After establishing themselves with a string of impactful offerings these last few months, US duo Callback are now looking to cement their dynamic legacy to date with the release of their eagerly-awaited debut EP 'Overobsessed'.
Featuring the previously shared anthems 'Out Of Reach', 'Passive', 'Lipstick' and 'winedrunkdrive', this new seven-track collection makes for an incredibly fun and enjoyable listen. Filled with shimmering textures, a lofty atmosphere, and captivating vocals at the helm, 'Overobsessed' sees them continue to shine as one of the more exciting names on the rise right now.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Ben: I started playing piano when I was five, but I remember vividly being determined that as soon as school band started in 5th grade, I was going to play trumpet. I was obsessed, and I’m not sure why. I ended up sticking with it all the way through college.
Bailey: I really only play guitar fluently, so that would definitely be my first love in that regard. I started when I was pretty young, I guess it was just always a part of what I was doing.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Ben: I was definitely into 2010s Top 40, mostly from listening to the radio as my mom drove me to and from middle school. I have so much nostalgia for that era of music and artists like Katy Perry, Jason Derulo, Justin Bieber, in fact I think the first song I ever purchased and downloaded was ‘Solo’ by Iyaz.
Bailey: I really liked Hard Rock and Metalcore for the most part. My influences are kind of all over the place, but I feel like those genres are the ones that stick out to me. Bands like Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold, and Bring Me The Horizon were a few of the standouts for me.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Ben: I’m not sure if it was the first necessarily, but definitely one of the first full albums I remember loving as a whole was ‘Ocean Eyes’ by Owl City. It has such a captivating and unique pop/electronic sound that puts me in such a specific place whenever I hear it.
Bailey: My dad gave me a CD of ‘Appetite for Destruction’ by Guns N’ Roses. I love when bands come out with a project, especially a debut, with something to prove.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Ben: ‘Teenage Dream’ by Katy Perry. It’s a perfect pop song, 10/10, zero notes.
Bailey: I feel like it changes all the time, but ‘Sympathy” by Too Close To Touch. The song is just super well written. Nothing much to argue with after you hear Keaton’s voice on the hook.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Ben: I get inspired really randomly, and usually when I’m not actively trying to come up with something, so trying to get ideas out quickly is important. I use voice memos a lot to do that, and I have so many random recordings of me humming guitar parts, or lines that turned into lyrics on our songs.
Bailey: I guess I try to be inspired by something that is currently affecting me. It can be either positive or negative, but I feel like that helps me find a sonic palette that I want to convey my emotions through. I have a lot more to do with the instrumental aspects than the vocals, but I feel like it helps me create things that stand on their own before the vocals can introduce new ideas.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Ben: Mk.gee is the easy answer, everybody is/should be obsessed with him right now.
Bailey: I’ve been bumping a lot of Knox recently. It feels impossible to dispute the impact that he has on US radio pop right now. The aggressive drum mixes, guitar solos, and instrumental breakdowns are super crazy to hear on the radio. I hope that he continues to push the envelope a bit because I’ve enjoyed it all so far.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Ben: The Band CAMINO would be a dream, they’re such an inspiration to us, as well as a common interest that drew us together even before we started the band. I feel like their fans would also really like our music.
Bailey: Yeah, The Band CAMINO is definitely the easy answer for us. Ben’s right, it would be an absolute dream for sure.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Ben: I love the process in the studio of writing and producing the songs, so for me the most rewarding thing is taking a song from an idea to completion, and all the creative breakthroughs needed to get there.
Bailey: I’m much more focused on how songs will sound in a live set. I really enjoy the first time that we rehearse new ideas, and I especially feel a certain level of fulfillment when it comes together as a tight performance the first time.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Ben: The most frustrating part of being a musician, specifically writing music, is when I’m working on an idea or demo that I know is really good, but feeling like I’m not giving it the songwriting quality it deserves, and it feels like I might not have the capacity to maximize what might be an amazing idea.
Bailey: I think most of my frustration comes from the age-old story of artists being overlooked. In the current state of the music industry, there are tons of artists who deserve recognition for the work they put into their craft. Everyone wants to be seen, everyone wants to be heard, and it can be hard to feel like you can afford to make mistakes, or even try new things if you find something that is working.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Ben: Trust your ear. Before you were a musician, you were a fan of music, and if you love what you’re making, there are other people out there who will too.
Bailey: It may sound dark, a friend told me that expecting disappointment is one of the best things that you can do for yourself in music. This might not seem like the greatest thing to hold on to, but I think it’s an important mantra to keep your head down and keep working on your craft. You have to block out the noise. It’s a lot easier said than done.
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Callback's debut EP 'Overobsessed' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.