Morgan Cameron Ross

 

On his own, Morgan just went for it, putting the plans in motion for his solo project. He had written hundreds of songs and applied to FACTOR for a demo grant, submitting an MP3 of “13 C” as his calling card. Once the grant was awarded he called on producer Jon Anderson in Vancouver, where Morgan was born. “I wanted to work with Jon, whose production I’ve always loved,” says Morgan.

 

In August 2010, Jon and Morgan recorded five songs, including “I’ll Hold On To Your Heart,” “My Brother Went To Prison,” “13 C,” “Let It Go” and “Storybook Romance.” Many of the songs are stories, either fictional or embellished from reality.

 

“13C” was written in 2008 after he noticed a cute girl on the airplane — and then noticed her wedding ring. “My Brother Went To Prison” is about the perseverance of a young Canadian WWI soldier.  ”I’ll Hold On To Your Heart” (featuring Holly McNarland on guest vocals) is about loving someone long after the break up; and the Sexsmith co-write ” We’ve All Had Broken Hearts” leads with the telling line “sure seems I don’t like happy.”

 

But unlike many of the heart-sinking songs on this solo album, the first single, “Let It Go,” (with Daniel Wesley guesting on vocals) is full of positivity and the new video for the track features a gorgeous Golden Retriever puppy that will inspire many an “aaaaw, so cute.”  The end of video directs fans to a website contest for their chance to “name the dog.”

 

“It’s a fun song and a fun and cute video. It isn’t a deep song for me,” says Morgan. “Rhythmically, I love it and, lyrically, it talks about how I did things the hard way, but ‘I know now what I didn’t back then/ if I could do it all over / I’d do it again.’”

 

And that includes everything he’s gone through with Birds of Wales, a band, he points out, that’s only on hiatus and already has new songs in the works. In the meantime, this solo album is pure Morgan Cameron Ross, which this only child now gets to share.

 

The new self-titled CD was released through Sparks Music on May 3, 2011.