Callum Easter has released some great material this year and this new album is the culmination of his efforts.
The ten track release starts with previously-released ‘What You Think?’ and continues with the also familiar title track ‘System’. Both are resounding pieces of minimalist rock and roll, channelling Suicide, Lou Reed and Motown in equal measures, quite an explosive combination. No idea if Easter is aware of those influences because he appears to be a true original, just doing what he does.
More interesting are new tracks ‘Little Honey’, which includes some thrashy guitar, keyboards, drum machine and Easter’s distinctive East Coast of Scotland brogue baritone, talk-singing, or sing-talking his way through the track – it actually reminds BM more of mid period Jesus and Mary Chain, with its sweet backing vocals and rough edges… Even more Mary Chain influences on the next track ‘Find ‘Em A Home’ which appears to highlight immigration issues… The vocals seethe with righteous anger, as well they should…
Slower and more meditative is ‘Be Somebody’, piano and keyboard-led, more of a love song perhaps… ‘My Love’ sees Easter starting on his accordion but then switching to guitar and some electronic percussion in one of the best of the new tracks, this is catchy as anything…
‘Honey Bee’ is equally as mental as anything else on the record, setting up the track with a film noir-esque voiceover before breaking into a croon (with mad backing vocals), quite menacing, with a nice synth solo halfway through… This sounds a bit like Barry Adamson meets Arab Strap, or something…
The only collaborative tune listed is with Law Holt, titled ‘Lose Sometime’ – BM thinks (but has not checked) that is an older track which he has played live, another gem of a DIY stramash, with ancient-sounding keyboard – a great racket…
The penultimate track is a version of ‘Tell ‘Em Child’, which BM again thinks was a previous release, but this a radically different version – very stripped back with minimal keyboard and drum machine – the vocal here sounds almost Nick Cave-esque in its timbre…
Closing the album is ‘This Feeling’, another minimalist thrash, with a backing vocal which joins with a mental moothie and sounds almost like Easter in dub, as the main track gets lost under a throbbing bass and other effects… Good god, is there anything this guy cannae dae…?
Overall, this is an incredible piece of work by a still developing artist – Callum we love you!