I first heard “The Wrong Things” by Manitoba’s Sebastian Gaskin in the middle of a hot summer day on an encore presentation of Reclaimed on CBC radio, but I didn’t truly experience the song until much later that night. Once the sun went down, I turned the volume up and the lingering heat of the city gave the song a whole new sheen. Sexy and soulful as all get out, “The Wrong Things” is a song best suited for the night — the kind you hope never ends.
Sleek like a sedan gliding through downtown streets late at night, “The Wrong Things” effortlessly reflects Gaskin’s self-assuredness and cool attitude at every turn. He sings of “trying to feel emotion” but he doesn’t have to try too hard; “The Wrong Things” is slick with feelings: frustration, longing, desire. The beat is hypnotic like the patterns street lights make when reflected off passing tinted windows; the rhythm smooth and warm like expensive leather. There’s no doubt, though, that the engine driving “The Wrong Things” home is Sebastian Gaskin himself. His velveteen tones are downright devastating. Confident while still sounding vulnerable like a wounded lover, Gaskin hits all the right notes for me.
