Callum Gaudet traces family lines on new single, “Ghosts”
Nova Scotia-based artist Callum Gaudet has unveiled his latest single, “Ghosts.”
“My grandfather shaped us with his stories as a survivor of the Holocaust,” said Gaudet (he/him). “I think death is a theme in a lot of my songwriting because of him. The story of ‘Ghosts’ is not so different from one of the stories he told after he was liberated in 1945. He heard a rumor that his brother had also survived the war. When my grandfather finally tracked his brother down, they had both changed so much that they didn’t recognize each other.”
Bookending the artist’s career, “Ghosts” opens in the folk vein of Gaudet’s repertoire to date before quickly turning on its head and diving into a Spanish-influenced indie rock groove.
“When I was a little kid I wanted to write novels,” he said. “As I got older I shifted my attention to music, and now my songs are often written as short stories. Characters appear in a setting and I see their stories through to the timber of the music. As someone who works as a laborer planting trees in dangerous terrain in Western Canada, I think a lot about death. My body hurts and I’m getting arthritic, and I use songwriting to deal with the fear of aging, injury, and dying.”
Review
“Ghosts” opens with a gentle guitar riff and Callum’s tender vocals. The folk influences are immediately apparent, with introspective and narrative-driven lyrics.
As the track unfolds, additional instruments are incorporated, producing a lively rock-infused interlude that bridges the verses.
The lyrics of the song evoke a sense of mystery and vivid imagery. The reference to the protagonist’s brother is also poignant, as the line “He a child, now so tall, You never knew he was that small” evokes a sense of separation and longing. The use of the brother as a ghostly figure adds to the song’s overall sense of intrigue.
In summary, “Ghosts” demonstrates Callum’s seamless fusion of alternative, folk, and rock components, making it an excellent introduction to his songwriting skills.