If I know you at all, I know that, like me, you’re always on the lookout for songs that transport your mind and hook your heart. So, with that in mind, cast your mind back to March of this year. Why? Because that’s when Billy Hunt And The Modern Classix released their thematically intricate single ‘California Callin.’
‘California Callin’ is one of those songs that you just know will inspire the poets, artists, and other musicians. It’s a romantically nostalgic evening drive through love, loss, longing, and the shedding of the ego, complete with a sheen that is rooted within Hunt’s velvet-forged vocals. If you’re familiar with the band’s 2023 single ‘No Occupation,’ you need to prepare yourself; ‘California Callin’ does not share its rebellious, bluesy-rock mantle. Instead, this song unveils a new side of the group, one that embraces soulful storytelling as if it were its soul mate. Let’s get into it!
California Callin
Softly sun-soaked, the intro to ‘California Callin’ is akin to how it feels to have nothing but a long stretch of road in front of you on a summer evening. The sorrow-flecked hops of the guitar become the scraps of warmth that the gusts snatch from your face. The snap-sharp thumps of the drum become the measured roll of the tires, determined to push you further towards your destination of self-transformation. Billy Hunt’s vocals, robust with a plush smoothness, become the heaviness that you’d carry with you as you realise that there is no turning back.
Together, these elements blend together to create a gorgeously touching melody, one that strikes the perfect balance between lively brightness and emotion-burdening weariness. Given that the theme of the track revolves primarily around the death of the ego, I think constructing a melody like this to act as its voice was genius. You can hear both the simmering hope that comes with rediscovery and the fatigue that comes with letting go of a part of yourself.
Tying into this theme of rediscovery, I’ve got to mention how much I love the relationship between Hunt’s performance and the delivery of Sally Newman’s vocals. Where Hunt’s voice stands as the epitome of warmth-spiced heartiness, Newman’s vocals serve as the pinnacle of petal-thin starlight. They’re graceful, angelic, and hauntingly elusive, and because of how mellifluously they contrast with Hunt’s own performance, they act as a hint of what the future could hold post-transformation.
Of course, as you might expect with a song with as much emotive depth as this, the lyrics of ‘California Callin’ are just as evocative as the performances. Hear lines like ‘I see the skies have formed a raincloud on my skin’ and ‘Baby, can you feel it? Can you hear the beaches calling your name?’ It’s impossible not to visualise such beautiful natural imagery, and even better, the contrast between the grey, rainy skies and the sunny beaches perfectly aligns with the notion of impending change that permeates across the track.
This poetic magic leads us right up to the end of the track, where the enchantingly downcast string work ripples out into the nostalgia-for-dreams-past ambience that sits at the crux of the song’s foundations.
All in all, there is something about this song that feels different to other songs. It has this liveliness to it, and yet there is something deeply sad within its story. There are contrasts that enrich both the instrumental and vocal harmonies, making for a wonderfully detailed track and a unique listening experience.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/billyhuntmusic/
ALT: Suffolk-based artist Billy Hunt sits on a stone wall while singing and playing guitar in the sunlight.
Billy Hunt And The Modern Classix
Billy Hunt And The Modern Classix are a collaborative project without a clear-cut lineup of musicians. It’s not often that you come across bands like that, but I think, in this case, it works like a treat, especially in terms of versatility. Spearheading this project is, of course, the wonderfully talented Billy Hunt.
From a young age, Hunt was exposed to a vast array of artists thanks to the eclectic tastes of his parents. This, in part, is why it’s so hard to categorise his style into one genre. Another reason for Hunt’s seemingly endless adaptability could definitely be his confidence as a performer.
After all, during his career’s early days with Good Deeds Music, his debut single ‘Intoxicate’ achieved international airplay and even a BBC News feature! With that in mind, I have no doubt that it’s not a shock that ‘No Occupation’ rose to the #2 spot on Australia’s Banks Radio Chart with impressive swiftness.
From sharing the stage with iconic artists like Inspiral Carpets’ Tom Hingley, The Gulps, and Cosmo Pyke to organising multiple music events and curating festival line-ups, Billy Hunt is the whole package. The glowing praise he has garnered from the East Anglian Daily Times only reinforces that simple truth.
Even by just looking at the success that ‘California Callin’ has accumulated, you know that Billy Hunt And The Modern Classix are a force to be reckoned with. It wasn’t too long before the single reached #1 on Future Hits Radio and accrued 60k views on Facebook alone!
Let’s add to that ever-growing number, shall we? ‘California Callin’ is available right now across all major streaming platforms!
Till next time.