Canadian pop-punk/post-hardcore quintet Calling All Captains have announced their debut full-length Slowly Getting Better, due for release on 29th October 2021 via Rude Records (UK/EU) / Equal Vision Records (ROW). The band have also released a video for their new single ‘Wasted’, the third taste of their upcoming record.
Stream/purchase ‘Wasted’ here: https://callingallcaptains.lnk.to/wasted
Pre-save Slowly Getting Better here: https://callingallcaptains.lnk.to/SGB
Calling All Captains comment on the new single:
“‘Wasted’ is for the ones who are stuck in their vices. It’s tiring being a slave to addiction or substance abuse. Sometimes you play along and act the part, so you don’t lose those closest to you. Do these people have your best interest at heart? Do you only hang out and drink? Will they be there for you at 3:00am on a Tuesday when you need it? This song reflects on the type of lives that we fall into as a young adult. Your twenties are not supposed to be a giant party. It is a difficult time transitioning between adolescence and adulthood. I wish I could tell my younger self to put down the substances and focus more on life’s essential aspects.”
Originating from small towns outside of Edmonton, Alberta, Calling All Captains have been manifesting the release of their debut full-length record, Slowly Getting Better, for the past few years and are eager to finally share their creations with the world.
Slowly Getting Better is a compilation of hardships, persistence, love, and acceptance, and is a thrilling follow-up to the 2019 EP, Nothing Grows Here. Calling All Captains‘ unique sound allows them to dip their toes in both the pop-punk and post-hardcore realms using poppy instrumental elements with a punk-like, aggressive vocal style.
After their initial recording plans were halted in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the band was able to bring in their Nothing Grows Here producer, Quinn Cyrankiewicz, and safely record the album at The Audio Department in their hometown. With more demos and songs than they’d ever written before, Calling All Captains got to work refining and perfecting every note of every song, taking weeks to decide which were good enough to make the cut for their debut album.
Calling All Captains have a fluid dynamic, where each member holds an untold responsibility for writing and being an asset to the band. Luc and Connor are the primary songwriters. Brad focuses on the technical elements. Tim concentrates on the beat, and Nick envisions how the songs will perform live and which technical aspects will draw the crowds in. According to Luc, this collaboration “allows the song to be relatable and personable to each member of the band.”
The lyrics on Slowly Getting Better reflect the woes of their mid-twenties and issues about drugs and mental health, while simultaneously offering the listener the comfort of someone else who understands the struggle. ‘Tailspin’, the first single from the record, was an energetic and emotional track to kick off this cycle with, and it perfectly highlights the seamless collaboration of all of the members. “We didn’t want any lull points, but we also didn’t want to give too much away about the record,” Brad states. Connor joins Luc on vocals and takes over a verse, to add even more depth to an already technical track.
Slowly Getting Better is a soundtrack for the struggling yet hopeful people out there. “Hang in there. We’ll all get better, together.”