Callum Gaudet explores the issue with absolutes on “Wolves”
Nova Scotia’s Callum Gaudet explores the issues that underpin dealing in absolutes on the new single “Wolves.”
“As children, we hear bedtime stories with simple, good vs evil themes,” said Gaudet (he/him). “That’s not really the world anymore. Having said that, the idea that people are either good or bad is still really prevalent. For those of us who grew up with the internet, there is this charge to know all the details of current causes, and to have a firm stance about them. I have had too many opinions based on article headlines. I keep fooling myself into thinking that my intentions are somehow uncorrupted by my desires, and I’m not the only one.”
“When a heartbeat starts / Till the blood runs cold / No, the young don’t want to get old,” sings Gaudet, as the song’s driving beat gives way to warmer, dueling organ and guitar lines.
“Every once in a while a story floats around the internet that nobody fact checks and everybody shares,” he said. “We all want to unite together against the new terribleness. Within the week the myth is busted. It’s like we’re clambering to stay socially relevant when we’re mostly scrolling on Instagram. To me the line ‘No, the young don’t want to get old’ isn’t just about aging, it’s about us not wanting to see ourselves as the generation that gets eye rolls at the dinner table.”
Review
From the opening lines of “Wolves,” “Everybody’s talking about the big bad wolf, Everybody plays the part of Red Riding Hood,” I was instantly captivated by both the lyrics and the intense, steady beat. The song brilliantly delves into themes such as conformity, misrepresentation, and the yearning for youth and rebellion.
The chorus, “When a heartbeat starts, Till the blood runs cold, No, the young don’t want to get old,” beautifully expresses a strong sentiment and embodies a profound longing for youth and energy.
Overall, “Wolves” inspires listeners to question their roles and the pressure to fit in, while expressing a desire to embrace youthfulness and defy norms. Callum excels at storytelling and conveying vivid imagery in his music, as also heard in his previous single, “Ghosts.”