Caleb Hearn
Album review by Gabrielle Groves
“When I need the words I can't find anywhere else // I get in the car // It’s never too far // Just a left on McKinney.” These lyrics close out the song ‘Left on McKinney’ off of Caleb Hearn’s debut album of the same name. After building up his catalog for the last five years, Hearn released the full-length collection of eight songs on September 6, 2024. The first five were already released earlier in the year. Hearn initially started as a rap/hip-hop artist, and gradually made the transition over to the pop-folk genre. This genre is currently at peak popularity thanks to artists such as Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, and now Caleb Hearn.
One word to describe the overall theme of the tracks on Left on McKinney is longing. Throughout the record, Hearn longs for love, the comfort of family, and relief from his panic disorder. On the Good Noise Podcast, he described when his parents divorced, he found solace at his grandparents’s house on McKinney Road. In ‘Klonopin,’ he sings about how he experiences a similar sort of relief when he takes medication during periods of intense anxiety. He takes the medication to “numb the pain,” even though it is just a temporary fix that has turned into a borderline addiction. TikTok-famous ‘Little Bit Better’ featuring ROSIE, and ‘Last Breath’ refreshingly show how imperfect yet beautiful life and relationships can be. ‘Last Breath’ is dedicated to Hearn’s fiance, Michal Leah, who is also a singer and prior collaborator.
Several tracks on the album have partner songs that fit together like pieces of a puzzle, while others contrast. However, they are all tied together by Hearn’s euphonious sound. Hearn talked about these differences in topics with Bailey Vigliaturo of his label, Nettwerk. Hearn explains, “There’s a lot of highs and lows on this album, but I hope that by the time people reach the end there’s no more questions, and they’re left with a real feeling of comfort and peace.”
Hearn recently finished up his 5 nights In The Midwest Tour: four dates headlining and one supporting Gavin Degraw. His dreams are coming true from October 16-19th when he opens for Switchfoot on tour. Hearn can also be seen in sometimes serious but mainly humorous videos on his Instagram and TikTok pages.
