Guardian Angel Platoon

I met Dennis MacKenzie at a fundraiser for our mutual friend Tim. Tim is a US Marine vet living in PEI who had just been diagnosed with cancer and I had been asked to perform at the event to support his upcoming battle. Months after the fundraiser, Dennis MacKenzie got in touch with me about the idea of helping him shape his own veteran story into an album of original songs. I co-wrote and produced this record. It was recorded by Adam Gallant at The Hill Sound in Charlottetown.

MacKenzie served for nine years in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, during which he was deployed to Afghanistan for combat. Following his departure from the military, and a few years of soul searching, in an effort to bring his community together Dennis founded an organization called Brave and Broken. He founded Brave and Broken in response to what he felt was an absence in the structured support systems for servicemen and women, following discharge. The primary motivation was to deal with the issue of PTSD and suicide rates of soldiers. His own story is riddled with lost friends, both on the battlefields of Afghanistan, and here at home. It is a dark story, showcasing the idea that wars do not end on the battlefield. The fight continues at home for most vets, and he was inspired to use the power of music to tell his story, while shining a light on the work Brave and Broken was trying to do. 

When we began the work, Dennis had many ideas, but most were snippets or really great, half-formed songs that needed some finessing and direction. From the beginning, we agreed that we needed to present this work in chronological order. We started with a song Dennis had written about leaving for training, called “I’ll Write When I Can.” Over the course of 13 songs, the album is interspersed with three readings of Dennis’ letters home to his mother. The album really takes shape with “Easter Sunday,” a musical retelling of the 2007 explosion that killed six Canadian soldiers. These soldiers were Dennis’ friends, and three of them were his roommates.  

“Lanterns” is a haunting ballad that really brings the struggles of PTSD at home into focus. It is the centrepiece of the album and starts a run of songs on this issue that really lets the theme sink in before everything concludes with the title track. “The Guardian Angel Platoon” is a song written about a vivid dream Dennis had about a field of soldiers, all dressed in white. This song attempts to finish this story with a peaceful conclusion and a presentation of hope.  

The Guardian Angel Platoon self-titled album was released in October 2021. I want this article to serve as a reminder of its existence. If you haven’t heard it, please give it a listen. It is a very important and emotional work, and something everyone involved is very proud of.