said McAvoy. "And not feeling sure if you should act like a kid, or grow up."
The boys usually self-record and self-produce, so they stuck with their guns on their 2021 album.
"We used some new programs this time around and applied new techniques," said Wright. "We really took our time with it, so it’s our most polished work to date."
The Enrights hope their listeners feel connected to the music they create.
"We hope that listeners resonate with our lyrics based on real experiences," said McAvoy. "And enjoy our take on the rock genre!"
You can help support the band by following them all socials, streaming their music, and by donating to their Bandcamp linked below!
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